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Redbridge: Fighting for its survival or ready for a renaissance?

We find out how the community is responding to a fall in numbers

October 1, 2009 13:07
King Solomon High, the school was a source of pride when it opened in 1993

ByJessica Elgot, Jessica Elgot

5 min read

Once the natural settling place for Jews moving from their original East End homes, Redbridge Jewry is engaged in a fight for survival.

Younger members are migrating in large numbers to the major north London and Hertfordshire centres for social, family or employment reasons. Others have moved further out into Essex to the more expensive properties of Chigwell, leaving once thriving synagogues in decline. Kosher shops have shut and Jewish schools are struggling to fill places.

Such is the changing situation that the Ilford United and Federation synagogues have held preliminary discussions about a merger. At Ilford United, Rabbi Geoffrey Hyman maintained that amalgamation would best suit the Federation congregation because of the problems associated with its central Ilford location in Coventry Road. “It is just not where Jews live any more,” Rabbi Hyman observed. “It’s also not the safest area and I know walking there on Shabbat is not easy.”

He added that Ilford United had been “the biggest shul community in Europe 15 to 25 years ago. We had more than 2,500 members and over 1,000 children in the cheder. We are not as many now but still have over 1,000, putting us in the top 10 of United synagogues for membership.”