Richmond Synagogue

Orthodox Jewish community in London

Richmond Synagogue

Religion
Affiliation| Orthodox Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organizational status| Synagogue
Leadership| Rabbi Chaim Golker
Status| Active
Location
Location| Lichfield Gardens, Richmond, Borough of Richmond upon Thames, London, England TW9 1AP
Country| United Kingdom

Location of the synagogue in Greater London

Geographic coordinates| 51°27′44″N 0°17′59″W﻿ / ﻿51.46219°N 0.29967°W﻿ / 51.46219; -0.29967
Architecture
Architect(s)| Stern Thom Fehler (1987)
Date established| c. 1700s (as a congregation)
Completed|

* 1916 (Central Hall)
* 1938 (8 Sheen Road)
* 1987 (Lichfield Gardens)

Website
richmondsynagogue.org.uk

The Richmond Synagogue is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at Lichfield Gardens, in Richmond, in the Borough of Richmond upon Thames, London, England, in the United Kingdom. The congregation has 250 members and is a member community of the United Synagogue.[1]

## History

[edit]

A Jewish community is known to have existed in Richmond in the late 17th century. King William III dined with Solomon de Medina, a Jewish businessman, at his country house in Richmond in November 1699.[2]

Until 1916, Richmond's Jewish religious community was known as the Richmond Hebrew Congregation. From 1916 to 1938, as Richmond Associate Synagogue, it met at Central Hall, Parkshot, Richmond,[3] a building opened on 28 June 1916 by Leopold de Rothschild, the then-President of the United Synagogue.[4] From 1938, the renamed Richmond District Synagogue met at a converted chapel at 8 Sheen Road, which was compulsorily purchased by Richmond upon Thames Council to make way for a Waitrose supermarket and multi-storey car park.[3][5]

Designed by Stern Thom Fehler Architects,[6] a new purpose-built synagogue building at Lichfield Gardens was opened on 8 March 1987 by Chief Rabbi Sir Immanuel Jakobovits and Rabbi Moshe Barron. A rabbi's house was later built on part of the synagogue's car park.[4]

## Clergy

[edit]

Richmond Synagogue's rabbi, since 2022, is Chaim Golker.[7] Previous rabbis have included Maurice Ginsberg (1922–61),[4] Yitzchak Schochet (1991–93),[8] Jonathan Hughes (2013–15),[9][10][11] Yossi Ives (2003–12) [12][13] and Meir Shindler (2016–2022).[14][15]

## Notable members

[edit]

* Eldred Tabachnik
* Lord Woolf[4]

## Galleries

[edit]

* Plaque inside the synagogue, 1916

* Plaque inside the synagogue, 1938

* Plaque inside the synagogue, 1987

* Richmond congregation logo

## See also

[edit]

* London portal
* Judaism portal

* History of the Jews in England
* List of Jewish communities in the United Kingdom
* List of synagogues in the United Kingdom

