Monty Rome

- President

About 5 years ago it was usual, when entering the Congregation of Jacob Synagogue, to be met with a welcome smile by the members present, although the floor of the shul was littered with buckets to collect the rain.

Since then, we have acquired a new look, and have had something to look forward to. It was our centenary celebration which was upper most in our thoughts. One hundred years ago, our founders decided that in the vibrant East End of London where there were more shuls than cinemas or restaurants, our shul would be independent. Many of the local shuls were constituent shuls of various organisations but they were sold.

We have kept our independence and retained our connection with the original burial societies.

Before and after the last war, due to bombing of the East End, many of the members whose relatives were among the original founders of the shul had moved away, and their families have been brought up elsewhere.

It has been left to the few staunch members still living locally to continue to keep the name of our synagogue, the Congregation of Jacob, alive.

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