South Manchester Synagogue
Encyclopedia
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.
The Synagogue flourished for many years in its new location, due in no small part to the arrival of successive waves of refugees from Europe in the 1930s. Such was the growth in membership, that an extension had to be built to the Ladies’ Gallery, and later additional parallel services had to be held in the new Synagogue Hall during the High Holydays. Membership peaked at over 800 during the 1970s.
The Synagogue has been blessed with a number of charismatic leaders, including for many years Rabbi Felix Carlebach
and Chazan Solomon Morris. Today the tradition of vibrant leadership is continued by Rabbi Yitzchok Rubin and Chazan Michael Isdale.
Throughout its history, the Synagogue has had to come to terms with demographic trends within the community. In the same way as the move to Fallowfield reflected the move of the membership out of the city centre, so its most recent history reflects the move of many members of the congregation to Hale, Bowdon and the surrounding area.
The main entrance is a glazed foyer with voids reaching down to the lower-ground floor and up to the first-floor entrance to the ladies gallery, admitting daylight into the heart of the building.
The Synagogue itself is square with the Bimah
set centrally in a traditional arrangement. The low pitched roof rises to a glazed lantern over the Bimah with an exposed steel roof structure that further emphasises the latter's position and importance. The ladies gallery is arranged on three sides of the main space and care has been taken to create a degree of intimacy while still being able to accommodate large numbers for major festivals.
The windows on each side of the ladies gallery are fitted with stained glass windows by the Scottish artist John Clark. The windows represent Rosh Hashanah
and Yom Kippur
and the festivals of Sukkot
, Pesach and Shavuot
. Further stained glass windows are planned for the main entrance on the theme of the Exodus
and for the three-storey atrium on the Shema. The Ark
and Synagogue interior are all finished in oak to maintain the light, airy ambience of the building.
Alongside the Synagogue at ground level is the library and Beit Hamidrash in which weekday services are held. A retractable wall allows this area to become part of the main worship space, providing additional seating for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
The Synagogue was designed to enable access by both the able-bodied and the disabled while still conforming to the requirements of Halacha. Sloping ramps provide ease of access to the main entrance and a lift has been installed with special programming for use on Shabbat. A mechitzah has also been installed on the ground floor for ladies unable to access the ladies gallery.
The community's former synagogue building was in Wilbraham Road, Fallowfield
. The result of a competition won by Joseph Sunlight
, the synagogue was completed in 1913, and is a structure of diverse stylistic influences and innovative technical construction, as recognised in its Grade II listing.
Sunlight adopted the style of a Turk
ish mosque
, complete with dome
and minaret
though interpreted in a modernist, it has even been said cubist, idiom. Sunlight confessed to quoting Hagia Sophia
in Constantinople
and the tower of Westminster Cathedral
. The building marked a first in British synagogue construction in avoiding column
supports for its 35 ft dome by the use of reinforced concrete
in its span and the lattice girders supporting the cantilever
gallery
.
In 2003, the Fallowfield building became redundant, the congregation having relocated, and plans were drawn up by a charitable trust to convert it to a residential Jewish student
centre. , the building is being renovated, with major changes to the interior. The ladies' gallery has been turned into a complete second floor to replace the function room previously in the annex, which is to be demolished.
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and to the buildings that it occupies. In 2002, the community relocated from synagogue buildings in the Fallowfield
Fallowfield
Ladybarn is the part of Fallowfield to the south-east. Chancellors Hotel & Conference Centre is used by the University of Manchester: it was built by Edward Walters for Sir Joseph Whitworth, as were the Firs Botanical Grounds.-Religion:...
district of Manchester to new premises in Bowdon
Bowdon, Greater Manchester
Bowdon is a suburban village and electoral ward in the Altrincham area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England.-History:...
, Altrincham
Altrincham
Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south of the River Mersey about southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Sale and east of Warrington...
, Greater Manchester.
History
South Manchester Synagogue was founded in 1872 by a group of people who wished to cater for those Ashkenazi families who lived south of Manchester city centre. In 1913, the congregation moved from premises in Sidney Street, Chorlton on Medlock, to a new building in the then semi-rural location of Wilbraham Road, Fallowfield. This was to be its home for nearly 90 years.The Synagogue flourished for many years in its new location, due in no small part to the arrival of successive waves of refugees from Europe in the 1930s. Such was the growth in membership, that an extension had to be built to the Ladies’ Gallery, and later additional parallel services had to be held in the new Synagogue Hall during the High Holydays. Membership peaked at over 800 during the 1970s.
The Synagogue has been blessed with a number of charismatic leaders, including for many years Rabbi Felix Carlebach
Felix Carlebach
Felix Falk Carlebach was a German-born British Rabbi in Manchester, England.He was an honorary citizen of the city of Lübeck and had both German and British citizenship.-Life:...
and Chazan Solomon Morris. Today the tradition of vibrant leadership is continued by Rabbi Yitzchok Rubin and Chazan Michael Isdale.
