Kingsbury Synagogue

Kingsbury Green, London NW9 8XR

phone: 020 8204 8089

In 1936 passengers on the newly constructed Bakerloo Line making their way to Kingsbury Station from Wembley Park, as the train crossed over Fryent Way, would have seen the spire of Harrow School and to the right a development of affordable homes, priced between £600 to £800, on the recently constructed Valley Drive Estate. The first Jewish families to move in to the area were immediately concerned in establishing Hebrew classes for their children and then, by a narrow majority, to become affiliated members of the United Synagogue. Property values have, of course, increased somewhat over the years, but it is considerably cheaper than Hendon or Golders Green and only a 5/10 minute drive from those areas.

Kingsbury United Synagogue has had five Rabbis in its seventy years. The present incumbent, Rabbi Zvi Cohen, recently succeeded Rabbi Maurice Hool, who was our Rabbi for over half of the community's life.

We were the first community to embrace Project Seed. The first United Synagogue Mikva for over a century was built on our premises, in large part due to the work of Rabbi Hool, and we were the first community of the United Synagogue to have its own voluntary Chevra Kadisha (Burial Society). From the community have come a number of Rabbis, leading Hebraic scholars, presidents of both the JNF and Bnei Brith and senior civil servants of the United Synagogue. A large number of our girls and boys have gone to Seminaries and Yeshivas both in this country and in Israel.

In 1996, to celebrate our sixtieth anniversary, virtually every member, both past and present, subscribed to the writing of a new Sefer Torah, the necessary funds being realised in slightly over six months.

We are a very friendly community, and are always supportive and hospitable towards new members.

Over 100 of our members and their families have made aliyah successfully, contributing to a large Kingsbury contingent in the Holy Land.

We have opened a page for reminiscences from those of you no longer living in the Community. Click here to see who has spilt the beans so far.

For further information about membership e-mail the shul.

This site has been visited times since 3rd March 2009.

Site developed by Dov Birnbaum and managed by Stephen Phillips