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In a Community a long, long time ago.. |
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The Holy Law South Broughton Synagogue came into existence on Chol
Ha'Moed Succot 5625 (1864/5) in the form of the Chevra Torah and the
adoption by its membership of a Pinkus (constitution) of 39 articles
of duty, worship, membership and responsibility. |
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Between 1865 and 1898 the congregation of the Chevra Torah moved
four times. It first met in a house on Park Place at the bottom of
Cheetham Hill Road. 1875 it moved to Fernie Street, moving only
three years later above the celebrated Hay Shop on Cheetham Hill
Road, and finally into a converted church owned by Samuel Claff
where the Holy Law Beth Aaron Synagogue. It was destined to be the
home of the congregation for the next 33 years (1931) until they
moved to Prestwich in 1933. |
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In 1931 the President of the Sedgley Park Hebrew Congregation,
Israel Sunlight, proposed a merger with the Holy Law if the latter
were prepared to build a new synagogue on the Park Hill site of Bury
Old Road. Following successful negotiations, Sedgley Park was merged
into the Holy Law and architect Theo Birks was commissioned to
design and build a new synagogue on Bury Old Road. |
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Between 1933 and 1935, and with a membership of 120 families, all
services were moved to the basement of the Odeon Cinema, Bury New
Road, until the new Holy Law synagogue was opened and consecrated by
Chief Rabbi Dr.Hertz on the 15th September 1935, and with it the
birth of the Holy Law Synagogue. By now the membership had escalated
to 250 families. |
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The first bricks for the synagogue extension arrived in October
1961. Services were interrupted by the removal of the Bimah and side
walls but by Rosh HaShonah 1962 the Holy Law reopened and
reconsecrated by Chief Rabbi Dr.Israel Brodie. The Shul could now
seat over 1,400 worshippers and had become the largest synagogue in
the North West at the monumental sum of £30,057 1s 1d; two and a
half times the cost of the original synagogue when erected in 1935. |
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Today, daily services continue, as well as on Shabbat, when more
than 300 people attend. There are also youth services, a children's
services and services on all the High Holidays. The services are
conducted by Zevi Neumann
and ministered by the legendary Rabbi Yossi Chazan. |
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The Synagogue is an orthodox synagogue, a constituent of the United
Synagogues of Great Britain, and under the auspices of the Chief
Rabbi of Great Britain and the Commonwealth. |
