Celebratory events mark the 150th year of the Spanish and Portuguese synagogue at Manchester Jewish Museum (MJM).
This year the restored Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue at Manchester Jewish Museum celebrates its 150th anniversary. The synagogue, which was first opened in 1874, was recently renovated from 2019 to 2021 in a redevelopment project which cost £6 million. To mark the anniversary of its opening the museum will host a range of events, from live performances to family-friendly activities and workshops exploring the Sephardi culture and history which can be found in the synagogue. The first of these events included a concert from Graham Gouldman, a famed songwriter who wrote for many artists including The Hollies and The Yardbirds, all the profits of which went to support the museum’s work.
The culmination of the anniversary celebrations will take place in May 2024 during a Museum Open Day, to which the museum invites all of its audiences and communities. Entry will be free for anyone to visit and there will be an opportunity to try the new Sephardi- inspired menu at museum’s award-winning café.
Gareth Redston, the museum’s Chief Executive said: “This anniversary is such a special moment for us because it’s an opportunity to celebrate 150 years of people coming together on this site, both as a synagogue and place of worship, but also as a museum. It’s also our chance to thank all of the incredible people who have made it possible over the years and to be able to share that with our amazing audiences and the people that we work with here in the community.”
Designed by Jewish Architect, Edward Solomons, and inspired by the Spanish and Portuguese origins of its members, the synagogue on Cheetham Hill Road opened on 6th May 1874 and was the first Sephardi synagogue in Manchester (Sephardi Jews being those whose origins lie in Spain and Portugal).
Over the years the building has changed to reflect the needs of the congregation. By the 1970s, when the majority of the local synagogues had moved out of the Cheetham Hill area following the movement of the community, the Jewish Heritage Committee suggested creating a Jewish Museum to capture the disappearing history of Jewish migration and settlement in Manchester.
For the last 40 years the museum has served to teach people about Manchester’s rich Jewish social history – from the thousands of school groups to the visitors that come through the doors. In 2019 the museum underwent its restoration which saw conservation experts, historic painters, and stained-glass specialists get involved in painstakingly researching and restoring the synagogue to its original decorative scheme, returning the Grade II listed building to its former visual glory.
This beautifully restored synagogue now serves as both a major museum exhibit, offering visitors a unique insight into a Sephardi Jewish place of worship dating back to the 1870s, and also as a stunning performance space in which the museum regularly hosts live cultural events, gigs, talks, shows, and concerts.
MJM is open seven days a week from 10am to 5pm with last entry at 4pm, For more information on the museum’s anniversary events go to its website: Manchesterjewishmuseum.com/season/150th- anniversary