This, the 30th Annual Report, has details of Hebrew classes that were run at 57 London synagogues in 1937-38 (5698). It includes the name and address of the representative of each synagogue’s Hebrew classes. There were 4,834 pupils, which was a good increase over the previous year.
In 1937 the offices of the Union of Hebrew and Religion Classes moved to Woburn House, which resulted in greater co-operation between the Union and the United Synagogue.
The report lists names of annual prize winners as well as detailed statistics including the number of boys and girls at each synagogue. The largest Hebrew classes were at the New Synagogue in Stamford hill, with 322 children on the roll and nine paid teachers.
There is an interesting essay by the Isidore Fishman, who was the Education Officer and Secretary, “The Education Officer’s Notes”.
Of course, it was all to be interrupted by the outbreak of war a year later. My father said that the Second World War marked the end of his education, as he became a 16-year old fire-watcher in central London during the Blitz.
