Hendon Reform Synagogue

Hendon Reform Synagogue is the name still widely used for a Reform Jewish community that today worships as Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue, at 118 Stonegrove in Edgware, in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a place of worship and community life rather than a classic sightseeing stop, but its story says a lot about how Jewish communities in north-west London have changed over the last century.

What is Hendon Reform Synagogue?

The congregation belongs to the Movement for Progressive Judaism, the umbrella body for Reform synagogues in the United Kingdom. Reform Judaism is a liberal stream of the faith, and communities of this kind are generally known for services partly held in English, a modern approach to tradition and a welcoming attitude towards families and newcomers.

The present community was created in 2017, when two older congregations joined forces: the Edgware and District Reform Synagogue and the Hendon Reform Synagogue. The two communities voted in favour of the merger during 2016, and the first service of the combined congregation was held on a Saturday in July 2017.

Where is it and how did the two communities come together?

The merged congregation meets on the site of the former Edgware and District Reform Synagogue, in Stonegrove, Edgware. That older community goes back to the mid-1930s. In late 1934 a small group of members, unhappy with their existing synagogue in Edgware, decided to set up something new, and the Edgware and District Reform Synagogue was formally established in February 1935. In its early years it met in rented spaces on and around Grove Road. From the mid-1950s the address in Stonegrove, at a house known as Sidbury Lodge, became its home.

The Hendon community had its own purpose-built synagogue on Danescroft Avenue, which opened in 1968. Over the decades the building hosted festival celebrations, a youth club, a nursery school and countless weddings and bar and bat mitzvahs. When the Hendon building closed, the congregation held a farewell Shabbat service there, and its members moved to the shared home in Edgware.

Is it worth a visit?

For most travellers this is not a monument to tick off. It is a working synagogue, so access depends on the community's own arrangements, and visitors should contact the congregation in advance rather than turn up unannounced. Security at Jewish institutions in London is taken seriously, and you should expect checks at the entrance.

If you are interested in the Jewish heritage of London, the story is a good complement to visits elsewhere in the city. Barnet has long been home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the country, and the merger of two suburban congregations into one is a typical example of how communities adapt as neighbourhoods and membership change.

Frequently asked questions

Is Hendon Reform Synagogue still open under that name? The community now operates as Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue. The Hendon name survives in the title and in many listings.

Which borough is it in? The London Borough of Barnet, in north-west London.

What kind of Judaism does it follow? Reform (progressive) Judaism, as a member of the Movement for Progressive Judaism.

When was the merged congregation founded? In 2017, after a vote in 2016 by the two founding communities.

Can tourists go inside? Only by arrangement. It is an active place of worship, so contact the congregation first and respect the dress and conduct expectations of a house of prayer.

How do I get there? The address is 118 Stonegrove, Edgware. The area is served by London buses and is a short journey from the Northern line stations of Edgware and Canons Park.