Sassov Beis Hamedrash
Golders Green Sassov synagogue charity (1102303 / 04978521); Rubin London court; Freshwater and Morris trustees
| Sassov Beis Hamedrash
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Registered charity and company limited by guarantee |
| Founded | Company 27 November 2003; congregation from East End 1925, Golders Green from 1942 |
| Registration ID | Charity 1102303; company 04978521 |
| Location | New Burlington House, 1075 Finchley Road, London NW11 0PU (register) |
Sassov Beis Hamedrash is an English charity (1102303) and company (04978521) whose objects include maintaining “the synagogue known as Sassov Beis Hamedrash.” Register address: New Burlington House, 1075 Finchley Road, NW11 0PU. Incorporated 27 November 2003.[1][2]
It is a Hasidic synagogue named for the Sassov (Hasidic dynasty), not a Bobov court and not a generic UOHC hall.
Sassov the dynasty — not Bobov
Sassov (Sasiv / Sassow, eastern Galicia, now Ukraine) begins with Rabbi Moshe Leib of Sassov (Moshe Yehudah Leib Erblich, c. 1745–1807), a disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch. Later “Sassover” titles split: Erblich descendants; a Belz-backed Shlomo line that became the Teitelbaum Sassov–Keretzky courts (Kiryat Yismach Moshe; Monsey).[3]
Bobov is a different Galician court (Bobowa), Halberstam line from Sanz. The Freshwater brothers are Bobov by grandmother: their mother Nechama Golda Freshwater (née Stempel / Halberstam) was a daughter of Rabbi Ben Zion Halberstam, the second Bobover Rebbe. That is why press calls Benzion Freshwater Haredi / Bobov. It does not make Sassov Beis Hamedrash a Bobov shtiebel.[4]
The London congregation (Rubin line)
The first Sassover Rebbe in Britain was Rabbi Chanoch Heinoch Dov Rubin (East End, 14 Fordham Street, from 1925; died 1929, aged 40). His son Rabbi Simcha Bunim Rubin (1910–10 June 2003) succeeded in 1929 and in 1942 moved the court to Helenslea Avenue, Golders Green; Yeshivas Chayei Olam used the same building from 1957.[5]
On Simcha’s death the synagogue rabbi became Rabbi Shlomo Yisrael Freshwater, who did not take the title Sassover Rebbe. That title later sat with Simcha’s grandson Rabbi Mordchai Yehuda Rubin in Bnei Brak. The London legal vehicle (2003) therefore houses a historic Sassov-named shul whose last founding Rubin director on Companies House was Henoch Rubin (June 1931; appointed 27 November 2003, resigned 14 May 2019).[2][6]
What the charity is for
Objects: advance Orthodox Jewish religion and education; “specifically to maintain and develop the synagogue known as Sassov Beis Hamedrash”; relieve Jewish poverty worldwide.[1]
Activities line: support of traditional-Judaism institutions; advancement of religion; aid to the Jewish needy.
Trustees / directors
Commission card (seven trustees) and company officers align.[7][2]
| Name | CH / CC | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Benzion Schalom Eliezer Freshwater | Director from 27 November 2003; trustee | Bobov grandson; Daejan Holdings / Mayfair Charities Limited / The Raphael Freshwater Memorial Association / The Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations |
| Solomon Israel Freshwater | Director from 27 November 2003; trustee | Brother; same Freshwater charities |
| Graham Shurek Morris | Director from 27 November 2003; trustee | Brother-in-law of David Abraham Schreiber; Schreiber Charitable Trust |
| Henoch Rubin | Director 2003–2019 (resigned) | Rubin / Sassov London line |
| Luzer Rokach | From 2012 | The Grove Manor Charitable Trust; Helenslea Tzedoko Limited (Helenslea = Golders Green street of the shul) |
| Moshe Broner | From 2012 | Several Golders Green grant vehicles |
| Robert Vorhand | From 7 May 2025 | The Beth Jacob Foundation |
| Israel Rubin | From 7 May 2025 | — |
Also historic: Norman Rokach and Bernard Rokach; Owadie Silber (resigned 2026); Meier Kraus. Corporate secretary: Burlington Registrars Limited.
