Jewish Heritage UK

FIRST-EVER MAINTENANCE COURSE FOR CARERS OF HISTORIC SYNAGOGUES

October 2009

Faith in Maintenance Day

"Faith in Maintenance" Day at the New West End Synagogue
(Photo © David Rose)

Participants from all over the country took part in the first-ever free practical course for volunteers from the Jewish community who care for historic synagogues. This unique "Faith In Maintenance" (FiM) day, developed by Britain’s oldest conservation charity, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), was hosted by the Grade I Listed New West End Synagogue (London) in association with Jewish Heritage.


Left-to-Right: Alaster Burman (Princes Road Synagogue, Liverpool), Dr Sharman Kadish (Director, Jewish Heritage) and Gerald Levin (Garnethill Synagogue, Glasgow) (Photo © David Rose)	Participants at the "Faith in Maintenance" Day (Photo © David Rose)

Left-to-Right: Gordon Franks (Middle Street Synagogue, Brighton), Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler (New West End Synagogue), Richard Halsey (Exeter Synagogue), Gerald Levin (Garnethill Synagogue, Glasgow), Dr Sharman Kadish (Jewish Heritage) and Sara Crofts (SPAB Course Director) (Photo © David Rose)	Left-to-Right: Kate Minnis (SPAB), Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler (New West End Synagogue), Alaster Burman (Princes Road Synagogue, Liverpool), Sara Crofts (SPAB Course Director), Dr Sharman Kadish (Jewish Heritage), Richard Halsey (Exeter Synagogue), and Gordon Franks (Middle Street Synagogue, Brighton) (Photo © David Rose)

FiM is led by architect and former SPAB Scholar Sara Crofts. She says: "It has become absolutely clear that volunteers genuinely want to learn about the buildings they care for so that they can do the right things to protect and maintain them. The response has been overwhelming, demonstrating a real need for this kind of advice. Along with thoroughly enjoying the day, participants have found the course inspiring and confidence-boosting”.

Dr Sharman Kadish, Director of Jewish Heritage, says: “ ‘Faith In Maintenance’ is a wonderfully positive initiative which can really benefit the Jewish community. We needn’t be daunted by the challenges of cherishing our architectural heritage. There is expert help out there!”

MPs VISIT NEW WEST END SYNAGOGUE

July 2009

Parliamentarians visit New West End Synagogue

Parliamentarians visit New West End Synagogue
Left-to-right: The Rt. Hon Frank Dobson, MP, Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler, Dr Sharman Kadish and Diana Evans
(Photo: Nigel Corrie © English Heritage )

A group of parliamentarians visited the New West End Synagogue (London) on 14th July. The visit was arranged by English Heritage and was attended by parliamentarians from the three main parties, English Heritage staff and representatives from the places of worship sector.

One of only three Grade I listed synagogues in England, the New West End Synagogue's foundation stone was laid in 1877. It has recently had a grant of £108,000 for roof repairs from the joint English Heritage and Heritage Lottery Fund Repair Grants for Listed Places of Worship scheme. Synagogue members guided them around and Dr Sharman Kadish, Director of Jewish Heritage, spoke about the importance of the building.

Left-to-right:
The Rt. Hon Frank Dobson, MP, Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler (Rabbi of the New West End Synagogue), Dr Sharman Kadish (Director of Jewish Heritage UK) and Diana Evans (English Heritage Head of Places of Worship Policy).

SANDYS ROW TOPS THE LIST

May 2009

Sandys Row Synagogue

Sandys Row Synagogue
(Photo: Nigel Corrie © English Heritage )

Sandys Row Synagogue in the East End of London has received the largest single grant yet awarded to a Grade II Listed synagogue - £254,000 under the English Heritage and Heritage Lottery Fund joint Listed Places of Worship Repair Grant Scheme. Sandys Row is London's Dutch Ashkenazi synagogue, housed in a mid-eighteenth century former Huguenot chapel.

Synagogue architect Nathan S. Joseph remodelled the building in 1870 so that the Ark was on the Jerusalem wall. It has defied dire predictions and is now set to enjoy a new lease of life with a renewal both of its roof and of its membership. Jewish Heritage Director Sharman Kadish says, “We urge other historic synagogues to follow their example and benefit from the joint repair grant scheme operated by English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund”.

