Great Synagogue (Sydney)

The Great Synagogue is an Orthodox Jewish congregation located in a large heritage-listed synagogue at 187a Elizabeth Street in the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia.

The congregation is the oldest in the Sydney Jewish community, and comprises around 550 families. There are services every day of the week with the exception of Sunday. The service is Orthodox and traditional, with a professional choir singing on Shabbat and Festival mornings and at some evening services.

The synagogue runs adult education classes, a bar and bat mitzvah program, a course for those who wish to convert to Judaism and provides pastoral care to its members. Its Chief Minister is traditionally regarded as a primary representative of Judaism to the wider community.

Situated opposite Hyde Park, the synagogue building extends to Castlereagh Street. It was designed by Thomas Rowe and built from 1874 to 1878, with stonework by Aaron Loveridge and stone carving by Thomas Wran. The synagogue was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 September 2004. The building is also listed on the (now defunct) Register of the National Estate.

History

The Great Synagogue was built to unite two Jewish congregations in Sydney which worshiped at the time in synagogues in York Street and Macquarie Street. The York Street Synagogue had been designed in the Egyptian Revival style by James Hume and built in 1844. The first moves were made in 1864 towards obtaining a suitable site for a new, larger synagogue.

In 1871 a meeting was held at York Street to discuss buying land available in Elizabeth Street. It was suggested a meeting be held with the Macquarie Street Synagogue to unite in purchasing the land for a synagogue to serve the whole community. John Solomon, a builder, purchased the land at auction for in 1871 and held it until the congregation could raise sufficient funds. The proposal was for a synagogue and educational facilities. The money was to be raised by sale of land in Kent Street which had been granted for a Jewish school but never used. Further money was raised by the sale of the York and Macquarie Street properties. An appeal was also launched to fund the new building, accompanied by a photograph of the Central Synagogue in London (opening in 1870 and destroyed by bombing in 1941) which was intended to serve as the model for the Sydney building. Thomas Rowe, a Cornish architect based in Sydney, was selected in 1872 by means of a limited competition, the other competitors being George Allen Mansfield and Benjamin Backhouse. Rowe also acted as the construction manager for the new building. The building of the synagogue was also partly based on the Princes Road Synagogue, Liverpool. The foundation stone was laid in January 1875 by Saul Samuel, Postmaster General, the first Jewish minister of the Crown in the British Empire. A bazaar was held by the women of the congregation in Martin Place in December 1875 to raise extra funds.

The principal contractor for stonework was Aaron Loveridge, founder of the modern firm of Loveridge & Hudson. The contract drawings by Rowe, and signed by Loveridge, are held by Sydney's Mitchell Library. Other notable firms connected with the work were William Coleman (carpentry and joinery), Fletcher Brothers (decorative cast iron), Lewis and Steel (decorative plaster), Cornelius and Co of Philadelphia (gas fixtures), Minton Hollins & Co (tiles), P. N. Russell & Co (cast iron columns), and Lyon & Cottier (stained and etched glass).

The synagogue was consecrated on 4 March 1878, but its decoration was not completed until 1883.Phillips, 1975.Bersten, 1995. At the time of completion the synagogue was the most imposing building in Elizabeth Street and was one of the first large Victorian buildings erected in Sydney and reflected civic pride and prosperity.

The Great Synagogue is the mother synagogue of Australian Jewry and possesses records of births, marriages and deaths which have taken place since the first entry was made on 1 November 1826. It also houses the AM Rosenblum Museum which attracts much interest, as does the Falk Library, where weekday services take place.

In 1988 the Bicentennial Council of NSW recognised the importance of the building and recommended a significant grant for restoration work on the Elizabeth Street façade. Each year many tourists visit the synagogue which features prominently in guidebooks as well as special interest groups, especially schools.

Description

The Great Synagogue combines elements of Byzantine style and Gothic characteristics. This grand building is often described as the "cathedral synagogue" of Australia.

The Great Synagogue consists of two main sections: the original synagogue (house of worship) with ladies' gallery, at the Elizabeth Street end, and a five-storey modern section at the Castlereagh Street end behind the facade of the original Beadle's residence. The original eclectic design in Victorian Free Gothic style was described at the time of consecration as Byzantine interspersed with Gothic elements. The Elizabeth Street frontage and towers are of Pyrmont stone, and the remainder of the early structure is brick with cast-iron columns and timber floors, and a slate roof. The Castlereagh Street facade is stone at ground floor level, with rendered brickwork above. The interior is elaborately decorated with moulded plaster, carved timber and stained glass, all embellished with abstract patterns to avoid representation of living forms. Surviving timber stairs at the Elizabeth Street end have strongly carved balustrades. Walls are painted with gold leaf highlights, and the furniture is mostly of polished timber and brass. Some original colour schemes survive, notably on the ceiling of the Elizabeth Street porch, while the midnight blue ceiling with gold leaf stars has been repainted to the original design several times. Timber floors are raked at both ground and gallery levels, and the centre section of the ground floor and Ark steps, like the porch, are ornately tiled in tessellated and mosaic work. The basement contains a hall which has steel portal frames supporting the columns and floor above, and also contains the A M Rosenblum Museum and Rabbi Falk Library. The modern section, constructed of reinforced concrete, contains offices, classrooms & meeting rooms, together with a lift & fire stairs, and has a top floor with an openable roof. The modern stained glass windows in the Castlereagh Street facade were designed by Louis Kahan of Melbourne. The building contains notable examples of venerable sacred scrolls and religious artefacts, including a menorah (nine-branched candelabrum) made by Rabbi L. A. Falk.

