Manchester Reform Synagogue
Religion
AffiliationJudaism
RiteReform Judaism
LeadershipRabbi
StatusActive
Location
LocationJackson's Row, Manchester M2 5NH
 United Kingdom
MunicipalityCity of Manchester
Geographic coordinates53°28′44″N 2°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
Materialsbrick
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.

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

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.
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