Congregants of Liverpool's cash-strapped Childwall Hebrew Congregation are clubbing together to save the job of its rabbi.
Earlier this month, Childwall revealed that it had reached agreement on a redundancy deal with Rabbi Mordechai Wollenberg, as the shul could not afford to pay his salary.
The plan was to be put before members at the AGM on March 1. But a groundswell of support has raised hopes that the additional £21,000 required to retain the minister can be found.
Childwall chair Syd Edels said that the prospect of losing Rabbi Wollenberg - one of two full-time ministers on Merseyside - had galvanised the 300 members.
"As a result of the publicity people are coming together in ways that were unexpected. I think it's a tremendous development. I hope for a positive response from the congregation [at the AGM]." But Mr Edels warned that the crisis had not yet been averted. "Should sufficient additional funding not be found we will have very difficult decisions to make."
The shul is looking to find an extra £21k from congregants