Five thousand people joined a procession to dedicate a new sefer Torah for north Manchester's Machzikei Hadas community on Sunday.
The scroll, written in Israel, was commissioned by the Charedi community's Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneebalg in memory of his wife, who died last year. Visitors travelled from London, Israel and America for the event, during which more than 2,000 gifts were distributed to children. A dinner for 500 people was held in the shul hall.
Synagogue committee member Yaakov Menachem Salomon said: "Older people from our community said they couldn't recall the likes of such a gathering in Manchester before."