Seven hundred and fifty years after Jews were expelled from Guildford, the Surrey town has inducted its first rabbi in centuries.
Guildford, whilst not known as a centre of British Jewish life, has a rich Jewish history, with a community existing in the 1100s, building what was once believed to be Britain’s oldest synagogue. It was only discovered during an archaeological dig in 1996.
Archaeologist John Boas works on a medieval synagogue he found forgotten and buried for more than 700 years underneath a shop in Guildford (Getty Images)
The town’s community, which lay dormant for centuries, was revived during the Second World War, with a small community of Jewish refugees from Europe, who settled in the area.
Guildford and District Jewish community for the past few decades has been a small affair, operating out of a tiny building on the town’s York Road.
But under the stewardship of the town’s new rabbi, Alex Goldberg, the community is making a comeback.
Yesterday, more than a hundred people crammed into Guildford’s newly renovated and dedicated synagogue to witness Goldberg’s induction ceremony by Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis.
Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis addressing the community
The ceremony, attended by Guildford civic officials, faith leaders, and Jews from the town and surrounding areas, showed off the community’s Torah scrolls and the new Ark.
In front of multiple faith leaders including the Bishop of Guildford, Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis hailed the “marvellous gathering”, one “filled with happiness and joy and a sense of celebration”.
“I’m mindful of the fact that we cannot take our rejoicing for granted,” the Chief Rabbi remarked, “because, at this time, we are marking the 750th anniversary of the expulsion of Jews from Guildford, which took place on January 16, 1275.
But, he added: “How wonderful it is for us, 750 years later, to come back into a living and thriving Jewish community, which is growing, thanks to your wonderful rabbi.”
Chief Rabbi Mirvis lauded Rabbi Goldberg’s “bringing together” of three separate “covenants” to form the combined Guildford Jewish community: the community centred around the synagogue, the online community, Yisroel Ba'Astolat, which began during the Covid pandemic and continues to exist, together with the Jewish students attending the University of Surrey, and faculty.
Together, they form, he said, a “thriving, successful Jewish presence here in [Guildford]”.
Later, Rabbi Mirvis said: “How wonderful it is for you, Rabbi Goldberg, to be brought back to the synagogue where you grew up, the synagogue in which you celebrated your bar mitzvah, to be the first leader of the Guildford community since Reverend S Clayman in 1945 and the first rabbi since the expulsion.”
University of Surrey Jsoc president Lee-Elle Horowitz
The shul’s chair, Beatrice Gould, 93, said she was “so moved and honoured” to welcome attendees. She shared that when she first arrived in Guildford in 1971, there was “no community, there was nowhere for us to meet”, adding: “I never dreamt in a million years, we would have our own synagogue and our own rabbi.”
In his address, Rabbi Goldberg said the community was “steeped” in history, with this moment marking a “profound rebirth of this community”.
He said: “This synagogue, which stands as a testament to resilience and renewal, has been brought back to life by the hands of many dedicated individuals.”
To return to lead the Orthodox shul in which he has his bar mitzvah was, for Rabbi Goldberg, a feeling “like I’ve come home, a sort of spiritual Teshuvah”.
Rabbi Goldberg said he hoped “to contribute to a community where wisdom and kindness grow, where we cultivate understanding and connection over division and learning over ignorance”.
Quoting Chief Rabbi Mirvis, that “true leadership is about empowering others”, Rabbi Goldberg said he was dedicated to helping students discover their “purpose and strength”.
As the Dean of Religious Life and as Jewish chaplain to the University of Surrey, he said he was committed to “[nurturing] a generation of compassionate and thoughtful leaders, whether that’s Jewish students, or Christian students, or Muslim students, or Buddhist, Bahai, Jain or Jedi. I will be there for them.”
Rabbi Alex Goldberg with local dignitaries
Rabbi Goldberg concluded: “As I step forward as rabbi of Guildford, I am here beside each of you, committed to the wellbeing of this community, both within the walls of the synagogue and well beyond, and to sharing in each others’ lives, the joy, compassion, respect, hope and love. Please walk with me on this journey. Together, let us build a community where everyone feels safe, respected and valued, and can grow.”
Speaking on behalf of its Jewish students, president of the Jewish Society, Lee-Elle Horowitz, said Rabbi Goldberg had been an “invaluable part” of their lives.
She said that Rabbi Goldberg was the “first friendly face” she encountered in England after moving here from Israel.
“In these especially challenging times, your support has been more important than ever. You have been a constant source of strength and guidance, always there to listen, offer advice, provide comfort. Your unwavering commitment has made our lives at Surrey just that much better.
