Montefiore Endowment – Preserving and developing the legacy of Sir Moses Montefiore

Browse the beautiful collections

The Montefiore Collections include items and papers once belonging to Sir Moses as well as manuscripts, books, silver and vestments.

Montefiore Testimonials

Over 400 of which have been digitised and published online, were sent as tributes to Sir Moses from all over the world, mostly on the occasion of his 100th birthday.

The Montefiore Censuses,

Published here online, were compiled between 1839 and 1875 and cover the Jewish inhabitants of the Holy Land, Alexandria, Sidon and Beirut.

The Montefiore Endowment

The Montefiore Endowment aims to promote higher Torah learning for future rabbis, teachers and lay leaders of the ‘orthodox’ Jewish community as well as teaching the values of tolerance, social harmony and mutual understanding for wide public benefit in accordance with the teachings of the Torah and as demonstrated by Sir Moses Montefiore.. Its current policy is based on its trustees’ interpretation of the way in which Sir Moses himself might have wished his Endowment to be administered in the very different circumstances of today’s world – all subject to regulation by the Charity Commission, The Charity’s educational arm is The Montefiore College, with its Dayanut Programme, Semicha Course, Diploma Course, Gap-year Programmes, Ph.D Scholarships, Learned Publications, Public Conferences and Leadership Courses. It also supports other organisations and courses with similar aims to its own, including the London School of Jewish Studies and Manchester Montefiore Kollel. The Endowment sponsors carefully selected Ph.D students at university, relevant learned publications and a number of other charities and educational courses with similar aims. It maintains and develops for public access its rich collection of manuscripts, books, ritual silver and textiles as well as maintaining the Montefiore synagogue and Mausoleum at Ramsgate. It also owns and maintains the Ramsgate Jewish cemetery.

The College

The Judith Lady Montefiore College, established by Sir Moses in memory of his wife Judith who died in 1862, runs programmes of advanced Torah education and leadership training.
Its Semicha Course was established to produce a new generation of rabbis for the Anglo-Jewish community. Many of its students have already graduated as rabbis; and new cycles of study start every four years or so.
Its Dayanut Programme, delivered at the Montefiore College in London by Eretz Hemdah, Jerusalem, is now preparing over thirty highly qualified senior rabbis in the English-speaking world and beyond with advanced halachic knowledge in the topics of Marriage, Divorce and Conversion for Semicha 'Yadin Yadin for the Diaspora'.
Its Diploma Course caters for lay men and women striving to enhance their knowledge of practical Halalacha as well as deepen their spiritual understanding.
Its Gap-Year Fellowship Scheme assists school leavers to spend a year in yeshiva/seminary in Jerusalem and, whilst there, provides them with an additional course of supplementary lectures designed to broaden their understanding of contemporary issues.
Its PhD Scholarship Programme is designed for community Rabbis and educationalists to develop high-level skills with the aim of enhancing their capacity to inspire others and apply innovative approaches to programme development.

The Collections

The Montefiore Collections include items and papers once belonging to Sir Moses as well as manuscripts, books, silver and vestments from the Montefiore College and Synagogue.
The Montefiore Testimonials, over 400 of which have been digitised and published online, were sent as tributes to Sir Moses from all over the world, mostly on the occasion of his 100th birthday.
The Montefiore Censuses, published here online, were compiled between 1839 and 1875 and cover the Jewish inhabitants of Alexandria and the Holy Land, including Sidon and Beirut.
Work is in progress to catalogue the hundreds of Montefiore Petitions sent to Sir Moses from all over the world during his visits to the Holy Land.

Sir Moses

The life and times of Sir Moses Montefiore, Bart., described at the peak of Britain's imperial power as "the most famous Jew in the world".
The history and the current activities of the Montefiore Endowment, which continues to administer Sir Moses's bequest in accordance with British Charity Law and in a manner that its trustees are confident he would have approved. The Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Congregation, London of which Sir Moses was a member, the oldest synagogue in England and the one which he led for many years.

>The Montefiore Synagogue and Mausoleum in Ramsgate. Information and how to book visits. The Montefiore Testimonials, over 400 of which have been digitised and published online, were sent as tributes to Sir Moses from all over the world, mostly on the occasion of his 100th birthday.

Browse Latest News Articles

MBE awarded to Lucien Gubbay for his dedication to the Montefiore Endowment

By admin January 9, 2025 January 9, 2025 Uncategorized

The members of the Board of Trustees are delighted to announce that Lucien Gubbay, Honorary Life President of the Montefiore Endowment, and recently- retired Chairman, has become an MBE in the King’s New Year Honours List. Although Lucien has accepted this award on behalf of all the Montefiore Endowment, all of… Continue reading

Montefiore Endowment Announcement

By admin November 14, 2024 November 14, 2024 Uncategorized

After serving on the Board of the Montefiore Endowment for two decades, and as Chairman since 2011, Lucien Gubbay has announced his retirement from the Board. Alan Bekhor, the previous Vice Chairman, has now been appointed Chairman and Isaac Levy has been appointed Vice-Chairman. In recognition of his outstanding contribution,… Continue reading

Montefiore Endowment and Nishmat Launch UK Yoatzot Halacha Fellows Programme

By admin September 16, 2024 September 16, 2024 Uncategorized

The Montefiore Endowment, with partner Nishmat – The Jeanie Schottenstein Center for Advanced Torah Study for Women, launches the UK Yoatzot Halacha Fellows Programme on 8 September 2024. Continue reading

Montefiore Yoreh Yoreh Diplomas issued in April 2024

By Lucien Gubbay July 8, 2024 August 21, 2024 Uncategorized

Dayan Igra, who signed the Montefiore Endowment’s semicha certificates in April 2024, has been appointed to serve as Interim President of the Supreme Rabbinical Court of Israel and so is currently Israel’s highest ranking Dayan. Continue reading

SEMICHA AWARDS CEREMONY

By Lucien Gubbay July 3, 2024 July 3, 2024 Uncategorized

Semicha Awards Ceremony The Montefiore Endowment and Eretz Hemdah, Institute of Advanced Jewish Studies Jerusalem are happy to announce that the postponed ceremony planned to celebrate the award to their graduates who qualified as rabbis with semicha Yoreh Yoreh during the past year after nearly 5 years of study, and to the… Continue reading

Advanced Torah Learning for Women

By Lucien Gubbay November 24, 2023 November 24, 2023 Uncategorized

THE JUDITH LADY MONTEFIORE COLLEGE in partnership with NISHMAT (The Jerusalem Centre for Advanced Torah Study for Women) are pleased to confirm the continuing success of this two-stage course of intensive part-time learning for women, launched in January 2023. Stage 1. A preparatory course (Mechina) lasting for two years, is divided between… Continue reading

Queries addressed to the Website

By Lucien Gubbay October 5, 2020 October 5, 2020 Uncategorized

Inquirers should note that the Montefiore Endowment owns, preserves and maintains its books and manuscripts in its library at Schaller House Campus, 44a Albert Road, London NW4 2SJ and those on loan to the libraries of University College London. All items are listed on our website www.montefioreendowment.org.uk Items are available… Continue reading