The United Synagogue

First Synagogue Service Held In New Finsbury Park Shul

London,
26 June 2006

PRESS RELEASE

FIRST SYNAGOGUE SERVICES HELD IN NEW FINSBURY PARK SHUL

The Finsbury Park community held its first Shabbat service last week in its new building after spending 18 months in temporary accommodation. The new synagogue has been built on the ground floor of a new residential development and replaces the previous synagogue on the same site.

The site, which previously housed a Jewish school, was bought by property development company Higgins Homes in 2002. After extensive negotiations with the Community Development Group of the US, Higgins agreed to include a new synagogue in their redevelopment plans to ensure the community could remain on the same site. During construction, Higgins provided temporary accommodation for the Finsbury Park congregation and following the development’s completion, built a bimah for the new synagogue. The bright and modern new synagogue seats over 60 congregants and has inherited pews, the Ark and mechitzah from Cricklewood Synagogue.
Finsbury Park’s Honorary Officer Ian Ephraim commented: “We are very excited to have held our first Shabbat services in our beautiful and modern new shul and the friendly atmosphere and warmth that have always been a trademark of our shul continues. We appreciate the work undertaken by the US to ensure that our community could remain on the same site.

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EDITORS’ NOTES: -

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