£6m rescue secures future of Wales’ last surviving historic synagogue

A historic synagogue in Merthyr Tydfil is set to be transformed into a national Welsh Jewish Cultural Centre after securing almost £6 million in funding.

The project will restore the Grade II-listed synagogue, widely regarded as the most significant Jewish heritage site in Wales, and create a permanent centre celebrating the contribution of Welsh Jewish communities to the country’s social, cultural and economic life.

Funding includes almost £4 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and £1.7 million from Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council through the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns programme, alongside support from a number of charitable foundations.

The synagogue, which overlooks Merthyr town centre, is the only surviving purpose-built historic synagogue in Wales. Once home to a thriving Jewish congregation, it closed as a place of worship in 1983 as the local Jewish population declined.

In a chapter still remembered by many residents, the building later operated as a gym for nearly two decades before closing in 2004 and falling into serious disrepair.

The building was purchased in 2019 by the Foundation for Jewish Heritage, which has since led efforts to save the site. A new charity, the Welsh Jewish Cultural Centre, has now been established to oversee the redevelopment.

When completed, the centre will feature a permanent exhibition exploring the history of Jewish life in Wales, much of which remains little known to the wider public. It will also host educational programmes, community activities and cultural events aimed at bringing together people from different backgrounds.

David Bearman, chair of trustees of the Welsh Jewish Cultural Centre, said: “We are delighted to have received funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Welsh Government and others to save the historic Synagogue in Merthyr Tydfil, the most important Jewish heritage site in Wales.

“Lottery support will allow us to reopen the building to the public, and establish a new Welsh Jewish Cultural Centre with an exhibition that tells the stories of the contribution of Welsh communities to the social and economic development in Wales, and with a diverse programme for learning, events and activities.”

The project has already received planning permission and listed building consent. Detailed design work will begin next, with a contractor expected to be appointed in 2027.

Dame Helen Hyde, chair of trustees of the Foundation for Jewish Heritage, said the building had been “in a very poor state” when it was acquired seven years ago.

She said: “We’ve been delighted with the level of interest and support this unique project has received from the local Merthyr community and across Wales.

“We are thrilled to have been awarded these final very generous Delivery Phase grants, which will enable us to bring the project fully to fruition. The Centre will make a unique contribution to the cultural and educational landscape of Wales.”

Andrew White, Director of Wales at the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said the project would help bring to life the “rich and often untold stories” of Jewish communities in Wales and safeguard an important part of the nation’s heritage for future generations.

Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government Jayne Bryant said the investment would help strengthen Merthyr Tydfil’s town centre and create a new cultural destination for residents and visitors alike.

Stephen Goldman, chair of the project’s steering committee, said the synagogue represented both Jewish and Welsh heritage.

“The building represents a shared heritage – it is both Jewish and Welsh heritage reflecting the story of a particular community that made its own distinct contribution to Welsh society, and yet is little known,” he said.

“That is why the Welsh Jewish Cultural Centre project is so important, bringing the story of this community to the fore and, in so doing, promoting cross-cultural and inter-faith understanding.”