The present synagogue has the traditional feature of an elevated ladies' gallery. When first erected, the bimah was central, as is traditional. However, to increase seating capacity the bimah was moved forward to the western wall in 1906. Over the years, extensive additions and alterations have been made to the other facilities appurtenant to this building, including the construction of a succah, excavation and construction of a large reception area below the synagogue itself, construction of the Rabbi Falk Memorial Library, installation of electricity in the chandeliers, and installation of a shabbat elevator. A useful overview of the synagogue's history is provided by the 2008 book edited by Rabbi Raymond Apple.

Condition

As at 22 August 2001, the condition of the building is generally good, although the upper sections of stonework require maintenance (1997). There is unlikely to be much archaeological potential owing to the excavations for new sections of the building in the 1950s and 1980s.

The Great Synagogue is generally intact both externally and internally in the older section fronting Elizabeth Street.

Modifications and dates

*1907 - Bimah moved from the centre to the west end of the synagogue and seats placed in the empty central area. Architects Kent & Budden.
*1911choir gallery moved from east to west end, western semi-circular apse made square.
*1910sgasoliers converted to electric light. Little intrusion.
*1940seastern wheel window strengthened internally with reinforced concrete. Some intrusion internally.
*1957basement deepened and reconstructed as War Memorial Hall. Architect Orwell Phillips. Some intrusion, although the previous basement area appears to have been of little significance.
*1981western section rebuilt behind original facade as Education Centre. Architects Orwell Phillips and David Nathan. Some intrusion mostly in less significant areas, except for the replacement of original timber stairs with concrete fire stairs.
*1987stonework conserved and interiors decorated with stencilling, some based on early patterns found. Sprinkler system installed. Minimal intrusion.

Further information

One of the State significant items used at the launch of the State Heritage Inventory.

*June 2006: more than $310,000 approved to assist works to the interior - The project includes: restoration works to the interior of the building, reintroduction of natural ventilation, and conservation work to the suspended and wall-mounted gasoliers.

Heritage listing

The Great Synagogue is the earliest surviving synagogue in NSW that remains still in use and has represented a center of Jewish worship and culture in central Sydney since the 1870s. The Great Synagogue is associated with the Mother Congregation of Australian Jewry, together with many subsequent leading members and families of the Jewish faith. By its prominent situation and presence in central Sydney, its magnificent architectural grandeur, its rich symbolism, and its important collection of Hebrew documents and other religious artifacts, the Great Synagogue also embodies and demonstrates the early development and importance of the Jewish faith and culture in New South Wales during the 19th Century.

The Great Synagogue is a major landmark of Sydney. It is the only high Victorian style Synagogue in Australia and represents one of the most elaborately decorated Victorian buildings in Sydney, internally and externally. The building is said to be one of the finest works of the leading NSW architect, Thomas Rowe; due to the quality of the decorative work in moulded plaster, carved sandstone and timber, metalwork, tiling and stained glass. The Great Synagogue also provides a rich townscape aspect to Hyde Park and is an iconic building of Elizabeth and Castlereagh Streets.Phillips, 2000.

Great Synagogue was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 September 2004 having satisfied the following criteria.

The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.

The Great Synagogue is the earliest surviving synagogue in NSW still in use, and according to some, the earliest surviving synagogue building.

The place has a strong or special association with a person, or group of persons, of importance of cultural or natural history of New South Wales's history.

The Great Synagogue is associated with the mother congregation of Australian Jewry, and many leading citizens and families of the Jewish faith. It is also associated with the prominent architect Thomas Rowe, who designed several other landmark buildings in Sydney of which perhaps the best known is Sydney Hospital in Macquarie Street.

The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.

The Great Synagogue is a major landmark of Sydney and represents one of the most elaborately decorated Victorian buildings in Sydney, internally and externally. It contains excellent examples of the best quality work in moulded plaster, carved stone, decorative tiling and stained glass. According to George Proudman, former master mason with the NSW Public Works Department, the Synagogue has some of the finest stone carving in all of Sydney. The form and construction of the building exemplify the traditional 19th century pattern of Orthodox Anglo-Jewish worship.

