When we choose to visit European cities that have a significant Jewish history, such as Prague or Amsterdam, for many of us, the first port of call is the area where Jews once lived and thrived. We identify enthusiastically with our heritage and culture in other countries. By contrast, we fail entirely to acknowledge it on our own doorstep.
Earlier this summer, English Heritage undertook a survey of 14,500 listed places of worship to find out how many of them were "at risk" from serious disrepair. As part of this survey, English Heritage commissioned Jewish Heritage UK to survey this country's 36 listed synagogues. The findings were stark: 11 were found to be at risk, being rated as in a poor or very bad physical state.
Moreover, historic synagogues are losing members and congregations are shrinking, threatening some buildings with redundancy. As time passes and these buildings are used less and less, we are in danger of losing not only an important part of our shared history and beautiful architecture, but also our sense of community.
This is a situation that B'nai B'rith UK, co-ordinator of the European Days of Jewish Culture and Heritage in this country, seeks to redress. On September 5 and September 12-15, there will be opportunities to visit a fantastic series of exhibitions, talks, tours, and those endangered historic synagogues and communities.
Synagogues, including Bevis Marks, Britain's oldest Synagogue, built in 1702, and Sandys Row Synagogue, built in 1766, will be opening their doors to the public to enable as wide a range of people as possible to observe the very foundations of Jewish life in this country.
We are in danger in the UK of losing our sense of community
The comparatively tiny Jewish communities in Norwich, Ramsgate, Lincoln, Exeter, Plymouth, and Canterbury will offer visitors the chance to discover how the community first integrated into British society.
How many of us are even aware that Norwich has a rich Jewish history dating back to medieval times and that the city even named one of its roads, "Synagogue Street"? How many of us have visited the beautiful synagogue built by Sir Moses Montefiore in Ramsgate, or the oldest Ashkenazi Synagogue in the English-speaking world located in Portsmouth and dating from 1762, or the various archaeological discoveries with Jewish significance in Northampton, including the site of a 12th-century Jewish cemetery, and what is thought to be a medieval synagogue, discovered in April this year?
European Days of Jewish Culture and Heritage offer the Jewish and wider community an opportunity to broaden their understanding of Jewish art, heritage and culture and understand how these buildings and artefacts have impacted on modern life.
There is a lot we can learn about our collective history from these inspiring buildings, which were once at the heart of all communal activities and we should take the time fully to appreciate the beauty and wealth of art and heritage available to us while we still can.
