The Dublin Hebrew Congregation is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 32a Rathfarnham Road, in Terenure, Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland.[2]
| Dublin Hebrew Congregation | |
|---|---|
 The synagogue in 2007 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Orthodox Judaism |
| Rite | Nusach Ashkenaz |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Synagogue |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 32a Rathfarnham Road, Terenure, Dublin |
| Country | Republic of Ireland |
  Location of the synagogue in Dublin | |
| Geographic coordinates | 53°18′30″N 6°17′00″W / 53.308445°N 6.283235°W |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Wilfred Cantwell |
| Type | Synagogue architecture |
| Date established | 26 September 1936 (as the Terenure Hebrew Congregation) |
| Groundbreaking | 1952 |
| Completed | 1953 |
| Materials | Concrete |
| Website | |
| dublinhebrew | |
| [1] | |
History
editIn 1892 a new headquarters of the Dublin Hebrew Congregation was established. The building was consecrated by Hermann Adler, Chief Rabbi of the British Empire, who declared "Ireland is the only country in the world which cannot be charged with persecuting Jews".[3]
The Terenure Hebrew Congregation was established at a meeting on 26 September 1936. The community aimed to provide services for members in the areas of Rathgar, Rathmines, and Terenure. The congregation rented rooms at 6 Grosvenor Place, Rathmines. In April 1940, the congregation purchased 52 Grosvenor Road. At Rosh Hashanah in 1948, the group moved to a Nissen hut at “Leoville”, Rathfarnham Road, Terenure, which had been donated to the congregation by Woulfe Freedman and violinist Erwin Goldwater. Construction of a new synagogue began in August 1952 and was dedicated on 30 August 1953. The Nissen hut became a function hall.[2]
Merger
editA separate congregation, established at 36-7 Adelaide Road, had built a Romanesque Revival synagogue in 1892.[4]
In January 1999, the Terenure Congregation and the Adelaide Road Congregation held extraordinary general meetings (EGMs) at which the members of both congregations agreed to begin the process of merging the congregations. The Adelaide Road Synagogue was sold[4] and some proceeds of the sale were used to build a new mikveh and synagogue complex on the Terenure property. On 15 December 2004, the congregations held simultaneous EGMs and agreed to a complete merger. On 25 January 2005, the Dublin Hebrew Congregation held its first council meeting. The synagogue is located at 32a Rathfarnham Road, Dublin.[2]
Fire
editOn 9 February 1966, the synagogue was set on fire. The synagogue was severely damaged and several Siffrei Torah were destroyed. The Nissen hut was converted back into a synagogue so that no Shabbat Services would be missed. On 26 May 1968, the congregation opened and dedicated the refurbished synagogue.[2]
Burial grounds
editBallybough Cemetery, built in 1718, is the oldest Jewish cemetery in Ireland. As it reached capacity in the late 1800s, it was replaced by the current cemetery in Dolphin's Barn. The new cemetery was established in 1898 by Robert Bradlaw who raised £300 in donations to set up a new chevra kadisha.[5]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Synagogue at Terenure in Dublin". Historic Synagogues of Europe. Foundation for Jewish Heritage and the Center for Jewish Art at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. n.d. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Dublin Hebrew Congregation". Irish Jewish Community. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
- ^ Gibson, Andrew (2002). Joyce's Revenge History, Politics, and Aesthetics in Ulysses. OUP. p. 52.
- ^ a b "Adelaide Road Synagogue in Dublin". Historic Synagogues of Europe. Foundation for Jewish Heritage and the Center for Jewish Art at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. n.d. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Steinberg, Erwin R. (Spring 1986). "The Religion of Ellen Higgins Bloom". James Joyce Quarterly. 23 (3): 350–355.