While being the oldest and smallest of the synagogal bodies in the UK, the Spanish and Portuguese Jews’ Congregation is very proud to be in the process of developing its community and still to be providing a range of services out of all proportion to its size. The jewel in our crown is Bevis Marks Synagogue in the City of London, the oldest surviving Synagogue in the UK which has been in continuous use ever since it was opened in 1701. Our other established Synagogues are in Maida Vale (Lauderdale Road) and Wembley, but we are now very excited to be assessing the viability of opening a new Synagogue in Borehamwood, a project which we are confident has a strong long-term future. Despite our small size we, together with a number of associated organisations, provide a range of services comparable with that of the much larger synagogal bodies. These include:
- The Sephardi Beth Din, which serves the whole of the UK sephardi community
- The Sephardi Kashrut Authority
- Weddings under our own auspices
- The Spanish and Portuguese Jews’ Burial Society, which serves many parts of the wider London sephardi community
- A home for the elderly (Edinburgh House)
- A number of welfare and grant-giving charities
- Our own publications