Bristol shul gets a facelift in advance of its 150th - The Jewish Chronicle

Bristol’s Grade II-listed Orthodox synagogue, one of Britain’s oldest, is about to mark its 150th anniversary. But it almost didn’t make it to the milestone.

Just a decade ago, with attendances dwindling and an ageing congregation, members of the Park Row shul discussed selling the building and downsizing.

“There were cracks in the walls, paint peeling from the main prayer hall, from the ceiling and from the walls, there was damp in some of the walls,” Bristol Hebrew Congregation president David Turns recalled. “The place was starting to disintegrate.”

A number of elderly Jews had left the city to move closer to their families and rabbis were so rarely available that lay members regularly had to lead services.

“We got to a point where we were never getting a minyan.”

However, a number of donations from the “member poor but cash rich” community, along with a £15,000 grant from the local Jewish burial society, has enabled a comprehensive renovation in time for the landmark anniversary.

“It’s looking even more stunning,” said Park Row member Samuel Waite. In addition, a “big influx of Jewish students” had brought “a bit of a fresher vibe, which goes nicely with the renovated shul”.

Although the synagogue — Bristol’s only purpose-built Jewish place of worship — was built in 1871, the city’s Jewish presence dates back much further.

Bristol Hebrew Congregation was founded around 1743. The community included Lazarus Jacobs, a German-born craftsman who built a successful glassware business and lavishly fitted out the city’s first permanent shul in Temple Street.

The community’s current leaders say that maintaining Jewish life in Bristol has its challenges.

Kosher provision is patchy, with members reliant on infrequent deliveries from London.

Mendy Singer, a Chabad rabbi who leads weekly services at Park Row, keeps a freezer of kosher meat for those in need, especially students lacking their own storage space.

Relations with Bristol’s Liberal community are cordial, with co-operation on menorah lightings and issues related to antisemitism maintaining a bond.

“We don’t necessarily agree on things but we do go to meetings together,” Rabbi Singer explained.

And while the Orthodox congregation is small — around 70 members — its size has its virtues.

“Because it’s a smaller community, not on the scale of North London or Manchester, I think it’s a lot more close-knit,” Mr Waite said.

“So there’s a big sense of family within the community, which is nice.”

A civic service will be held early next month to mark the anniversary of the building’s consecration with the Lord Mayor of Bristol and national Jewish leaders set to attend.

After that, the shul intends to add a mikveh, which will be the only one in the region and for which planning permission has been obtained.