Middle Street Synagogue in Brighton is one step closer to being repurposed as a Jewish cultural centre, it has been announced.
The news comes after the board of the Brighton & Hove Hebrew Congregation (BHHC) commissioned the Foundation for Jewish Heritage to carry out an assessment of the Grade II listed building and its future potential.
The report recommended using the building, which was built in 1875 and closed for services 20 years ago, as a Jewish cultural centre, which would both revitalise the space and also provide the city with a major new facility.
Susan Conway, chairman of the congregation, which is now housed at the Brighton & Hove Jewish Community Centre, said: “We are delighted that the Foundation has reached the point at which we can see a realistic prospect of our precious Middle Street Synagogue being put to good use for the benefit of the wider community, whilst at the same time being retained for occasional services, including weddings.”
She said that the congregation would be celebrating its 150th anniversary in September, and it was “therefore particularly timely to know that we are moving forward with the restoration and future use of the building”.
Michael Mail, chief executive of the Foundation for Jewish Heritage, said: “We are delighted that the findings have the support of the BHHC board and look forward to a continuing dialogue with the board and all those who have shown interest in this project, locally, nationally, and internationally.
“The stunning Middle Street synagogue is a hugely significant building, and we must ensure its future in a meaningful way that will benefit the Jewish and wider community within Brighton and Hove and beyond.”
The report was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Architectural Heritage Fund and the Pilgrim Trust.
The Foundation will now apply to the Heritage Fund to carry out detailed studies, leading to an application for a substantial grant to secure the building’s future.
