Foundation Chief Executive Michael Mail visited the Manchester Jewish Museum which recently completed a £6 million redevelopment mainly funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
MJM is housed in the former Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue on Cheetham Hill Road, and the funding enabled a new building to be established next to the synagogue housing a gallery space, archives, a café, shop, learning studio and kitchen. The additional space has meant that the beautiful grade II* listed synagogue opened in 1874 is itself now uncluttered and can be fully appreciated.
Michael met with MJM Chief Executive Gareth Redston and was able to tour the site which he last visited six years ago, long before the recent changes. As well as viewing the impressive site, he was able to learn more about MJM’s activities and especially its approach to engaging the local community in what is today a very multi-cultural district of Manchester.
Michael took away a number of key insights which will prove very useful as the Foundation continues to work on its own synagogue preservation projects across Europe.