The Belfast Jewish Community (previously known as Belfast Hebrew Congregation) is the Jewish community in

Belfast Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...

. Its Rabbi is the Rev David Kale. The community follows the

Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that Ethnogenesis, emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium Common era, CE. They traditionally spe ...

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

ritual. Membership has fluctuated from 78 in 1900, approximately 1500 during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, about 375 after World War II, to 350 in 1945, 380 in 1949 and 200 in 1999. The congregation was fewer than 80 people .

History

Established in 1870, the congregation's first two "ministers" (

rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...

s) were Reverend Joseph Chotzner (serving from 1870 to 1880 and 1892 to 1897) and Rev. Jacob Myers. M. A. Jaffe (father of

Otto Jaffe Sir Otto Moses Jaffe, JP (13 August 1846 – 29 April 1929), also spelt Jaffé, was a German-born British businessman, who was twice elected Lord Mayor of Belfast and was a leader of the Jewish community in the city. Family Jaffe was born in ...

), who came to Ireland in 1851, was instrumental in founding the synagogue. Later, the position was filled by Rabbi

Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog (; 3 December 1888 – 25 July 1959), also known as Isaac Herzog or Hertzog, was the first Chief Rabbi of Ireland, his term lasting from 1921 to 1936. From 1936 until his death in 1959, he was Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of th ...

(1916–1919), who later become Chief Rabbi of Ireland and Israel, and Rabbi Jacob Shachter (translator of

Zvi Hirsch Chajes Zvi Hirsch Chajes ( - November 20, 1805 - October 12, 1855; also Chayes or Hayot or Chiyos) was a Galician talmudic scholar. He is best known for his work ''Mevo Hatalmud'' (Introduction to the Talmud), which serves both as commentary and intr ...

), 1926–1954.

Elizabeth Jane Caulfield Elizabeth Jane Caulfeild (June 21, 1834 – May 31, 1882 at Roxborough Castle, Moy, County Tyrone, Ireland) was the only daughter of William Meredyth, first Lord Athlumney, and by marriage in December 1856 to James Caulfeild, 3rd Earl of Charle ...

, the Countess of Charlemont, regularly attended the synagogue and apparently converted to Judaism there.

Lord Mayor of Belfast The Lord Mayor of Belfast is the leader and chairperson of Belfast City Council, elected annually from and by the city's 60 councillors. The Lord Mayor also serves as the representative of the city of Belfast, welcoming guests from across the U ...

, was life-president of the Belfast Hebrew Congregation, which worshipped at the

Great Victoria Street Great Victoria Street in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is a major thoroughfare located in the city centre and is one of the important streets used by pedestrians alighting from Belfast Great Victoria Street railway station and walking into shopping ...

synagogue.

Buildings

Currently located on Somerton Road, the congregation previously had the synagogue building on Annesley Street (1904–1964) and Great Victoria Street (1871–1904). (The foundation stones were dated 7 July 1871 and 26 February 1904.) The synagogue, designed by Eugene Rosenberg, is unusual in that it is circular, not rectangular. There is no balcony for women, but a raised platform on either side. The roof is held up by concrete-covered beams that forms the shape of a

Star of David The Star of David (, , ) is a symbol generally recognized as representing both Jewish identity and Judaism. Its shape is that of a hexagram: the compound of two equilateral triangles. A derivation of the Seal of Solomon was used for decora ...

. The

candelabrum A candelabrum (plural candelabra but also used as the singular form) is a candle holder with multiple arms. "Candelabra" can be used to describe a variety of candle holders including chandeliers. However, candelabra can also be distinguished as b ...

and eternal light, together with bronze and silver letters adorning the Ark doors, are by Israeli sculptor,

Nehemia Azaz Nehemia Azaz (), also Nehemiah, Henri or N H Azaz (9 October 1923 – 27 October 2008), was an Israeli sculptor, ceramicist and architectural artist, who spent half of his working life in the UK. Best known in Israel as founder of the Department ...

. The synagogue has a plaque in memory of Jews killed during the

Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

. Listed in the UK National Inventory of

War Memorial A war memorial is a building, monument, statue, or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or (predominating in modern times) to commemorate those who died or were injured in a war. Symbolism Historical usage It has ...

s, the English part of the inscription reads: "In memory of the martyred millions of European Jewry 1933–1945."

References

External links

Official website
o
''Jewish Communities and Records – UK''
(hosted by ''jewishgen.org'').
McKevitt, Greg: "150 years of Belfast's Jewish community"

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

, 27 January 2015 {{Authority control 1870 establishments in Ireland 1870 establishments in the United Kingdom 20th-century synagogues in the United Kingdom Ashkenazi Jewish culture in Ireland Ashkenazi Jewish culture in the United Kingdom Ashkenazi synagogues Jews and Judaism in Northern Ireland

Modernist architecture in Ireland Modernist synagogues Orthodox synagogues in the United Kingdom Religious buildings and structures in Belfast Round and octagonal synagogues Synagogues completed in 1967 Synagogues in Northern Ireland

History

Buildings

See also

References

Further reading

External links