The Dunedin Synagogue is an historic

synagogue A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

, New Zealand. It is reputedly the world's southernmost permanent synagogue, although a further synagogue operated briefly in King Edward Street,

South Dunedin South Dunedin is a major inner city suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located, as its name suggests, to the south of the city centre, on part of a large plain known locally simply as "The Flat". The suburb is a mix of industrial ...

from late 2017 until 2019. The name can refer both to the historic building, the old Dunedin synagogue, and to the Dunedin Jewish Congregation, Dunedin.

First synagogue

Dunedin's first Jewish congregation assembled in January 1862 in the home of H.E. Nathan in George Street. With 43 members, it was clear that a more permanent base was needed, and a site in Moray Place. A synagogue, designed by W. H. Sumner, was built and opened in September 1863.Croot, Charles (1999). ''Dunedin churches: Past and present.'' Dunedin: Otago Settlers Association. pp. 63–64. This building was used until 1881, by which time it was proving too small for the growing congregation. The building was sold to the

Freemasons Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

, who occupied it until 1992 as a Masonic Lodge. Since that time it has been a private residence, and was an art gallery (the Temple Gallery) during the 2000s, before reverting to being a private residence.Dunedin arts directory
. Retrieved 9 July 2010. This structure is the southernmost permanent site, past or present, of a synagogue in the world.

Second synagogue

Plans to move to a larger synagogue were being made by 1875. By this time the congregation had grown to the point that the new synagogue was to be one of the largest in the southern hemisphere, and one of the largest places of worship of any denomination in Dunedin. The new building, opened in 1881, was built almost directly across Moray Place from the first synagogue, and was designed by

Louis Boldini Louis Boldini (born Luigi Boldini; 9 April 1832 – 12 October 1908)Louis Boldini, arc ...

with a facade ornamented by a series of

Doric Doric may refer to: * Doric, of or relating to the Dorians of ancient Greece ** Doric Greek, the dialects of the Dorians * Doric order, a style of ancient Greek architecture * Doric mode, a synonym of Dorian mode * Doric dialect (Scotland) * Doric ...

columns. The building was capable of holding a congregation of 600 people. This building served as the city's synagogue until 1965, when the now dwindled congregation moved to a new, smaller building in George Street. The Boldini synagogue was sold to the

Y.M.C.A. YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...

and was demolished shortly afterwards to make way for that organisation's new building. The site of this structure is now that of a

multi-storey car park A multistorey car park (British and Singapore English) or parking garage (American English), also called a multistory, parking building, parking structure, parkade (mainly Canadian), parking ramp, parking deck or indoor parking, is a build ...

building.

Third synagogue

The current (third) synagogue, was erected in 1965 in

Dunedin North Dunedin North, also known as North Dunedin, is a major inner suburb ''Inner suburb'' is a term used for a variety of suburban communities that are generally located very close to the centre of a large city (the inner city and central bus ...

, not far from the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate u ...

. A more modest building than its predecessors, the building is compact and is constructed of concrete block. It was designed by John Goldwater, a Jewish New Zealand architect who also more famously designed the Auckland Jewish community centre. As with its predecessors, it lays claim to being the world's southernmost permanent synagogue.Croot, Charles (1999). ''Dunedin churches: Past and present.'' Dunedin: Otago Settlers Association. p. 115.

Congregation

The Dunedin Jewish Congregation is a Progressive Jewish community and a member of the Union for Progressive Judaism (UPJ), the regional division of the World Union for Progressive Judaism. Services are held approximately one Friday a month along with most holidays.

References

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Synagogue A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...

Religious organizations established in 1862 1862 establishments in New Zealand Synagogues completed in 1863 1863 establishments in New Zealand Synagogues completed in 1881 1881 establishments in New Zealand Synagogues completed in 1965 1965 establishments in New Zealand 1960s architecture in New Zealand Religion in Dunedin Buildings and structures in Dunedin 1860s architecture in New Zealand Central Dunedin Union for Progressive Judaism