A Muslim group have put down a deposit of £235,000 and launched an appeal to buy Nelson Street, one of the last east London Synagogues.
The century-old synagogue was due to have been auctioned next week on behalf of the Federation of Synagogues at a guide price of £2 million.
But the local Ashaadibi community in Whitechapel are hoping to convert Nelson Street into a mosque, community and education centre.
In an appeal posted on their website, they asking supporters to raise £2.2 million in nine months to secure the site, plus a further £1.1 million to renovate it.
The Federation has been approached for comment.
Ashaadibi was established in 2008 with the vision of “safeguarding children’s identity, culture, and heritage and most importantly raising well-rounded citizens in Tower Hamlets”, according to the community’s website.
For nearly two decades, they says, they have “faced ongoing challenges with securing permanent premises, operating instead from multiple rented locations across Tower Hamlets.
“Despite these challenges, Ashaadibi continues to support over 500 people each week. Its services—ranging from the Masjid and Madrasah to the Youth Hub and Community Centre—remain essential to the wellbeing of the community.”
Nelson Street would provide a “suitable home” where all services could “flourish together under one roof” and “create new opportunities for growth, connection, and impact”.
The community takes their name from a medieval Islamic scholar born in Andalucia.
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