Foundation for Jewish Heritage receives £141k investment to expand shul support

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has earmarked £141,391 to support a new UK-wide project championing the preservation of historic synagogues facing challenges.

The initial grant, announced by the Foundation for Jewish Heritage on Tuesday 24 March, could unlock up to £1.2m of further funding, with hopes to extend the initiative for five years.

‘Preserving Jewish Heritage, Promoting the Hidden Jewish Story’, partnered with the Board of Deputies and the Heritage Network will provide guidance and practical support to historic synagogues in areas such as building management and maintenance, governance, capacity building, sustainability, archiving, education and outreach.

Key aspects of the new project include appointing two support officers, one covering buildings, repairs and maintenance and the other education and outreach; creating a project website with information and resources; creating an historic synagogues network: launching a forum for all volunteers working on synagogue heritage preservation; establishing an historic synagogues heritage route, and a development grants scheme providing small financial awards to synagogues to undertake early stage development work.

Dame Helen Hyde, Foundation for Jewish Heritage chair, said: “We have built up over the years considerable knowledge and expertise in working with historic synagogues, which we will now be able to apply across the UK. We are very grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for this terrific endorsement of, and support for, our work.”

Chief executive Michael Mail added: “There are many extraordinary historic synagogues across the country that are facing a number of challenges relating to declining memberships and limited resources. We want to help and support these congregations, recognising the considerable heritage value of these sites and what they have to offer. The launch of this project is especially significant given that this is a very difficult time for the UK Jewish community given the recent rise in antisemitism.”

Stuart McLeod, director, England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “These buildings hold deep cultural, architectural and community significance and this project will ensure these stories continue to be shared, understood and celebrated for generations to come.”

Heritage Network chief executive David Tittle added: “A project that understands the unique challenges that historic synagogues face is essential at a time when so many face an uncertain future. We know how important places of worship are at the heart of communities throughout the UK. Synagogues have a special place in the history and identity of our towns and cities as a focal point for the Jewish community that has played such a significant role in civic life.”

Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies, said: “A key area of the Board’s work is celebrating our faith, heritage and culture and we are delighted to partner on this project with the Foundation for Jewish Heritage, and the Heritage Network, to provide guidance and practical support to those concerned with historic synagogues.”

The Foundation is currently involved in three major synagogue preservation projects in the UK; in Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, whose Victorian synagogue is being turned into a Welsh Jewish Cultural Centre; the grade II* Middle Street synagogue in the centre of Brighton, where the Foundation is working with the Brighton and Hove Hebrew Congregation to turn the currently closed site into a cultural and educational centre; and the fully functional Sandys Row synagogue, whose board is working with the Foundation to explore the concept of creating a heritage centre based on the legacy of the Jewish East End.

The organisation also works globally to preserve the heritage of synagogues and cemeteries across Germany, Spain, Ukraine, Austria, Turkey, Poland, Russia, Belarus, Iraq and Syria.