UNITED

See also:

• SYNAGOGUE (avvaywyii)
• UNITED SYNAGOGUE

SYNAGOGUE  , an organization of London Jews, founded, with the sanction of an act of parliament, in 187o . It is confined, in its direct work, to the metropolis, but it exercises, indirectly, considerable influence over the Jews of the British Empire . 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, who is, to a certain extent, recognized throughout the empire . The president of the United Synagogue in 1910 was Lord Rothschild . Besides providing the worship of some twenty congregations, 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 omniuin Judaeorum Angliae." The functions of this official cannot be proved to have been ecclesiastical . The title " chief rabbi " has become well known through the eminence of recent occupants of the position such as Solomon Hirschell (1762–1842) . He was succeeded by Dr Nathan Marcus Adler (1803–1890), who was followed by his son, Hermann Adler, who raised the position to one of much dignity and importance . Dr Hermann Adler was born in Hanover in 1839, graduated at Leipzig, and received honorary degrees from Scotch and English universities, including Oxford . In 1909 he received the order of M.V.O . Dr Adler was elected chief rabbi in 1891 .

Besides several essays in the Nineteenth

Century, Dr Adler has written extensively on topics of Anglo-Jewish History and published two volumes of sermons . (I .