The building represents one of the finest works of the leading NSW architect, Thomas Rowe, in association with the architect W. L. Vernon (then in private practice) reputed to have partly supervised Thomas Rowe in the design. The design is reputed to be inspired by the Princes Road Synagogue in Liverpool and the New West End Synagogue in London - a composite Renaissance style, mainly Byzantine but with Gothic overtones, particularly apparent for the main window.

The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.

The Great Synagogue is socially significant because it continues to be the focus of Jewish communal worship and culture in central Sydney, as it has been since its construction.

The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

The Great Synagogue has technical and research significance as a living museum of decorative embellishment in 19th century buildings, which contains examples of the work of many leading practitioners of the time. It also contains a number of religious scrolls, books and artefacts. The form and construction of the building exemplify the traditional 19th century pattern of Orthodox Anglo-Jewish worship.

The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

The Great Synagogue is remarkable for its richness and originality of decoration, coupled with the excellence of the craftsmanship. It is rare in NSW as the earliest surviving synagogue in NSW still in use, and according to some, the earliest surviving synagogue building.

The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places/environments in New South Wales.

By its prominent situation and presence in Central Sydney, its magnificent architectural grandeur, its rich symbolism, and its important collection of Hebrew documents and other religious artefacts, the Great Synagogue also embodies and demonstrates the early development and importance of the Jewish faith and culture in New South Wales during the 19th Century. The Great Synagogue has represented the centre of Jewish worship and culture in Sydney (and arguably the State) since its construction in the 1870s. Architecturally, the Great Synagogue represents one of the finest works of the leading NSW architect, Thomas Rowe, and the most elaborately decorated Victorian building in Sydney.

People

Rev Alexander B Davis had been the Chief Minister of the York Street Synagogue since 1862 and became the first Chief Minister of The Great Synagogue in 1878 until his retirement in 1903.

In 1905 Rabbi Francis Lyon Cohen was appointed Rabbi of The Great Synagogue and charged with establishing a Beth Din in Sydney, which still exists today. From 1909 he was assisted by Rev Marcus Einfeld as Cantor and from 1922 by Rev (later Rabbi) LA Falk as Second Rabbi. Rabbi Falk served until his death in 1957, leaving an important library.

Cohen died in office in 1934 and was succeeded briefly by Rabbi Ernest Levy. Rabbi Dr Israel Porush was appointed Rabbi in 1940. Porush was born in Jerusalem, and educated in there and in Germany. He was living in London when he met his wife Bertha Link. Porush became the most senior rabbi in Australia and retired in 1972.

From 1973 to 2005 Rabbi Raymond Apple led the congregation and made several changes to the synagogue, including introducing the priestly blessing on festivals, instituting a male choir and enabling the first individual bat mitzvah on a Shabbat morning.

The cantor from 1964 to 1989 was Rev Isidor Gluck, who guided the service towards a less English and more Eastern European style, while maintaining its cantorial and choral nature.

Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence was Rabbi from 2005 to 2014 and was very involved with interfaith work. In 2015 he was succeeded by the present Chief Minister, Rabbi Dr Benjamin Elton.

Presidents of The Great Synagogue have included George Myers, George Judah Cohen, Israel Green, Sidney Sinclair AM OBE Life President, Rosalind Fischl, Stephen Rothman, and currently David Lewis.

Gallery

File:The Great Synagogue in Sydney, bimah.JPG, Bimah of The Great Synagogue
File:Great Synagogue, Sydney Detail.jpg, Architectural detail. This inscription reads Beth Israel (House of Israel)
File:Great Synagogue, Sydney Window.jpg, Elizabeth Street wheeled window. Reinforced concrete spokes were added to the inside of this window during World War II for protection against blast damage.
File:GreatSynagogue1.JPG, Detail of entrance
File:Porch capital The Great Synagogue Elizabeth St. Sydney 1878. DSC o4687 jpg 15 July 2016 1142am.msg.jpg, Porch capital, Elizabeth Street by Thomas Wran
File:SLNSW 479605 102 Jewish Synagogue SH 707.jpg, The 1844 Old Synagogue in Sydney - very similar Egyptian style to Hobart Synagogue and Launceston Synagogue
File:R Elton July 2021 touched up headshot.jpg, Rabbi Dr Benjamin Elton, Chief Minister

See also

* History of the Jews in Australia
* List of synagogues in Australia and New Zealand

References

Bibliography

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Attribution

External links

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The Great Syngagogue of Sydney

A history of the Great Synagogue, Sydney

Great Synagogue rabbis and the British Chief Rabbinate
* CC-By-SA]

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Jewish Australian history
Orthodox synagogues in Australia
Synagogues in Sydney
Synagogues completed in 1878
New South Wales State Heritage Register
Thomas Rowe buildings
Walter Liberty Vernon buildings in Sydney
Articles incorporating text from the New South Wales State Heritage Register
Elizabeth Street, Sydney
1878 establishments in Australia
Byzantine Revival synagogues
Gothic Revival synagogues