Jewish worship in York

Jewish services will take place at Friargate Meeting House

York will again see regular Jewish services, almost forty years after its last synagogue closed – at Friargate Meeting House.  The first Shabbat morning service will take place on Saturday 14 June, led by Liberal Judaism’s chief executive, rabbi Danny Rich. Subsequent services will be held on the second Saturday of each month. Hebrew lessons and children’s activities are also planned.

Friargate Meeting House manager Chris Edwards told the Friend that the move is simply ‘another room booking’. He stressed that the Meeting rents rooms to a number of faith groups.

Chris added that local Quaker and Jewish communities had collaborated on several projects, including a Holocaust memorial. ‘We sit comfortably together,’ he said.

The York Liberal Jewish Community is behind the new services. While it is not yet known how many people will attend, the Community says that more than 200 York residents consider themselves Jewish.

‘York’s Liberal Jewish Community now aims to add to what is already on offer, by providing regular services and a friendly Jewish home to any residents, students and visitors to the City of York who identify as Jewish,’ said Community member Ben Rich.

For Friargate Meeting, while this remains a straightforward room letting, Edwards said that similar arrangements with other groups have led to spin-offs and knowledge exchanges.

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