Manchester Jewish Museum

Designed by Jewish architect Edward Solomons and inspired by the Spanish and Portuguese origins of its members, our synagogue opened on 6 May, 1874. It was the first Sephardi synagogue in Manchester. Over the years the building has changed to reflect the needs of the congregation and in 1984 it became part of Manchester Jewish Museum.

This anniversary is a very special moment for us. It’s an opportunity to celebrate 150 years of people coming together on our site. It’s also a chance for us to thank all of the incredible people who have made it possible over the years and to be able to share that with our amazing audiences and communities.

To mark this special year, we will organise and host a range of events, from live performances to family-friendly activities and workshops, exploring Sephardi culture and history. We’ll also have special exhibitions and displays in our building that highlight the story of this congregation and the Sephardi history of Manchester.

The first of these events included a benefit concert from Graham Gouldman, a famed songwriter who wrote for many artists including The Hollies and The Yardbirds. The concert took place on Thursday, February 15th, with audiences enjoying an evening of Graham’s best songs, followed by a Q&A with Graham and the museum’s curator, Alex Cropper.

The culmination of the anniversary celebrations took place on Monday, 6 May 2024, during our Museum Open Day.

We encourage you to visit us this year to see our new exhibits, try new dishes in our vegetarian Cafe and participate in unforgettable events, all with a little bit of a Sephardi flavour as a nod to this very special anniversary of our Spanish and Portuguese synagogue.

We would like to thank you for your continued support, whether it’s through visiting us, attending our events, using our cafe or being an MJM member. As a registered charity, we rely on the generosity of our members, supporters and partners to be able to bring our work to life. Your support means we’ll able to welcome even more people through our doors and share this special moment with all of our communities. So if you can, support our work and be a part of this exciting year!