Historic trustees
Trustees as listed in archived snapshots of the Charity Commission register (first and last snapshot in which each name appears; not a record of actual appointment or resignation dates).
| Name | First seen | Last seen | Snapshots listing name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graham Shurek Morris | 19 July 2010 | 3 January 2019 | 8 [8][9] |
| Henoch Rubin | 19 July 2010 | 3 January 2019 | 8 [8][9] |
| Arnold J Cohen | 19 July 2010 | 23 January 2011 | 2 [8][10] |
| Benzion Schalom Eliezer Freshwater | 19 July 2010 | 3 January 2019 | 8 [8][9] |
| Solomon Israel Freshwater | 19 July 2010 | 3 January 2019 | 8 [8][9] |
| Bernard Rokach | 19 July 2010 | 23 January 2011 | 2 [8][10] |
| Norman Rokach | 19 July 2010 | 26 July 2017 | 5 [8][11] |
| Luzer Rokach | 5 September 2013 | 3 January 2019 | 6 [12][9] |
| Moshe Broner-Cohen | 5 September 2013 | 3 January 2019 | 6 [12][9] |
| Owadie Silber | 5 September 2013 | 3 January 2019 | 6 [12][9] |
| Meier Kraus | 5 September 2013 | 5 September 2013 | 1 [12] |
Persons with significant control
- PSC statement: The company knows or has reasonable cause to believe that there is no registrable person or registrable relevant legal entity in relation to the company (notified 27 November 2016)
Source: Companies House PSC register.[13]
Reading the board
- Name of the shul = Sassov (Rubin London court, Golders Green).
- Blood of two trustees = Bobov (Halberstam via Freshwater mother).
- Third long-standing trustee = furniture-family solicitor Graham Shurek Morris (Weinstock / Schreiber Charitable Trust) — not Hasidic-court succession.
- Shared register office with the Freshwater professional stack (New Burlington House) is administration, not proof that Daejan owns the kehilla.
Finances
| Financial year end | Total income | Total expenditure | Income from donations and legacies | Expenditure on charitable activities | Grants to institutions | Total funds (assets less liabilities) | Cash | Employees | Volunteers | Accounts received |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2012 | £100,824 | £109,596 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Archived register entry[11] |
| June 2013 | £119,681 | £123,410 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Archived register entry[11] |
| June 2014 | £104,777 | £105,745 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Archived register entry[11] |
| June 2015 | £134,545 | £115,410 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Archived register entry[11] |
| June 2016 | £135,453 | £129,344 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Archived register entry[11] |
| June 2017 | £135,328 | £134,967 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Archived register entry[9] |
| 30 June 2021 | £176,091 | £165,358 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | 0 | 8 April 2022 (due 30 April 2022) |
| 30 June 2022 | £228,545 | £210,309 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | 0 | 28 April 2023 (due 30 April 2023) |
| 30 June 2023 | £405,036 | £236,258 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | 0 | 4 April 2024 (due 30 April 2024) |
| 30 June 2024 | £257,969 | £253,145 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | 0 | 30 April 2025 (due 30 April 2025) |
| 30 June 2025 | £741,762 | £275,281 | £659,796 | £248,534 | £26,856 | £2,838,754 | £37,388 | 1 | 0 | 26 March 2026 (due 30 April 2026) |
Source: Charity Commission financial history and register data.[14] Trustee payments: "No trustees receive any remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity."[15]
- Companies House: last accounts made up to 30 June 2025; next accounts made up to 24 June 2026, due by 24 March 2027.[16]
- Companies House: last confirmation statement dated 11 November 2025; next due by 25 November 2026.[16]
- Archived accounts: year ending 30 June 2008; year ending 30 June 2009; year ending 30 June 2010; year ending 30 June 2012; year ending 30 June 2013; year ending 30 June 2014; year ending 30 June 2015; year ending 30 June 2016; year ending 30 June 2017; year ending 30 June 2018; year ending 30 June 2019.[17]
Controversies and conflicts
- Filing compliance: All 5 annual returns and accounts on the Charity Commission record were received by their due dates, and the register states "Charity reporting is up to date (on time)".[14][15]
