Manchester Reform Synagogue

Last updated

Manchester Reform Synagogue
Manc Reform Syn facade.jpg
Religion
Affiliation Judaism
Rite Reform Judaism
Leadership Rabbi
StatusActive
Location
LocationJackson's Row, Manchester M2 5NH
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Municipality City of Manchester
Geographic coordinates 53°28′44″N2°14′53″W / 53.478794°N 2.248°W / 53.478794; -2.248
Architecture
Architect(s) Peter Cummings and Eric Levy
Groundbreaking1952
Completed1953 (current building)
DemolishedNovember 2023
Materials brick
Website
www.jacksonsrow.org

Manchester Reform Synagogue, a member of the Movement for Reform Judaism, is one of the oldest Reform Jewish communities in the United Kingdom. [1] [2] Founded in 1857 [3] with congregation president Horatio Michollis and Rabbi Solomon Marcus Schiller-Szinessy under the name Manchester Congregation of British Jews by a group consisting mainly of German-Jewish immigrants, [4] the synagogue is located in central Manchester at Jackson's Row. The congregation bought that site in 1949.

Contents

Cornerstone, 1952 Manc Reform Syn, plaque to Albert Isaacs, Alexander Levy, Frederick Lister.jpg
Cornerstone, 1952

The current building was financed by money from the War Damage Commission, after the previous synagogue building on Park Place was destroyed on 1 June 1941 in the Manchester Blitz during the Second World War. [5] Albert Isaacs, Alexander Levy, and Frederick Lister laid the cornerstone on 18 May 1952. After completion the synagogue was inaugurated on 28 November 1953. The building was designed by Peter Cummings and Eric Levy. [6] John Bradshaw designed the stained glass windows, which were manufactured by the stained glass company Charles Lightfoot. The building contains a large synagogue, banqueting hall and classrooms. [5]

The building is to be demolished to make way for the St Michael's redevelopment project. Plans were announced in 2014, [7] and in 2021 the sale of the synagogue was agreed. The building is to close in late 2022. [2] The building was entirely demolished, by hand, within 6 hours on 14/10/23.

The synagogue building at Jackson's Row was used as a filming location for the 2021 BBC TV series Ridley Road . [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Synagogue</span> Union of British Orthodox Jewish synagogues

The United Synagogue (US) is a union of British Orthodox Jewish synagogues, representing the central Orthodox movement in Judaism. With 62 congregations, 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.

The name South Manchester Synagogue refers to both an Orthodox Jewish community in south Manchester, England and to the buildings that it occupies. In 2002, the community relocated from synagogue buildings in the Fallowfield district of Manchester to new premises in Bowdon, Altrincham, Greater Manchester.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Movement for Reform Judaism</span> Jewish denomination in the UK

Reform Judaism, formally the Movement for Reform Judaism (MRJ) and known as Reform Synagogues of Great Britain until 2005, is one of the two World Union for Progressive Judaism–affiliated denominations in the United Kingdom. Reform is relatively traditional in comparison with its smaller counterpart, Liberal Judaism, though it does not regard Jewish law as binding. As of 2010, it was the second-largest Jewish religious group in the United Kingdom, with 19.4% of synagogue-member households. On 17 April 2023, Reform Judaism and Liberal Judaism announced their intention to merge as one single unified progressive Jewish movement. The new movement, which may be called Progressive Judaism, will represent about 30% of British Jewry who are affiliated to synagogues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West London Synagogue</span> Grade II listed Reform synagogue in City of Westminster, London, England

The West London Synagogue, abbreviated WLS, and fully the West London Synagogue of British Jews is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located near Marble Arch, at 34 Upper Berkeley Street, in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England, in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singers Hill Synagogue</span> Orthodox synagogue in Birmingham, England

The Singers Hill Synagogue, officially the Birmingham Hebrew Congregation, is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 26, 26A and 26B Blucher Street, in the Birmingham city centre, in the West Midlands of England, in the United Kingdom. The congregation dates from 1780 and worshiped in the Ashkenazi rite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Marble Arch Synagogue</span> Synagogue in London, United Kingdom

The Western Marble Arch Synagogue is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 1 Wallenberg Place, in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England, in the United Kingdom.

