Newcastle Reform Synagogue | |
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Religion | |
Affiliation | Reform Judaism |
Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Registered charity (number 246816) |
Status | Active |
Location | |
Location | The Croft/ off Kenton Road,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 4RF United Kingdom |
Geographic coordinates | 55°00′08″N 1°38′24″W / 55.00221606649919°N 1.6398637152381546°W |
Architecture | |
Completed | 1982 (the building); 1963 (the community) [1] |
Website | |
www |
Newcastle Reform Synagogue, also known by its Hebrew name Ner Tamid ("Everlasting Light"), is a member of the Movement for Reform Judaism. It is located in Gosforth in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
The community was founded in 1963 [1] by children of European-Jewish refugees. After about 20 families had showed 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. [2]
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. [3] 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. [2]
The present purpose-built synagogue was completed in 1982. A dedicated cemetery in North Shields has a prayer house, complete with facilities for tahara (ritual cleansing of the deceased). [2]