Edgware & District Reform Synagogue

Edgware & District Reform Synagogue is a Reform Jewish place of worship at 118 Stonegrove in Edgware, in the London Borough of Barnet. Today the community operates as Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue, and it belongs to the Movement for Progressive Judaism.

What is this place?

The building at 118 Stonegrove is a synagogue and the home of a Reform Jewish congregation. Reform Judaism is the progressive stream of Jewish practice in Britain, and a Reform synagogue is a place for prayer, study and community life. Wikidata describes the site simply as a synagogue in London, England.

How did the community begin?

The story starts in the 1930s. On 1 November 1934, thirteen members of the recently established Edgware United Synagogue, unhappy with the arrangements there, decided to form a breakaway group. Soon afterwards the group took the name "Edgware and District Progressive Jewish Fellowship".

The congregation first appeared in the Jewish Year Book in 1945-6, listed as a constituent of the Associated British Synagogues. Its early address was 14 Grove Road. From the mid-1950s it was based at 118 Stonegrove, the site it occupies today, with the postcode HA8 8AB.

What changed in 2017?

In 2017 the Edgware and District Reform Synagogue merged with the Hendon Reform Synagogue community. The merged congregation took the name Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue and is located on the site of the former Edgware and District Reform Synagogue. When Hendon Reform held its final Shabbat service at its building on Danescroft Avenue, its members were able to continue at Stonegrove or join other synagogues.

Who belongs to the congregation?

According to the synagogue's 2023 membership brochure, members live in the streets around Stonegrove and further afield, including Watford, St Albans, Shenley, Finchley and Moor Park. The community offers a Chevra Kadisha group, which supports the Jewish tradition of caring for the deceased, and teaches Hebrew and Yiddish throughout the year. Cornerstone at Stonegrove is a Jewish information class for newcomers and for people returning to Jewish learning.

Visiting and practical notes

• Address: 118 Stonegrove, Edgware, HA8 8AB, London Borough of Barnet.
• Type of site: an active place of worship, not a museum or a tourist attraction with open hours.
• Before you go: service times and visiting arrangements are set by the community, so contact the synagogue through its website (ehrs.uk) first.
• Respect the setting: dress modestly and follow the guidance of the congregation, as in any place of worship.

Frequently asked questions

Is it a Reform or an Orthodox synagogue? It is a Reform congregation, a member of the Movement for Progressive Judaism.

When was the congregation founded? The founding group formed on 1 November 1934 and later became the Edgware and District Progressive Jewish Fellowship.

Why is it called Edgware & Hendon now? The name reflects the 2017 merger of the Edgware and District and Hendon Reform communities.

Where exactly is it? At 118 Stonegrove in Edgware, in the London Borough of Barnet, England.

Can newcomers get involved? The community runs the Cornerstone at Stonegrove class for people new to Judaism or returning to it.