Wikipedia's first sentence called it “organization of london jews that was founded with the sanction of an act of parliament”. Today it says “largest umbrella body for orthodox judaism in britain”.
Measured, not asserted. Every count, date and revision on this page was taken from Wikipedia's own history and checked against the live article. The words quoted are theirs.
Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-03.
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The opening as it read in 2005
United Synagogue is an organization of London Jews that was founded with the sanction of an act of parliament , in 1870 .1As of 2005 , it remains the largest religious grouping within the British Jewish community, and takes its religious authority from the Chief Rabbi of Britain.2From 1866 , Nathan Marcus Adler was instrumental in bringing together the United Synagogue, a union of the three City of London synagogues—the Great Synagogue , the New Synagogue , and the Hambro Synagogue —and their branch synagogues at Great Portland Street and Bayswater . Its direct work has always been confined to the metropolis, but it has exercised, indirectly, considerable influence over the Jews of the British Empire and British Commonwealth . It is governed by an elected council representing the constituent congregations. In religious and ritual matters it is under the jurisdiction of the Chief Rabbi. The president of the United Synagogue in 1910 was Lord Rothschild. Besides providing the worship of some twenty congregations, the United Synagogue directs and supports educational and charitable work. The title chief rabbi is not found in the pre-expulsion records, though, before the Jews were banished in 1290, there was an official named presbyter omnium Judaeorum Angliae . The functions of this official cannot be proved to have been ecclesiastical. The title Chief Rabbi became well known through the eminence of occupants of the position such as Adler's immediate predecessor Solomon Hirschell (1762-1842).3
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 17142461.
The opening as it stood in 2010 10 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
As of 2007 , it remains the largest religious grouping within the British Jewish community and indeed in Europe, covering 62 Orthodox Jewish communities.It takes its religious authority from the Chief Rabbi of Britain and has its own Beth Din and Dayanim.The United Synagogue's values stem from the principles of both Torah and Halacha .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 359216419.
The opening as it stood in 2015 3 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
With 64 congregations, comprising 40,000 members, it is the largest synagogue body in Europe .The spiritual leader of the union bears the title of Chief Rabbi of Britain and the Empire - a title that bears some formal recognition by the Crown , even though his rabbinical authority is recognized only by slightly more than half of British Jews .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 668610985.
The opening as it stood in 2020
With 62 congregations (including 7 affiliates and 1 associate) (Feb 2020) , comprising 40,000 members, it is the largest synagogue body in Europe .The spiritual leader of the union bears the title of Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth – a title that bears some formal recognition by the Crown , even though his rabbinical authority is recognised by only slightly more than half of British Jews .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 944129291.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
Union of British Orthodox Jewish synagogues For the American Conservative synagogue association, see United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism The United Synagogue ( US ) is a union of British Orthodox Jewish synagogues , representing the central Orthodox movement in Judaism .With 62 congregations (including 7 affiliates and 1 associate, as of February 2020 ), comprising 40,000 members, it is the largest synagogue body in Europe . The spiritual leader of the union is the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth – a title that bears some formal recognition by the Crown , even though his rabbinical authority is recognised by only slightly more than half of British Jews .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1177153153.
The opening as it stood in 2025 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Union of British Orthodox Jewish synagogues For the American Conservative synagogue association, see United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism The United Synagogue ( US ) is the largest umbrella body for Orthodox Judaism in Britain.It is structured as a charity which serves the British Jewish community in the broadest possible way.One of the largest charities in the British Jewish community, it provides much of the infrastructure for the British Jewish community and supports 56 centrist Orthodox Jewish member synagogues .With more than 36,000 members, it is also the largest synagogue body in Europe .The work of the charity includes KLBD, its kashrut (kosher food) department, nurseries, marriages, the United Synagogue Burial Society, Tribe programmes and summer camps for young people, its Chesed team supporting vulnerable people and the highly-respected London Beth Din .The charity also supports the work of the Office of the Chief Rabbi.The spiritual head of the United Synagogue is Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis KBE, the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth —a title that bears some formal recognition by the Crown .The United Synagogue, 1870–1970 ."United for 150 years" . 10 July 2020.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1287282747. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “organization of london jews that was founded with the sanction of an act of parliament”. Today it says “largest umbrella body for orthodox judaism in britain”. Read the current article and compare.
2005
2010
2015
2020
Oct '23
2025
Counts in the opening at each snapshot. Green: the word gained ground. Red: it was cut. Grey: no change.
What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2005, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
organization of london jews that was founded with the sanction of an act of parliament
Now
largest umbrella body for orthodox judaism in britain
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
