Newcastle Reform Synagogue
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Newcastle Reform Synagogue | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Reform Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Synagogue |
| Leadership | Rabbi Sybil Sheridan |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | The Croft, off Kenton Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, England NE3 4RF |
| Country | United Kingdom |
  Location of the synagogue in Tyne and Wear | |
| Geographic coordinates | 55°00′08″N 1°38′24″W / 55.00221606649919°N 1.6398637152381546°W |
| Architecture | |
| Date established | 1963 (as a congregation) |
| Completed | 1982 |
| Website | |
| newcastlereformsynagogue | |
| [1] | |
The Newcastle Reform Synagogue (transliterated from Hebrew as Ner Tamid, lit. "Everlasting Light"), is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in Gosforth in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1963, the congregation is a member of the Movement for Reform Judaism.[2]
The community was founded in 1963[1] by European-Jewish refugees. After about twenty families had shown interest the previous year in forming a Reform congregation, assistance was sought from the nearest Reform synagogue, Sinai Synagogue, Leeds, who lent a Torah scroll and some prayer books. Services were held in homes, school rooms and church halls.[3]
In 1963 the newly formed congregation bought a Methodist chapel in Derby Street, off Barrack Road, in Newcastle. This was converted into a synagogue, function hall, school rooms and a caretaker's flat, and the congregation grew. However, eleven years later, the congregation was served with a Compulsory Purchase Order and had to abandon the building.[4] For the next ten years the community held regular services as before, in homes, school halls and church halls. On High Holy Days it used the Newcastle City Council Chambers.[3]
The present purpose-built synagogue was completed in 1982. A dedicated cemetery in North Shields has a prayer house, complete with facilities for tahara.[3]
.svg){kind=small}