[3] Prior to World War II the Jewish community in Leeds was overwhelmingly Orthodox.

[4] Rabbi L. Graf of the Reform Synagogue in Bradford attempted to start a community of worship in Leeds, presiding over a service of six people in a house in Oakwood on 8 January 1944.

[4] Numbers grew and services moved to a variety of sites, eventually buying the defunct Sephardi Synagogue building at 21 Leopold Street, Leeds 7 in November 1951, which was used until 16 September 1960.

[citation needed] On 12 June 1960 the foundation stone was laid and a section of Harehills Cemetery consecrated for the use of the congregation.

[4] Cultural activities such as religious classes expanded until they were too large for the rooms, so a temporary building was erected in the car park in 1965; this was used until 1985, by which time additional rooms had been attached to the synagogue.