Sandys Row has been included in a nationwide survey of historic synagogues that Jewish Heritage is currently undertaking as part of English Heritage's initiative on “Heritage at Risk”. Besides grant aid for repairs, training days are on offer to the Jewish community, aimed at people - often volunteers - who have the responsibility of looking after historic synagogues. The training days are being run by Jewish Heritage in collaboration with the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings' "Faith in Maintenance" project. For further information and a free DVD email director@jewish-heritage-uk.org or Tel: 0161 275 3611.

BRADFORD'S RARE STAR

April 2009

Bradford Reform Synagogue

Bradford Reform Synagogue
(Photo: Bob Skingle © English Heritage)

Bradford Reform Synagogue is now Grade II* Listed.

Thanks to the intervention of Jewish Heritage, Bradford’s Victorian Reform Synagogue (T.H. & F. Healey, 1881-2) has been awarded a coveted extra star, raising its Listed status from Grade II to Grade II*. Bradford is the second oldest surviving Reform synagogue in the UK and, unusually, predated the building of an Orthodox synagogue in the town. German-born Jews played an important role in the development of the local woollen trade. Jacob Moser (1839-1922), a founder of the Reform congregation and ardent early Zionist, became mayor of Bradford. Architecturally, Bradford is a very rare and well-preserved, small scale, provincial synagogue built in ‘Oriental’ style. It is perhaps the most thoroughgoing example in British synagogue architecture of the 19th century fashion for ‘Orientalism’ – both inside and out. Today, this little synagogue and its tiny congregation is a very important part of the multi-cultural heritage of Bradford and West Yorkshire.

ENGLISH HERITAGE SUPPORTS JEWISH HERITAGE

December 2008

Andy Burnham with Sharman Kadish

Launch of Places of Worship Support Officers Scheme.

Dr Sharman Kadish, Director of Jewish Heritage UK, with Andy Burnham, the new Minister for Culture, at the launch in Manchester of English Heritage's Places of Worship Support Officers Scheme. Under the Scheme, English Heritage is making available £1.5 million to part-fund 30 heritage professionals to help congregations of all faiths manage and maintain their historic places of worship.

JEWISH "CAPITAL OF CULTURE" 2008

February 2008

Liverpool Princes Road Synagogue

Liverpool's Princes Road Synagogue is now Grade I Listed.

The announcement by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport follows hard on the heels of the upgrade of the city's Art Deco Greenbank Drive Synagogue to Grade II*. The public recognition of Princes Road as 'one of Europe's finest cathedral synagogues' is most fitting in the year in which the City of Liverpool is designated 'European Capital of Culture'.

Princes Road is only the third British synagogue to achieve Grade I status. It has been brought into line with its younger 'sister', the New West End Synagogue in London, which became Grade I last summer, joining Britain's oldest synagogue, Bevis Marks. Liverpool is the first city outside London to have a Grade I Listed Synagogue.

EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE’S DECO SYNAGOGUE GAINS A STAR

February 2008

Greenbank Drive Synagogue
(Photo: Peter Williams © English Heritage)
The New Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Liverpool’s Greenbank Drive has been upgraded to Grade II* by the Department of Media, Culture and Sport on the initiative of the Twentieth Century Society.

This enhanced Listed status is recognition of Greenbank Drive’s national significance as one of England’s overlooked interwar buildings. The synagogue, which officially closed in January, is amongst only a handful built in the 1920s and 30s which have remained largely unaltered, making it one of the best examples of the period in the country. Architect Alfred Shennan figures prominently in the civic history of Liverpool, especially for his work towards the construction of the Mersey Tunnel. This was his only synagogue and it is especially gratifying that its importance is being recognised in the year in which Liverpool celebrates as “European Capital of Culture”.

Jewish Heritage’s Director Dr Sharman Kadish welcomed this public acknowledgement of the special qualities of the building. She expressed the hope that the upgrade would advance the search for sustainable new uses that will preserve the integrity of its outstanding interior. “This hidden gem of Liverpool Jewry,” she said, “deserves our redoubled efforts to secure its future. Any scheme which retains the synagogue substantially intact is to be preferred over conversion for residential or other purposes, which would inevitably entail loss of historic fabric and character”.

Jewish Heritage is actively working with the Congregation, their architects, and other interested parties, to secure a fitting future for this exceptional building.