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Richmond". Communities. United Synagogue. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
2. ^ Greenstreet, Anthony (1998). "Sir Solomon de Medina of Richmond". Richmond History: Journal of the Richmond Local History Society. 19: 32–35.
3. ^ a b Roberts, Marcus. "Richmond & South West London: History". jtrails.org.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
4. ^ a b c d Savinson, Richard (4 June 2013). "History of the Richmond Jewish Community". Richmond Synagogue. Retrieved 16 February 2015.[self-published source?]
5. ^ "Richmond Synagogue". JCR-UK. 1 March 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
6. ^ "New synagogue in Richmond". Portfolio. Stern Thom Fehler Architects. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
7. ^ Clark, Sophie (29 September 2023). "How Richmond's only synagogue keeps the Jewish community thriving". SW Londoner. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
8. ^ "Rabbi Yitzchak Y. Schochet M.A." Mill Hill United Synagogue. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
9. ^ "Richmond United Synagogue Welcome New Rabbinic Couple". News. United Synagogue. 20 March 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
10. ^ Dyduch, Amy (30 November 2013). "From Reading Football Club to Richmond Synagogue". Richmond and Twickenham Times. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
11. ^ Rocker, Simon (23 July 2015). "'Poaching' row over Radlett's rabbi". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
12. ^ Rocker, Simon (1 September 2011). "Richmond rabbi uses Israeli knowhow to aid the world". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
13. ^ "Welcome to Richmond, Rabbi". Richmond and Twickenham Times. 26 March 2004. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
14. ^ Odling, George (3 July 2016). "Richmond Synagogue celebrates 100th anniversary with the induction of new Rabbi". Richmond and Twickenham Times. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
15. ^ "Richmond selects its leading couple". The Jewish Chronicle. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2018.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Howitt, Arthur (1930). Richmond and its Jewish Connections. R W Simpson, 27pp and 12 illustrated plates
* History of the Richmond Synagogue. Richmond Synagogue, 1976
* Renton, Peter (2000). The Lost Synagogues of London. London: Tymsder Publications, pp. 145–6, ISBN 978-0953-11047-6

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

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Synagogues in the United Kingdom

England

| London

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Elsewhere
in England|

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Northern Ireland

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Scotland

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* Former:
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Wales

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British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies

| Cayman Islands |

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|

Gibraltar |

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Jersey |

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Isle of Man |

Manx Hebrew

Turks and Caicos Islands |

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United Synagogue

Rabbis and
other prominent leaders|

| Living|

* Rabbi Jonathan Hughes
* Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis
* Rabbi Michael Plaskow

|

Historical|

* Rabbi Hermann Adler
* Rabbi Nathan Marcus Adler
* Asher Asher
* Rabbi Sir Israel Brodie
* Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu
* Rabbi Joseph Hertz
* Rabbi Solomon Hirschell
* Rabbi Moses Hyamson
* Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits, Baron Jakobovits
* Nathan Rothschild, 1st Baron Rothschild
* Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

Communities and
synagogues|

| Current|

* Brondesbury Park Synagogue
* Bury Hebrew Congregation
* Cardiff United Synagogue
* Giffnock Synagogue
* New West End Synagogue
* Princes Road Synagogue
* Richmond Synagogue
* Singers Hill Synagogue
* Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue
* Wembley United Synagogue

|

Historical|

* Bayswater Synagogue
* Blackpool United Hebrew Congregation
* Dalston Synagogue
* Dollis Hill Synagogue
* Great Synagogue of London
* Severn Street Synagogue

Cemeteries|

* Brady Street Cemetery
* Lauriston Road Cemetery
* West Ham Jewish Cemetery
* Willesden Jewish Cemetery

Schools|

* King Solomon High School
* Michael Sobell Sinai School

Organisation|

* London Beth Din

* v
* t
* e

Places of worship in Richmond upon Thames

Barnes|

* Barnes Baptist
* Barnes Healing
* Barnes Methodist
* Holy Trinity
* St Mary
* St Michael and All Angels
* St Osmund

Ham and Petersham|

* Ham Christian Centre
* St Andrew
* St Peter
* St Richard
* St Thomas Aquinas
* former church of All Saints

Hampton and Hampton Wick|

* All Saints
* Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace
* Hampton Methodist
* St John
* St Mary
* St Theodore

Hampton Hill, Teddington and Fulwell|

* Christ Church, Teddington
* Hampton Hill United Reformed
* Sacred Heart
* St Francis de Sales
* St James
* St Mark
* St Mary with St Alban
* St Michael
* St Peter and St Paul
* Salvation Army
* Teddington Baptist
* Teddington Methodist
* former church of St Alban

Kew|

* Barn Church
* Our Lady of Loreto and St Winefride
* St Anne
* St Luke
* former Kew Baptist

Mortlake and East Sheen|

* All Saints
* Christ Church
* East Sheen Baptist
* Parkside Christian Centre
* St Mary Magdalen
* St Mary the Virgin

