Reflecting on Judaism

The History of the Ilford Jewish Primary School Part One.

The project was conceived at a meeting of the Ilford Zionist Society in the spring of 1956. My son, Philip Clive Abrahams, had just celebrated his first birthday and under the heading of ‘Any other business’ I mentioned the fact that there was no Jewish day school in the area for him to attend when he grew older. Looking back, and recalling the calibre of the people present at the meeting, it is not surprising that the challenge was taken up enthusiastically, even though few, if any, had children of primary school age, and Joe Rose, logical and analytical Joe Rose, was appointed chairman of an ad hoc committee to investigate the feasibility of such a project.

          The first meeting was not called until the 8th February 1959 by which time Joe had carried out quite a bit of research. Unfortunately, he was unwell and could not attend the first meeting and Avi Gerecht took the Chair. Joe sent a tape setting out the full account of the origins of the project and the progress which had been made to date.

          Avi said that all the people invited to this first meeting had been so invited because they were active communal workers in the Ilford area and we needed to know whether they wanted the kind of school envisaged by the small group who had initiated the project. All agreed except for Joe Brownstein and Mr. Milgrom both of whom said that their personal convictions were against this type of school but they would do nothing which would in any way prejudice it. In fact they would canvass the opinions of the Parents Committee of the Beehive Lane Synagogue in a private capacity.

          Dr. Issy Segal said that Ilford needed such a school but whether it wanted one was something which would need to be ascertained at a public meeting. Sid Lipman said that the school would provide something lacking in Jewish home life and that the need for the school was strong. Rev. Nodel supported Sid Lipman and spent some time discussing the controversial question of segregation. Mr. Carr suggested that we proceed on the basis that the school is both wanted and needed.

          The meeting moved on to the appointment of its firsts officially constituted Committee which comprised:

• Mr. Joe Rose, Chairman;
• Mr. Sid Lipman, Vice Chairman;
• Mr. Bernard Radar, Hon. Treasurer;
• Mr. David Kramer and Mrs. Yetta Young, Hon. Secretaries.

          The Chairman reported that substantial financial support was promised by the Zionist Federation which would go towards the capital costs of the project. He then set up the three sub-committees required for Kindergarten, Finance and Public Relations.

          There had been several meetings with Mr. Fordham, Education Officer of the Ilford Borough Council, during which he stressed that in order to establish a state aided school we would have to establish firstly, that there was an overall need in the borough for extra primary places and secondly, that there was sufficient demand from the Jewish community for such a school. We replied that he was far better placed to know the overall borough’s requirements but as far as the Jewish community was concerned we were certain that the demand would be forthcoming. After all, there were almost 1,000 children attending the Beehive Lane Synagogue’s part-time classes not to mention the classes at Coventry Road. Synagogue.

          We then discussed possible sites for the school and he suggested two. A full report on this aspect of our discussions was presented to the committee.

          The first site was on Woodford Avenue. at the junction with Roding Lane. The second site was the one on which the school is in fact built. We had engaged an architect to report on the merits of the respective sites and he strongly favoured the one where the school now stands. He also mentioned that this site was attached to a large field which might one day be available for a Jewish secondary school if this were ever contemplated. What foresight!

          It is important that we here acknowledge the most helpful and sympathetic attitude of Mr. Fordham who also intimated that if and when the school was built the Local Authority would meet the running costs of the day school from its inception. Years later, the committee was saddened to learn that Mr. Fordham died in a car accident shortly after his retirement.

          The second meeting of the Committee took place on 31st March 1959. The Chair stated that the Council had replied to our request for the Barkingside site stating that it was intended for development as a Community Centre and was therefore not available to us. Between the first and second meeting many members had visited both sites and the Barkingside site was preferred. I therefore proposed that we press for this site for was our school not just as necessary as a Community Centre? My proposal was agreed upon and an application was to be submitted for the purchase of sufficient land on which to build a school for 280 pupils and a kindergarten for 80 children and additional land to accommodate a further 280 children at a later date.

          The Chairman stated that the cost of Hebrew education would be paid for by the Local Authority, but only if tuition took place in normal school hours. If further time was required its costs would have to be met by the Jewish community,

          David Kramer reported on his meeting with the Zionist Federation who were insisting that we commence negotiations for the purchase of the land. They were also insisting that we use an architect other than the one recommended to us as ideal, and who would charge us £10,000/£12,000 less but had no school building experience. It was decided to reserve application to the Zionist Federation for a grant towards administration and secretarial expenses.

          Several other sub-committees were established and Bernard Radar announced a grant of £5 from the Federation Synagogue towards administration expenses.

          It is here appropriate to record for posterity the names of the very first valiant altruistic communal members involved in the school’s groundwork.

W. Abrahams E. Abrahams Rev. S. Black J. Brownstein B. Green Avi Gerecht Dr. S. Gold H.Goldner D. Kramer S. Lipman J. Milgrom Rev. I. Nodel B. Rader Joe Rose Dr. I. Segal B. Sharman Dr. J. Stone S. Synett N. Young Y. Young

          Woolf Abrahams

          August 2003