I have written before about the Communal Conference on the Reconstruction of Jewish Education in Great Britain after the war, which was held in November 1945. The London Board of Jewish Religious Education was created as a result of this conference, and came into existence in May, 1946.
This is the first report, which includes classes at 73 synagogues, 13 Talmud Torah schools, and 26 Withdrawal classes in regular schools. It demonstrates a very active organization, covering teacher training, finance, statistics of children attending classes and the names of the officers and members of the various committees. There are also details of the new Kosher School Meals Service, which had acquired central kitchens in Buxton Street, and was supplying 1,250 meals per day.
The statistics are interesting. For example, we learn that at Kingsbury Synagogue in 1950, 107 children were on the roll, 80 boys under 13, 7 boys over 13, three in the Barmitzvah class. There were 20 girls under 13, but none over 13. The average attendance on Sundays was 85, with 55 on weekdays. There were five classes.
