United Synagogue 1432251 223263384 2008-07-03T09:02:23Z 217.206.157.99 {{dablink|For the American Conservative synagogue association, see [[United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism]]}} '''United Synagogue''' is an [[organisation]] of [[London]] [[Judaism|Jews]] that was founded with the sanction of an act of [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|parliament]], in [[1870]]. [[As of 2007]], it remains the largest religious grouping within the [[Great Britain|British]] Jewish community and indeed in Europe, covering 62 Orthodox Jewish communities. It takes its religious authority from the [[Chief Rabbi]] of Britain and has its own Beth Din and Dayanim. The United Synagogue's values stem from the principles of both [[Torah]] and [[Halacha]]. ==History== From [[1866]], [[Nathan Marcus Adler]] was instrumental in bringing together the United Synagogue, a union of the three [[City of London]] synagogues — the '''Great Synagogue''', the '''New Synagogue''', and the '''Hambro Synagogue''' — and their branch synagogues at [[Great Portland Street]] and [[Bayswater]]. Its direct work has always been confined to the metropolis, but it has exercised, indirectly, considerable influence over the Jews of the [[British Empire]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|British Commonwealth]]. It is governed by an elected council representing the constituent congregations. In religious and ritual matters it is under the jurisdiction of the Chief Rabbi. The president of the United Synagogue in 1910 was Lord Rothschild. The United Synagogue directs and supports educational and charitable work. The title chief rabbi is not found in the pre-expulsion records, though, before the Jews were banished in 1290, there was an official named ''presbyter omnium Judaeorum Angliae''. The functions of this official cannot be proved to have been ecclesiastical. The title Chief Rabbi became well known through the eminence of occupants of the position such as Adler's immediate predecessor [[Solomon Hirschell]] (1762-1842). ==Leadership== The rabbinic leadership of the United Synagogue is vested in the [[List of chief rabbis of the United Kingdom|chief rabbi]] and the [[London Beth Din]]. The lay leadership comprises the president and trustees (''shiva tuvei ha'ir''). ==External links== [http://www.unitedsynagogue.org.uk/the_united_synagogue/about_the_us United Synagogue web site] * {{1911}} [[Category:Judaism in England]] [[Category:Synagogues in England]] [[Category:Orthodox Judaism in London]] {{Jewish-org-stub}}