Heritage Grants
The Grade II listed 19th-century synagogue has been refurbished with accessibility in mind, while a new heritage and education centre is helping Leicester’s Jewish community share their heritage with a wider range of people.
Renovations included:
- a new entrance and foyer area
- a refurbished Mikvah (ritual bath)
- a new Succah (a hut for the festival of Succot)
- a new lift which features an automatic mode allowing it to be used on Shabbat, when Jewish law prohibits operating electrical switches
Space to learn
The former Victorian school rooms have been transformed into a heritage centre, allowing the Leicester Hebrew Congregation to welcome more people to the synagogue to learn about the cultural and religious heritage of Jewish life in Leicester.
New resources for visitors include a timeline of the Leicester Hebrew Congregation’s history, audio-visual displays, activity boxes and display cases. Open days and visits from school groups are also providing more opportunities to engage the wider community.
Laurence Jacobs, Trustee of the Leicester Hebrew Congregation, said: ”The National Lottery Heritage Fund explained and guided us through the whole application process. The mentors from the Heritage Fund were invaluable in helping us achieve our aim of sharing the rich heritage of the Leicester Hebrew Congregation with the multicultural society of Leicester.”