Throughout its history, the Synagogue has had to come to terms with demographic trends within the community. In the same way as the move to Fallowfield reflected the move of the membership out of the city centre, so its most recent history reflects the move of many members of the congregation to Hale, Bowdon and the surrounding area.
New synagogue building in Bowdon
The South Manchester Synagogue building in Bowdon is a purpose-built contemporary building. Constraints posed by the compact site necessitated stacking the principal rooms - the galleried Synagogue and a large communal hall - one above the other. Use was made of the sloping site to place the communal hall at lower-ground level and to create a sunken garden with a safe play area for children.The main entrance is a glazed foyer with voids reaching down to the lower-ground floor and up to the first-floor entrance to the ladies gallery, admitting daylight into the heart of the building.
The Synagogue itself is square with the Bimah
Bimah
A bimah A bimah A bimah (among Ashkenazim, derived from Hebrew בּמה , almemar (from Arabic al-minbar) or tebah (among Sephardim) is the elevated area or platform in a Jewish synagogue which is intended to serve the place where the person reading aloud from the Torah stands during the Torah reading...
set centrally in a traditional arrangement. The low pitched roof rises to a glazed lantern over the Bimah with an exposed steel roof structure that further emphasises the latter's position and importance. The ladies gallery is arranged on three sides of the main space and care has been taken to create a degree of intimacy while still being able to accommodate large numbers for major festivals.
The windows on each side of the ladies gallery are fitted with stained glass windows by the Scottish artist John Clark. The windows represent Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah , , is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora'im which occur in the autumn...
and Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
and the festivals of Sukkot
Sukkot
Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days...
, Pesach and Shavuot
Shavuot
The festival of is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan ....
. Further stained glass windows are planned for the main entrance on the theme of the Exodus
The Exodus
The Exodus is the story of the departure of the Israelites from ancient Egypt described in the Hebrew Bible.Narrowly defined, the term refers only to the departure from Egypt described in the Book of Exodus; more widely, it takes in the subsequent law-givings and wanderings in the wilderness...
and for the three-storey atrium on the Shema. The Ark
Ark (synagogue)
The Torah ark or ark in a synagogue is known in Hebrew as the Aron Kodesh by the Ashkenazim and as the Hekhál amongst most Sefardim. It is generally a receptacle, or ornamental closet, which contains each synagogue's Torah scrolls...
and Synagogue interior are all finished in oak to maintain the light, airy ambience of the building.
Alongside the Synagogue at ground level is the library and Beit Hamidrash in which weekday services are held. A retractable wall allows this area to become part of the main worship space, providing additional seating for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
The Synagogue was designed to enable access by both the able-bodied and the disabled while still conforming to the requirements of Halacha. Sloping ramps provide ease of access to the main entrance and a lift has been installed with special programming for use on Shabbat. A mechitzah has also been installed on the ground floor for ladies unable to access the ladies gallery.
Former synagogue building in Fallowfield
Fallowfield
Ladybarn is the part of Fallowfield to the south-east. Chancellors Hotel & Conference Centre is used by the University of Manchester: it was built by Edward Walters for Sir Joseph Whitworth, as were the Firs Botanical Grounds.-Religion:...
. The result of a competition won by Joseph Sunlight
Joseph Sunlight
Joseph Sunlight , was a Russian/ English architect whose energy amassed him a great fortune in Manchester and left at least one fine building in Sunlight House....
, the synagogue was completed in 1913, and is a structure of diverse stylistic influences and innovative technical construction, as recognised in its Grade II listing.
Sunlight adopted the style of a Turk
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
ish mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
, complete with dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
and minaret
Minaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
though interpreted in a modernist, it has even been said cubist, idiom. Sunlight confessed to quoting Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey...
in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and the tower of Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral in London is the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral of the Archbishop of Westminster...
. The building marked a first in British synagogue construction in avoiding column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
supports for its 35 ft dome by the use of reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
in its span and the lattice girders supporting the cantilever
Cantilever
A cantilever is a beam anchored at only one end. The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and shear stress. Cantilever construction allows for overhanging structures without external bracing. Cantilevers can also be constructed with trusses or slabs.This is in...
gallery
Balcony
Balcony , a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade.-Types:The traditional Maltese balcony is a wooden closed balcony projecting from a...
.
In 2003, the Fallowfield building became redundant, the congregation having relocated, and plans were drawn up by a charitable trust to convert it to a residential Jewish student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
centre. , the building is being renovated, with major changes to the interior. The ladies' gallery has been turned into a complete second floor to replace the function room previously in the annex, which is to be demolished.