Richmond|

* Bethlehem Chapel
* Christian Fellowship
* Duke Street
* Ebenezer Strict Baptist
* First Church of Christ, Scientist
* Friends
* Holy Trinity
* Our Lady Queen of Peace
* Raleigh Road United
* Richmond and Putney Unitarian
* St Elizabeth
* St Francis (Hickey's Almshouses)
* St John the Divine
* St Mary Magdalene
* St Matthias
* Vineyard Life
* Richmond Synagogue
* former Christ Church
* former Richmond Green United Reformed

Twickenham and St Margarets|

* All Hallows
* All Saints
* All Souls
* Amyand Park Chapel
* Free Grace Baptist
* Holy Trinity
* St James
* St Margaret of Scotland
* St Mary
* Chapel of St Mary's University
* St Stephen
* Twickenham United Reformed
* former Twickenham Methodist

Whitton|

* St Augustine
* St Edmund of Canterbury
* St Philip and St James
* Whitton Baptist
* Whitton Methodist

* v
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* e

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

Districts|

* Barnes
* East Sheen
* Fulwell
* Ham
* Hampton
* Hampton Hill
* Hampton Wick
* Kew
* Mortlake
* Petersham
* Richmond
* St Margarets
* Strawberry Hill
* Teddington
* Twickenham
* Whitton

Railway stations|

* Barnes
* Barnes Bridge
* Fulwell
* Hampton
* Hampton Wick
* Kew Gardens
* Mortlake
* North Sheen
* Richmond
* St Margarets
* Strawberry Hill
* Teddington
* Twickenham
* Whitton

Streets and roads|

* A205 (South Circular)
* A307
* A308
* A309
* A316
* Barnes High Street
* Castelnau
* Church Road, Barnes
* George Street
* Kew Green
* Mill Hill
* Mortlake High Street
* Old Palace Lane
* Old Palace Yard
* Queen's Road
* Richmond Green
* The Terrace, Barnes
* Vineyard
* proposed Ringway 2

Walking and cycling routes|

* Barnes Trail
* Beverley Brook Walk
* Capital Ring
* National Cycle Route 4
* Tamsin Trail
* Thames Path

Thames bridges, islands
and river services|

* Bridges
* Ash Island
* Benn's Island
* Brentford Ait
* Corporation Island
* Eel Pie Island
* Glover's Island
* Platt's Eyot
* Swan Island
* Tagg's Island
* Trowlock Island
* Hammerton's Ferry
* Hampton Ferry
* Kew Pier
* Richmond Lock
* Teddington Lifeboat Station
* Teddington Lock
* former Twickenham Ferry

Other rivers and streams|

* Beverley Brook
* River Crane
* Duke of Northumberland's River
* Longford River
* Sudbrook and Latchmere stream
* River Thames

Sports venues|

* Athletic Ground, Richmond
* Barn Elms
* Championship Course
* Cricket
* Golf
* Hampton Pool
* Lensbury
* Pools on the Park
* Royal Tennis Court
* Teddington Pools and Fitness Centre
* Thames Young Mariners
* Twickenham Stadium
* Twickenham Stoop
* former Ranelagh Club
* former Richmond Ice Rink

Events|

* Annual sports events
* Hampton Court Garden Festival
* Hampton Court Palace Festival

Breweries and pubs|

* Britannia
* Bull's Head
* Crown
* Dysart
* Fox
* George
* Hare and Hounds
* Jolly Coopers
* Old Ship
* Park Hotel
* Richmond Brewery Stores
* Sun Inn
* Twickenham Fine Ales
* Watney Combe & Reid
* White Cross
* White Swan

Theatres, cinemas
and music venues|

* The Bull's Head
* Crawdaddy Club
* The Exchange
* Odeon Cinema, Richmond
* Olympic Studios
* Orange Tree Theatre
* OSO Arts Centre
* Puppet Theatre Barge
* Richmond Theatre
* TwickFolk
* Wathen Hall
* former Eel Pie Island Hotel
* former Richmond Theatre (1765–1884)

