These orders of service are all from Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue, a constituent of the United Synagogue in London, known as “Norrice Lea” after the street in which it is located. They include lists of the officers of the synagogue at that time, and of donors of buildings, rooms and windows.
Hampstead Garden Suburb, in Northwest London, is currently in the London Borough of Barnet, but, until 1965 was split between two local authorities. The eastern part (which included Norrice Lea where the synagogue is situated) was in the Borough of Finchley, while the western part was in the Borough of Hendon.
By the early 1930s the number of Jewish residents in the Suburb had started to rise significantly, especially in the still being developed eastern part. This created a need for a synagogue.
The then small Jewish community had the support of the United Synagogue and built the original small synagogue. The synagogue opened in 1935 with 70 families and the following year appointed Rev. Dr. Isaac Levy as its first full time minister.
Reverend Levy was born in London in 1910 and educated at Yeshiva Etz Chaim, Jews College, and University College, London. He served at Hampstead Garden Suburb ffrom 1936 to 1938, and then moved to Bayswater, after which he volunteered to serve in the British armed forces, becoming Senior Jewish Chaplain. After the war he served as minister at Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue from 1946 to 1964. He then became Director of the Jewish National Fund in the UK, and died in 2005.
A rapid growth in the local Hampstead Garden Suburb Jewish community, up to some 250 families by the end of 1938, meant that the initial building was far too small and the enlarged synagogue was opened just after the War broke out, in late 1939.
Reverend Harry Bornstein was appointed to lead the community. He was educated at Hackney Downs School, Yeshiva Etz Chaim, Jews College, University College and Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Shortly afterwards he joined the British army as a chaplain, serving in the middle east, and died on active service in Tunis. He is buried in the Tripoli military cemetery, Libya.
The synagogue, with the encouragement of Rev. Bornstein appointed Rabbi Dr. Weinstock as Temporary Minister for the period that Rev. Bornstein would be away. Rabbi Weinstock had come to England from Vienna in 1938. Said to have received nine Semichos (rabbinical qualifications) before the age of 19 in Poland, he had then obtained a Doctorate in Oriental Languages and Philosophy at the University in Vienna and subsequently taught until 1938 at the Principal Jewish High School of Vienna. Since 1938 he had been living in Hampstead Garden Suburb.
In December 1945 Rabbi Weinstock resigned from his post. He went to live in Israel and in 1949 he became the Director of the Education Department of the Keren Kayemet. He died in Jerusalem in 1981.
In July 1946 Rabbi. Dr Myer Lew, then of the Shacklewell Lane Synagogue, was appointed Minister.
Dayan Dr. Myer Lew (1907–1987) was a prominent Orthodox Rabbi and a member of the London Beth Din. He served as the minister of the Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue for over two decades.
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