The North Western Reform Synagogue, commonly known as Alyth, is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at Temple Fortune, Golders Green, in the Borough of Barnet, north-west London, England, in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation</span>

Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation is a large Ashkenazi Orthodox synagogue located in North Manchester, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1935, and in 2010 had between 500 and 749 members. Under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, Reverend Leslie Olsberg MBE led the congregation for 35 years until his death in 2008. Rabbi Daniel Walker succeeded him, and currently heads the congregation. Yehuda Marx is the hazzan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congregation Beth Yeshurun (Houston)</span> Synagogue

Congregation Beth Yeshurun is a Conservative synagogue at 4525 Beechnut Street, Houston, Texas, in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garnethill Synagogue</span> Orthodox synagogue in Glagow, Scotland

The Garnethill Synagogue is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogues located in Garnethill, Glasgow, Scotland, in the United Kingdom. Completed in 1881, the historic synagogue is considered the 'cathedral synagogue' of Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackpool Reform Jewish Congregation</span> Reform Judaism congregation in Blackpool, Lancashire, England

The Blackpool Reform Jewish Congregation is a Reform Judaism congregation in Blackpool, Lancashire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalston Synagogue</span> Jewish synagogue in North London 1885-1970

The Dalston Synagogue was an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located on Poet's Road, Canonbury, in the Borough of Islington, North London, England, in the United Kingdom. After formation in 1874, the congregation worshiped in the Poet's Road synagogue from 1885 until its closure in 1967. The congregation worshiped in the Ashkenazi rite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Wimbledon Synagogue</span> Synagogue in Wandsworth, London

The Wimbledon Synagogue, formally the Wimbledon and District Synagogue, is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 1 Queensmere Road, Wimbledon Park, in the Borough of Wandsworth, London, England, in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edinburgh Synagogue</span> Orthodox synagogue in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

The Edinburgh Synagogue is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 4 Salisbury Road in the Newington area of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the United Kingdom. Established in 1816 as the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation, the congregation worships in the Ashkenazi rite.

Edgware & Hendon Reform Synagogue is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 118 Stonegrove, Edgware, in the Borough of Barnet, London, England, in the United Kingdom. The congregation is a member of the Movement for Reform Judaism and was formed in 2017 as a result of the merger between the Edgware & District Reform Synagogue and the Hendon Reform Synagogue communities. The merged community is located on the site of the former Edgware & District Reform Synagogue, and it is the largest synagogue in Europe; with a membership base of 2,500 families.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emanuel Congregation</span> Reform synagogue in Chicago, Illinois, United States

Emanuel Congregation is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue located at 5959 North Sheridan Road, in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. The congregation was founded in 1880.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tree of Life – Or L'Simcha Congregation</span> Jewish synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Tree of Life – Or L'Simcha Congregation is a Conservative Jewish synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The congregation moved into its present synagogue building in 1953. It merged with Congregation Or L'Simcha in 2010, bringing its membership to 530 families.

The city of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England has a Jewish community, where many notable people originated or settled. They have played a major part in the clothing trade, the business, professional and academic life of the City, and the wider world. The community numbers now less than 7,000 people.

References

  1. 1 2 "Service at synagogue featured in Ridley Road ambushed by group with swastikas". The Jewish Chronicle . 24 October 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Synagogue sold for Gary Neville redevelopment to close". BBC News. 27 November 2022.
  3. Hoffman, David. "Our story". What's it all about?. Manchester Reform Synagogue. Archived from the original on 14 November 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  4. Rubinstein, William D; Jolles, Michael A; Rubinstein, Hilary L (2011) The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History, p. 638. Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN   978-1-4039-3910-4.
  5. 1 2 Kalmus, Jonathan (7 November 2013). "Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville set to rebuild Manchester shul". The Jewish Chronicle . Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  6. "Immersive Virtual Reality Project Preserves Historic Manchester Synagogue". Manchester School of Architecture . Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  7. Williams, Jennifer (9 September 2014). "Inside the historic Manchester synagogue to be demolished in Gary Neville's luxury hotel and shops plan". Manchester Evening News . Archived from the original on 18 May 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2016.