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HERITAGE OPEN DAYS A BIG HIT
September
2005
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Higher Crumpsall Synagogue, Manchester
(Photo: Bob Skingle ©
English Heritage 2005) |
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Some
10,000 people annually now visit historic synagogues and sites
in England on European Jewish Heritage Day, the European Day
of Jewish Culture and Heritage established in France nearly
a decade ago.
This
year’s event, held on Sunday 4th September, was no exception.
The month of September presented a feast of heritage
opportunities on successive weekends.
In Manchester, Grade II Listed Higher Crumpsall Synagogue in
Cheetham Village proved to be a star attraction during national
Heritage Open Days, organised by The Civic Trust in association
with English Heritage.
On
Sunday 11th September, more than 40 visitors toured the
synagogue, which last year was awarded £130,000 grant aid
towards essential repairs by English Heritage and the Heritage
Lottery Fund. Among admirers of the synagogue’s fine Art Deco
stained glass windows were members of the Al Khizra Mosque,
which was also taking part in the annual Cheetham Festival which
coincides with Heritage Open Days. Chief organiser Revd. Daniel
Burton, priest-in-charge of the Parish of Cheetham, expressed
his delight at the opportunity that the event created for
bringing people together from diverse backgrounds. Later, Jewish
musician Mike Tabor, Chinese musician Han Ying and the Asian
Music Talent Band laid on a lively concert at the Manchester
Jewish Museum, which had over 80 visitors during the day. |
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THE
NEW NEW SYNAGOGUE
A
Building “At Risk” no longer
London,
June 2005
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The New Synagogue (Egerton
Road, Stamford Hill, London)
(Photo: Nic Stevenson. ©
English Heritage 2005) |
Stamford Hill’s New Synagogue, universally known as
“Egerton Road”, has been awarded £62,000 for
restoration and conversion into the headquarters of the
Bobover Hasidim in London. The grant is made under the
English Heritage & Heritage Lottery Fund Joint Places
of Worship Repair Grants Scheme.
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For
further details, click
here (PDF file 31KB). |
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GIBRALTAR’S
JEWISH HERITAGE RECORDED
April
2005
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The
Jewish Heritage UK team pictured outside Gibraltar City Hall with
Carl Viagas, Government of Gibraltar Heritage Officer (centre). Left
to right: Barbara Bowman (architect), Dr Sharman Kadish
(Director), Carl Viagas, Dr Sam Benady (Gibraltar Heritage Trust)
and Nigel Corrie (photographer, English Heritage). City Hall was
built by Jewish merchant Aaron Cardozo in 1815. Photo © Jewish
Heritage UK 2005 |
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To mark 300 years of Jewish life
under the British, the Gibraltar Heritage Trust and Jewish
Heritage UK have combined forces to record the historic buildings
and sites of Gibraltar’s 600-strong Jewish community.
A team of professional
researchers from the Survey
of the Jewish Built Heritage has just visited the Rock
and photographed, documented and drawn Gibraltar’s four historic
synagogues, two historic burial grounds and other sites of Jewish
interest.
The oldest of these little known
buildings, Sha'ar HaShamayim [“Gate
of Heaven”] or the Gibraltar Great Synagogue, was founded in 1724 by Isaac Nieto of
London. Rebuilt several times, the present building largely dates
from 1812 and shares features in common with the parent Spanish
& Portuguese synagogue of Amsterdam (1675) and London’s
Bevis Marks (1701).
A full-colour architectural
heritage guidebook is being prepared, sponsored by the Gibraltar
Heritage Trust. The project has also attracted the support of local
businesses. Project Director Dr Sharman Kadish said
“We are delighted at the enthusiastic reception for our project
on the Rock. People here are obviously very proud of their diverse
heritage.”
For more, see Gibraltar
Pages.
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