Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation

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Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation
Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation (geograph 4299474).jpg
The synagogue in 2015
Religion
Affiliation Orthodox Judaism
Rite Nusach Ashkenaz
Ecclesiastical or organisational status Synagogue
LeadershipRabbi Daniel Walker
StatusActive
Location
LocationMiddleton Road, Higher Crumpsall,North Manchester, England, M8 4JX
CountryUnited Kingdom
Greater Manchester UK relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Location of the synagogue
in Greater Manchester
Geographic coordinates 53°31′12″N2°14′54″W / 53.52000°N 2.24833°W / 53.52000; -2.24833
Architecture
Type Synagogue architecture
Style International
Date established1935 (as a congregation)
Completed1967
Materials Red brick
Website
hphc.org.uk
[1]

Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located on Middleton Road, Higher Crumpsall, North Manchester, England. The congregation was founded in 1935 and worships in the Ashkenazi rite. [1]

Contents

The synagogue building was completed in 1967.

History

The Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation was founded in 1935 on Cheetham Hill Road. It moved to its current location in Crumpsall in 1967. By 1999, it had a membership of 550; [1] and in 2010 the congregation had between 500 and 749 members. [2]

The congregation is housed in a 1967 red brick postwar building on Middleton Road, Crumpsall. [3] The building has been described, unadmiringly, as having a "central block with projecting wings" and "a disproportionately large glass entrance wall". [4] The building is one of three synagogues in the Manchester area that were modelled on the 1934 building of Manchester's Holy Law Synagogue with its tripartite facade in a "pleasing International style". The other two are the Manchester Reform Synagogue's former building (now demolished) at Jackson's Row, and the Prestwich Hebrew Congregation's building. [5]

Incidents

On 22 April 2000 and again on 15 September 2002 antisemitic remarks were shouted at the synagogue. [6] [7] Synagogue security cameras captured a murder on film in 2008, when violinist Michael Kahan was stabbed to death outside a kosher bakery near the synagogue building by a mentally ill assailant. [8] [9]

During Yom Kippur services on 2 October 2025, a car-ramming and stabbing attack outside the synagogue left at least two people dead and three people seriously injured. [10] [11] Armed police responded within about seven minutes, shooting the suspect and (accidentally) a worshipper. [12] [13]

Clergy

Rabbi Gershon Wulwick was appointed minister, reader and secretary to the Heaton Park Synagogue, Manchester in 1948 until his death in August 1972 [14]

Reverend Leslie Olsberg led the congregation for 35 years until he retired and his death, both in 2008. [15] [16] [17] Rabbi Daniel Walker has served the congregation since 2008. [18]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation". Jewish Communities and Records – UK. JewishGen . Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  2. ↑ "Census of the Board of Deputies" (PDF). Board of Deputies. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  3. ↑ Williams, Bill (September 1999). Sir Sidney Hamburger and Manchester Jewry: religion, city, and community. Vallentine Mitchell. p. 21. ISBN   978-0-85303-363-9 . Retrieved 22 June 2011– via Google Books.
  4. ↑ Krinsky, Carole (1985). Synagogues of Europe; Architecture, History, Meaning. MIT Press. p. 99.
  5. ↑ Kadish, Sharman (2006). Jewish Heritage in England; An Architectural Guide. p. 152.
  6. ↑ "Report of Anti-Semitic Incidents". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  7. ↑ "The Coordination Forum for Countering Antisemitism, 15-09-2002/Britain". Antisemitism.org.il. 15 September 2002. Retrieved 21 June 2011. On 15 September 2002, antisemitic epithets were shouted in the direction of the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Manchester.
  8. ↑ Kalmus, Jonathan (5 June 2008). "Father killed on way to buy bagels". The Jewish Chronicle . Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  9. ↑ "New probe into death of bagel-stab violinist". The Jewish Chronicle . 4 December 2008. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
  10. ↑ "Manchester synagogue: Two dead in Manchester synagogue attack, with suspect also believed to have been killed – police". BBC News . Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  11. ↑ "Four people injured in car and stabbing attack at Manchester synagogue – suspect shot by police". BBC News . 2 October 2025. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  12. ↑ "One victim killed in Manchester synagogue attack hit by police gunfire". BBC News. 3 October 2025. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
  13. ↑ "Manchester Synagogue attack victims 'died saving others'". BBC News. 3 October 2025. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
  14. ↑ https://www.jewishgen.org/jcr-uk/Profiles/minister_profiles_orthodox_WXYZ.htm
  15. ↑ Wise, Yaakov (20 August 2008). "The Rev Leslie Olsberg". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
  16. ↑ Cranna, Ailsa (6 December 2007). "Recovering Rabbi gets his date at the Palace". Prestwich advertiser. M.E.N. Media. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  17. ↑ Rooth, Ben (28 July 2008). "Community 'grandfather' dies". Manchester Evening News . Archived from the original on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
  18. ↑ "Walker steps in at Heaton". The Jewish Chronicle . 11 July 2008. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
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