‘Save Our Shul’ bid prevails in Margate
A CAMPAIGN to save Mar gate Hebrew Congregation’s 1920s’ synagogue building in Cliftonville for use as a Jewish and wider cultural space has succeeded, the required £300,000 being raised thanks to “an anonymous benefactor”.
The building was withdrawn from sale just before it was due to go up for auction thanks to the efforts of Save Our Shul (SOS) and contracts were exchanged on December 24.
It will be handed over to the newly-formed Cliftonville Cultural Space (CIC), which will conduct a local consultation “to ensure that the new space is a welcoming meeting point for everyone, reflecting Cliftonville’s cultural pluralism and bringing people together”.
In early November, the synagogue was put up for auction by the shul after its upkeep became too much for a community of just 11 people.
It had also attracted interest from two Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregation rabbis, who claimed the organisation would be“willing and able to take it over ”.
Now the deconsecrated site will become a venue for “music, theatre, dance, exhibitions and food, as well as celebrating the rich history and diversity of the area”. According to the campaign, fundraising for conversion work will begin shortly, with a view to opening the space to the public by late 2022.
Campaign head Francesca Ter-Berg, a klezmer cellist, said it had been a “mas
There were sleepless nights and tears — but we did it’
siverelief”toget the funding to take over the synagogue.
“There were many sleepless nights and even some tears. But we did it. It feels amazing and we are all so excited about the next steps.
“We have the full support of the local community and it has been amazing to connect with people from all over the world who have a historical personal relationship to the synagogue.”
SOS has been backed by some prominent arts world personalities including Margate-raised film director Arnold Schwartzman, actors Sir Ben Kingsley and Steven Berkoff, as well as Keith
Brymer Jones, a judge on The Great Pottery Throw Down. Mr Schwartz man described the campaign’s success as a “miracle for Margate”.
During the First World War, the then synagogue was used for prayer by Jewish soldiers stationed nearby before they went off to fight in France.
The current building was constructed in the 1920 sat a cost of around £6,000 to meet increasing demand from Jewish visitors to the seaside town.
It has not held formal services since being forced to cancel its 2017 Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services because of a lack of numbers.