- Overlapping trusteeships: Solomon Israel Freshwater is also a trustee of Service To The Aged (1001916), Mayfair Charities Limited (255281), The Raphael Freshwater Memorial Association (313890), Zichron Chaim Limited (1204043), Tol Charity (1217718). Benzion Schalom Eliezer Freshwater is also a trustee of Beth Jacob Grammar School for Girls Limited (248708), Mayfair Charities Limited (255281), The Raphael Freshwater Memorial Association (313890), Service To The Aged (1001916), Regent Charities Limited (1059253), The Union Of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations (1158987), Parsha Limited (267986). Moshe Broner is also a trustee of Friends Of Ohel Yizchak Umiriam (1077387), The Rabbi Shohel Cohen Memorial Fund (801797), The Toled Foundation (295600), Shellix Co Limited (313677). Luzer Rokach is also a trustee of The Grove Manor Charitable Trust (1063802), Helenslea Tzedoko Limited (1095125). Graham Shurek Morris is also a trustee of The Morris Charitable Trust (800985), Schreiber Charitable Trust (264735), Friends Of Nahalat Moshe (327229), Investream Charitable Trust (1097052), The Tmava C.i.o. (1214787). Robert Vorhand is also a trustee of The Beth Jacob Foundation (293460), North West London Chevra Kadisha (1212433), The Beth Jacob Foundation (1213252).[18]
See also
- Sassov (Hasidic dynasty)
- Bobov (Hasidic dynasty)
- Benzion Freshwater
- Solomon Freshwater
- Graham Shurek Morris
- The Raphael Freshwater Memorial Association
- Schreiber Charitable Trust
- The Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 SASSOV BEIS HAMEDRASH, Charity Commission, 1102303.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 SASSOV BEIS HAMEDRASH, company 04978521.
- ↑ Sassov (Hasidic dynasty), Wikipedia.
- ↑ Benzion Freshwater, Wikipedia.
- ↑ “What was the Sassover Rebbe reading?”, Jewish Miscellanies, 13 July 2021 — East End shtiebel and 1942 Golders Green move.
- ↑ Sassov (Hasidic dynasty), Wikipedia 2007 text: Freshwater as synagogue rabbi without Rebbe title.
- ↑ SASSOV BEIS HAMEDRASH trustees.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 UK Government Web Archive, Sassov Beis Hamedrash – register entry (19 July 2010), archived snapshot of the Charity Commission register dated 19 July 2010, accessed 14 October 2026.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 UK Government Web Archive, Sassov Beis Hamedrash – register entry (3 January 2019), archived snapshot of the Charity Commission register dated 3 January 2019, accessed 14 October 2026.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 UK Government Web Archive, Sassov Beis Hamedrash – register entry (23 January 2011), archived snapshot of the Charity Commission register dated 23 January 2011, accessed 14 October 2026.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 UK Government Web Archive, Sassov Beis Hamedrash – register entry (26 July 2017), archived snapshot of the Charity Commission register dated 26 July 2017, accessed 14 October 2026.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 UK Government Web Archive, Sassov Beis Hamedrash – register entry (5 September 2013), archived snapshot of the Charity Commission register dated 5 September 2013, accessed 14 October 2026.
- ↑ Companies House, SASSOV BEIS HAMEDRASH persons with significant control Companies House, accessed 13 October 2026.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Charity Commission for England and Wales, SASSOV BEIS HAMEDRASH financial history Charity Commission for England and Wales, accessed 13 October 2026; figures from the Commission's public register data extract dated 13 October 2026.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Charity Commission for England and Wales, SASSOV BEIS HAMEDRASH overview Charity Commission for England and Wales, accessed 13 October 2026.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Companies House, SASSOV BEIS HAMEDRASH overview Companies House, accessed 13 October 2026.
- ↑ UK Government Web Archive, Sassov Beis Hamedrash – archived accounts, archived snapshot of the Charity Commission register dated 5 September 2013, accessed 14 October 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission for England and Wales, SASSOV BEIS HAMEDRASH trustees Charity Commission for England and Wales, accessed 13 October 2026.