Community
Sandys Row Synagogue hopes to open heritage centre
The educational hub would share the story of the once flourishing East End Jewish community
February 4, 2025 13:01
The educational hub would share the story of the once flourishing East End Jewish community
February 4, 2025 13:01Sandys Row synagogue, one of only two shuls still functioning in London’s East End, is exploring options to create an educational heritage centre within its premises, dedicated to sharing with visitors the rich history of the Jewish East End.
Once home to over 50 synagogues, the East End was historically the bustling heart of Jewish life in London, particularly the areas of Whitechapel and Spitalfields.
Over time, demographic shifts and the influx of new communities to the area diluted the Jewish presence, which began to relocate to areas such as Stamford Hill and Golders Green.
The historic Grade II listed Georgian building, which now houses the oldest surviving Ashkenazi synagogue in London, was acquired by a group of immigrant Dutch Jews in the mid-19th century and still stands as an important testament to the once thriving community.
The synagogue has now commissioned the Foundation for Jewish Heritage to undertake research into the feasibility of incorporating a heritage centre dedicated to telling this story.
The study, which will submit its findings to the shul’s board by the end of March, will test the idea through consulting local organisations and potential audiences and find out how such a space would be run and what it may look like.
If the findings are approved, the project will move on to the second stage, where plans will be developed and potential funders approached, including the National Lottery.
Michael Mail, chief executive of the Foundation for Jewish Heritage, said: “London attracts millions of people from around the globe, and the Jewish East End is such an important and interesting element of the city’s history. From our point of view, it’s so important that the story of Jews in the East End, which once contributed to the area enormously, is not forgotten, and Sandys Row is the perfect place to tell that story.”
Although Sandys Row membership has declined, the synagogue remains buoyant, benefiting from being close to the city, which allows for a busy weekday lunchtime minyan.
A heritage centre would not interfere with the synagogue’s continuing services, said Mail.
The synagogue already receives a significant number of visitors, including many school groups, wanting to learn about the East End and its various immigrant communities.
Henry Freedman, a board member of Sandys Row, commented: “My family has been connected with Sandys Row since its very founding. It is a gem of a place in what is now a very busy and attractive part of London. The idea of a heritage centre is something we have been considering for some time, and we are delighted to now be working with the Foundation for Jewish Heritage to take forward the concept.”
The Foundation’s flagship project is the Welsh Jewish Cultural Centre being developed at the Grade II listed former Merthyr Tydfil synagogue with National Lottery Heritage Fund and Welsh government support.