Film and recording studios|

* Astoria
* Boathouse, Twickenham
* Eel Pie Studios
* Olympic Studios
* Twickenham Studios
* former Teddington Studios

Media and publishing|

* Richmond and Twickenham Times
* former Gaydar Radio
* former Hogarth Press

Public art|

* Public art
* Diana Fountain, Bushy Park
* King's Beasts, Hampton Court Palace
* The Naked Ladies
* Pope's Urn
* The Queen's Beasts

Historical royal palaces|

* Hampton Court Palace
* Hampton Court astronomical clock
* Hampton Court Maze
* Kew Palace
* Richmond Palace

Historic houses|

* 123 Mortlake High Street
* 14 The Terrace, Barnes
* 18 Station Road, Barnes
* 70 Barnes High Street
* Asgill House
* Brinsworth House
* Bushy House
* Cambridge Cottage
* Chapel House
* Clarence House
* Doughty House
* Douglas House
* Downe House
* Garrick's Villa
* Grove House
* Halford House
* Ham House
* Hogarth House
* Homestead
* Hotham House
* Kneller Hall
* Langham House
* Latchmere House
* Lichfield Court
* Marble Hill House
* Montrose House
* Old Court House
* Ormeley Lodge
* Pavilion
* Pembroke Lodge
* Strawberry Hill House
* Stud House
* Sudbrook House and Park
* Thatched House Lodge
* Trumpeters' House
* West Hall
* White Lodge
* The Wick
* Wick House
* Yelverton Lodge
* York House
* former Alcott House
* former Cardigan House
* former Cross Deep House
* former Mount Ararat
* former Pope's villa
* former Radnor House
* former Richmond House
* former Richmond Lodge
* former Twickenham Park

Other places
of interest|

* Barnes power station
* Chapel in the Wood
* East Sheen Filling Station
* Fulwell bus garage
* Garrick's Temple
* Great Pagoda
* Grove Gardens Chapel
* Hampton Water Treatment Works
* Hampton Youth Project
* Harrods Furniture Depository
* Kew Gardens
* Kew Mortuary
* King's Observatory
* Langham House Close
* National Physical Laboratory
* Normansfield Theatre
* Old Town Hall
* Parkleys
* Park Lane Stables
* Pope's Grotto
* Poppy Factory
* Royal Military School of Music
* Royal Star and Garter Home
* St Leonard's Court
* University Boat Race Stones
* Victoria Working Men's Club
* former Admiralty Research Laboratory
* former Camp Griffiss
* former Karsino
* former Mortlake Tapestry Works
* former Richmond Theological College
* former Sheen Priory
* former Star and Garter Hotel

Tragedy and disaster|

* Barnes rail crash
* Murders:
* Barnes child
* Ham bank
* Amélie Delagrange
* Julia Martha Thomas
* Richmond child
* Towpath murders

Other history topics|

* Adana Printing Machines
* GHQ Liaison Regiment
* Hampton Court Conference
* Kew Letters
* Petersham Hole
* Richmond Flyers
* Richmond, Petersham and Ham Open Spaces Act
* Treaty of Hampton Court
* Warren-Lambert
* Baronets:
* Ashe
* Cook
* Darell
* Pocock
* Vandeput
* Wigan

Parliamentary constituencies|

* Richmond Park
* Twickenham
* former Richmond and Barnes
* former Richmond (Surrey)

Other topics|

* Almshouses
* Archives, museums and art galleries
* Cemeteries, crematoria and memorials
* Churches
* Synagogue
* Grade I listed buildings
* Grade II* listed buildings
* Hospitals
* Local government
* Local council elections
* People
* Schools and colleges
* Sports clubs

Parks, open spaces and nature reserves in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
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