History
The Hackney Story
The roots of our congregation reach back to 1881, when a small group of Jewish families in Hackney began gathering for services in a private home at 43 Darnley Street. As the community grew, they sought a dedicated space for worship, and in 1885 moved to an iron building on Devonshire Road (later renamed Brenthouse Road). This structure, purchased from Dalston Synagogue for £80, became the heart of Jewish life in the area.
In June 1892, the congregation purchased the site for £500, securing its long-term future. Just five years later, a new purpose-built synagogue, designed by the distinguished architect Delissa
Joseph, FRIBA, opened its doors. The Hon. Walter Rothschild performed the opening with a ceremonial gold key, and the consecration was led by Chief Rabbi Rev Dr. Hermann Adler. The building featured a large lower hall (convertible into classrooms), a main prayer hall, and a ladies’ gallery, with space for 500 worshippers and 300 children.
The shul flourished, undergoing renovations in 1910 and a major enlargement in 1936 under architect Cecil J. Eprile, FRIBA. For more than a century, the Brenthouse Road synagogue was a focal point for religious services, simchas, and community life.
The East London Story
The East London Synagogue was founded in 1877 in Stepney Green, in the heart of the bustling Jewish East End. It became one of the key United Synagogue congregations, serving as a spiritual home and community centre for thousands of Jewish immigrants
and their descendants. As the decades passed, many Jewish families moved away from the East End, and membership declined. The Rectory Square building was sold in 1987, and the congregation continued in smaller premises for several years.
A United Community
In 1993, the East London Synagogue merged with Hackney Synagogue, forming the Hackney and East London Synagogue—a union that brought together the histories, traditions, and members of two significant Jewish communities. The merged congregation continued at Brenthouse Road until 2009, when the building was sold to a Brazilian Pentecostalist Church.
In 2010, the synagogue moved to 2a Triangle Road, Hackney. The premises were officially consecrated on 16 December 2012, marking a new chapter for the community. In 2018, we relocated again—this time to Simon Marks Jewish Primary School at 75
Cazenove Road—where we continue to hold services, celebrate festivals, and nurture Jewish life in East London.
Today, Hackney and East London United Synagogue stands as a vibrant, welcoming congregation. We honour our rich heritage while looking to the future, united in faith, community spirit, and the shared values that have sustained us for more than 140 years.