Lodzers in London

by
Aubrey Jacobus

Contents

• Letter to Federation Secretary from L. Berg Hon. Secretary, Lodz Synagogue, 1913
• Notice in the London Jewish Chronicle, 1919
• Registers of the Lodz Synagogue London, 1897-1909

Related Links:

• The Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain
• The Poor Jews' Temporary Shelter Database (1896-1914)

The London Metropolitan Archives holds source material on the Federation Synagogues, among which are the collection books of the Lodz Synagogue, ca. 1898, with members' names and addresses. It also holds the Federation Burial Society file on the Lodz Synagogue, consisting of correspondence in Yiddish script between the Lodzers and the Society and carbon copies of a huge number of warning notices about arrears to Lodzer members threatening expulsion (indicating that poverty as a paupers funeral was a great disgrace and constant fear). The notices were sent by registered mail and the tickets are still attached. It is clear the Lodz Synagogue was well established for about 30 years, until the 1930s at least¹. The members' ledger list gave only surnames (and initials if there were more than one family of that name), but the addresses will be useful when the 1911 census comes available in 2011.

I might explain that there were/are two major Synagogue organisations in London: the Federation and the United Synagogue. Each has a burial society and the Synagogue levied the contributions and passed them on. There were also independent synagogues. I found this interesting letter:

To Federation Secretary from L. Berg, Hon Sec Lodz Synagogue
28 Sept 1913

Dear Sir ,
I am surprised at you for asking for a long time one of the Reverends to come to the Lodz Synagogue to give us a preaching . The last time you asked for the Very Reverend Maccoby to preach in our synagogue you altered your mind and he did not come. Today I saw an advertisement for Sandys Row Synagogue² that the Very Reverend Haikin will preach there of the first day Rosh Hashonna at 4.30 pm . That Synagogue has nothing at all to do with the Federation therefore I ask that you desire one of the Very Reverend to attend and preach on the first day Rosh Hashonna. I hope you will consider the matter immediately and do as I ask you .

Yours faithfully
L Berg Hon Sec Lodz Syn  - 14 New Goulston St.

¹ In 1931, S. EISNER was listed as President of Lodz Synagogue, Delegate to the Federation and Delegate to the Burial Society
² Sandys Row was the Dutch Synagogue, which broke away from the Federation: the indignation in the letter reflects the mutual dislike that existed between the Dutch and Polish. See my web page for more on the subject.

21 September 1999
Aubrey Jacobus
E-mail: Aubrey@Jacobyte.com
Web page: http://www.mjacobus.freeserve.co.uk

Notice in the London Jewish Chronicle, 1919

Registers of the Lodz Synagogue London, 1897-1909

21 September 1999
Aubrey Jacobus
E-mail: Aubrey@Jacobyte.com
Web page: http://www.mjacobus.freeserve.co.uk