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Broken Hill Synagogue

Coordinates: 31°57′25″S 141°27′34″E / 31.9569°S 141.4595°E / -31.9569; 141.4595
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Broken Hill Synagogue
Former Broken Hill Synagogue, 2009
Religion
AffiliationJudaism
Ecclesiastical or organisational statusClosed
OwnershipBroken Hill Historical Society Inc.; Synagogue of The Outback Museum (SOTOM)
Year consecrated1911 (1911)
Status
  • Synagogue of the Outback Museum
  • Broken Hill Historical Society
Location
Location165 Wolfram Street, Broken Hill, City of Broken Hill, New South Wales
CountryAustralia
Geographic coordinates31°57′25″S 141°27′34″E / 31.9569°S 141.4595°E / -31.9569; 141.4595
Architecture
Groundbreaking30 November 1910 (1910-11-30)
Completed1911; 113 years ago (1911)
Official name: Broken Hill Synagogue; Historical Society
TypeState heritage (built)
Designated2 April 1999
Reference no.675
TypeSynagogue
CategoryReligion

The Broken Hill Synagogue is a heritage-listed former synagogue and now museum at 165 Wolfram Street, Broken Hill, in the Far West of New South Wales, Australia. The property is owned by the Broken Hill Historical Society. It now houses the Synagogue of the Outback Museum. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.[1]

History

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The Broken Hill Synagogue is one of only three purpose-built synagogues in rural New South Wales.[2]

A Jewish community began to develop in Broken Hill in the 1880s. The Jewish cemetery was consecrated on 17 May 1891, with the founders of the Broken Hill Hebrew Congregation arriving after 1891.[3][4] The synagogue was established "almost exclusively" by Jews of Lithuanian and Ukrainian backgrounds, such that Jewish life in Broken Hill "reflected the orthodox practice of nineteenth century Russian Jewry".[5]

A meeting in 1900 decided to establish a formal congregation and build a synagogue at Broken Hill. Initial attempts to raise building funds were unsuccessful, but found success later that decade, and a site was purchased in July 1907.[6] From 1900 until the completion of the synagogue, Jewish services were held in the Masonic Hall.[3]

The foundation stone for the synagogue was placed on 30 November 1910, and the synagogue was consecrated on 26 February 1911. The synagogue's Torah scrolls were presents from the Adelaide congregation. The debt from the building's construction had been paid off by October 1914.[3][7]

By 1961, the number of identifiable Jews in Broken Hill had decreased to fifteen.[8] The synagogue closed in 1962, with the Sefer Torah scrolls transferred to the Yeshiva in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda. The building had fallen into disrepair and was described as "derelict" at the time of its closure.[9][10][11]

Following the synagogue's closure, the building served as a private residence. It was purchased by the Broken Hill Historical Society in 1990, who restored the property.[3]

It now serves as the Synagogue of the Outback Museum and houses the Broken Hill Historical Society.[9] A replica Sefer Torah was installed in the museum in 2017.[10]

The building suffered $140,000 in hailstorm damage in 2017. Despite advocacy by the state opposition, it was overlooked by the state government for heritage funding to cover the repairs in the 2017 budget.[12]

Heritage listing

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Broken Hill Synagogue was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Broken Hill Synagogue". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00675. Retrieved 2 June 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  2. ^ Mannix, Katherine. Jews of the Outback: Jewish Settlement in Broken Hill (PDF). p. 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d Jewish Australia Online. "Broken Hill Synagogue". Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  4. ^ Mannix, Katherine. Jews of the Outback: Jewish Settlement in Broken Hill (PDF). pp. 42, 71. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  5. ^ Mannix, Katherine. Jews of the Outback: Jewish Settlement in Broken Hill (PDF). p. 71. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  6. ^ Mannix, Katherine. Jews of the Outback: Jewish Settlement in Broken Hill (PDF). pp. 80–82. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  7. ^ Mannix, Katherine. Jews of the Outback: Jewish Settlement in Broken Hill (PDF). p. 83. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  8. ^ Mannix, Katherine. Jews of the Outback: Jewish Settlement in Broken Hill (PDF). p. 153. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  9. ^ a b "Synagogue of the Outback Museum". Broken Hill City Council. Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  10. ^ a b "Helping fix Broken Hill shul". Australian Jewish News. 16 April 2017. Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  11. ^ Mannix, Katherine. Jews of the Outback: Jewish Settlement in Broken Hill (PDF). p. 154. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  12. ^ "Broken Hill Synagogue overlooked in restoration funding". J-Wire. 14 May 2017. Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.

Attribution

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This Wikipedia article was originally based on Broken Hill Synagogue, entry number 00675 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 2 June 2018.

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Media related to Broken Hill Synagogue at Wikimedia Commons

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