Historic York shul finally shuts after 140 years ahead of residential development
After 50 years of non-use, Rabbi Alby Chait leads poignant final Orthodox service at Aldwark shul
An historic synagogue in York has been religiously deconsecrated ahead of its planned redevelopment into two flats.
Leeds’ United Hebrew Congregation senior Rabbi Alby Chait led a final service at Aldwark shul, the last Orthodox synagogue in York, on 1 July, surrounded by members of the Leeds, Lincoln and York Jewish communities.
A short walk away from York Minister, the building was once a joiner’s shop, officially becoming a synagogue in 1886 when Jews finally began to return to the city centuries after the massacre of Jews in Clifford’s Tower in 1190 and the official expulsion of the Jews from England in 1290.
With the building now sold and due to be transformed into a residential dwelling, York’s Liberal Jewish community’s Howard Duckworth approached Rabbi Chait to undertake a last service, providing one of the shul’s three Sefer Torah, previously used by the Lincoln independent minyan Jewish community, which will now remain in York.
Rabbi Chait told Jewish News: “The remnants of the community got back in touch to see if they could get access before it got developed. And they had this one off, one day, one moment, one occasion. I was excited, I was nervous, I was moved, I was emotional, and I was inspired. I felt so lucky to be able to open the door and walk in, back into a shul that no one, not a single person, had walked into since 1975.”
He described the surreal experience of “stepping back into 1975; the kitchen, the steps, the decor, everything; no one had walked in there; to then go in and have the immense honour of leading the last service of an orthodox synagogue in York.”
He added that he was moved to “think of the immense Jewish history of that community, what it stood for, what it gave and what it lost. To be the one to lead that last service was very awe inspiring and a huge, huge responsibility.”
He described feeling the “holiness within the building that is a house of worship and all the people over so many years that would have had their bar mitzvahs or their bat mitzvahs, or their wedding or their special occasions, or their prayers of thanksgiving, or their hopes and their dreams and their tears and their thoughts and their feelings. All of that is sort of etched into the holiness of the building itself.”
The one remaining synagogue pew will be refurbished and used at Leeds UHC to keep “a little bit of the legacy alive.”
A spokesman for York Liberal Jewish community said: “We considered it a mitzvah to work with the developer to ensure that the Aldwark synagogue’s usage and history has been given the respect that it deserves.”
Howard Duckworth added: “It will be a number of years before those present today forget this momentous occasion. As a small part of York’s important long Jewish history, we at YLJC hope to continue to grow Jewish life again within these ancient walls.”
Lillian Coulson, engagement officer for the community, worked with York’s planning office and York Civic Trust to ensure that the redevelopment honours its Jewish heritage. A commemorative Blue Plaque will be fixed on the outside of the building by spring 2026.
Rabbi Alby Chait said: “We respectfully and with dignity closed the synagogue down. I think all of us walked away with a great sense of identity, purpose and optimism for the future.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
