Auckland Hebrew Congregation

36°52′53″S 174°48′19″E / 36.8813°S 174.8052°E / -36.8813; 174.8052ArchitectureArchitect(s)Edward Bartley (Princes Street)
John Godwater (Greys Avenue)TypeSynagogueStyleRomaneseque (Princes Street)
Modernist (Greys Avenue)

Auckland Hebrew Congregation is a Modern Orthodox synagogue in Remuera, a suburb of Auckland. The congregation previously occupied University House (Princes Street Synagogue) from 1885, before relocating to a larger building on Greys Avenue in 1968. The congregation moved again in 2022, having purchased the campus of Saint Kentigern Girls' School in Remuera.[1] The synagogue serves around 500 local families.[2]

History

Princes Street

The original synagogue building on Princes Street was designed and built by Edward Bartley in 1884–1885 in a Romanesque style, incorporating Gothic and Moorish design elements.[3][4] The foundation stone was laid by David Nathan (1816–1886), an early Jewish settler and founder of the L.D. Nathan chain of stores,[5] and the synagogue opened on 9 November 1885.[6] The building could seat 375 people.[7] It was built on the site of an earlier military guardhouse[8] associated with Albert Barracks. The construction of the synagogue was a statement by the Jewish community in Auckland of not only status, but of their acceptance in the local community.[4] The building has a Category I listing with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.[8]

In 1968, the congregation moved to a new synagogue on Greys Avenue.[4] Ownership of the property reverted to Auckland City Council as part of the Albert Park Reserve following the deconsecration.[9] It has since served as a branch of the National Bank of New Zealand. The bank restored the building in 1989, preserving the stained glass windows as well as the Romanesque and Eastern decorative motifs.[10] The building currently serves as the University of Auckland's Alumni Relations and Development office.[10]

Greys Avenue

As the congregation grew in size, a larger building was needed to meet it needs and a plot was purchased on Greys Avenue, overlooking Myers Park.[11] The Princes Street synagogue was deconsecrated in 1969.[7] The new inner-city synagogue was consecrated on 8 September 1968.[12] It was designed by New Zealand Jewish architect, John Goldwater in a modernist style. The synagogue was the recipient of an architectural award in 1970.[13] The synagogue and complex underwent a US$6.63 million refurbishment in 2008 and future Jewish prime minister, John Key, attended the reopening.[14] In 2010, the congregation led a successful challenge against the New Zealand government, allowing shechita, after a ban had been put in place.[15] In 2011, Israel's Speaker of the Knesset, Reuven Rivlin addressed the congregation. It marked the first official Israeli state visit to the country in a quarter of a century, since President Chaim Herzog's visit in 1986.[16] The buildings and sanctuary were used for filming by Simone Nathan in her 2022 TV series, Kid Sister.[17] The Greys Avenue complex was also home to Kadimah, the Jewish primary school, Auckland Jewish Immigration and the city's only kosher café.[18]

Remuera Road

In 2019, with the assistance of the Woolf Fisher Trust, the congregation purchased the campus of Saint Kentigern Girls' School in Remuera.[19] Kadimah relocated from Grey's Avenue to the Remuera campus in 2023.[20] Other Jewish organisations and the Kosher café/deli are also in the process of relocating to the site, creating the main hub for Jewish life in Auckland.[1] The city's Reform congregation, Beth Shalom has also been invited to relocate to the campus.[21] The Auckland Hebrew Congregation plans to build a new sanctuary and synagogue in the future on the grounds of the campus.[22] It currently holds services in the original homestead on the property. The house had been built in 1918 for the Louisson family who, later downsized to a smaller property and sold the home to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[23] The property and campus later formed part of Corran School, a private girls school, before becoming Saint Kentigern's Girls' School following a 2009 merger.[23] There are also plans for a mikvah on the site, a cultural centre and provision for Jewish youth groups.[22] In recent decades, the congregation has stepped up efforts to encourage Jewish immigration to New Zealand, mostly focusing on Jewry in South Africa, Argentina and Israel.[24]

  • Princes Street synagogue in early 1900s
    Princes Street synagogue in early 1900s
  • Princes Street synagogue, now University House
    Princes Street synagogue, now University House
  • Former Kadimah School and Auckland Hebrew Congregation on Grey's Avenue
    Former Kadimah School and Auckland Hebrew Congregation on Grey's Avenue

See also

  • Judaism portal

References

  1. ^ a b A new Jewish Centre for Auckland Jewish Lives. 18 April 2021
  2. ^ Membership AHC. Retrieved on 16 December 2023
  3. ^ Heritage Walks – The Engineering Heritage of Auckland Archived 14 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Tourism Auckland. ISBN 0-908960-46-8.
  4. ^ a b c Haworth, Jenny (2016). Auckland Then and Now. United Kingdom: Pavilion Books. p. 54-55. ISBN 978-1-910904-79-4. Wikidata Q116870435.
  5. ^ Mogford, Janice C. "Nathan, David". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  6. ^ Mara Weiss. The Jewish Virtual History Tour, New Zealand. Retrieved 12 May 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  7. ^ a b "Historic city synagogue for sale". The New Zealand Herald. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Synagogue (Former)". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Former Synagogue Conversion, Auckland". Salmond Reed Architects. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  10. ^ a b Historic city synagogue for sale New Zealand Herald. Retrieved on 16 December 2023
  11. ^ Anéne Cusins-Lewer and Julia Gatley. The 'Myers Park Experiment' (1913–1916) and its Legacy in Auckland. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  12. ^ Greys Avenue 1967-68 Jewish Lives. Retrieved on 16 December 2023
  13. ^ Synagogue and school (3rd of 3) Te Ara. Retrieved on 16 December 2023
  14. ^ Jewish challenger to Clark in New Zealand Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 14 September 2008
  15. ^ Ban on ritual poultry slaughter nixed in New Zealand The Jerusalem Post. 28 November 2010
  16. ^ Demonstrators protest Israeli Knesset speaker’s New Zealand visit Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 4 April 2011
  17. ^ Simone Nathan’s Televised Love Letter to Kiwi Jews Hey Alma. 9 June 2022
  18. ^ Kiwi Cool Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 25 January 2011
  19. ^ Auckland private school Saint Kentigern sells $23m campus to Hebrew Congregation Stuff. 8 April 2021
  20. ^ News Kadimah School. Retrieved on 5 December 2023
  21. ^ 2. Current Status of Beth Shalom moving to Remuera Road Jewish Auckland. 2021
  22. ^ a b Swapping a synagogue for a school: Auckland Jewry makes a brave move Plus 61J Media. 17 February 2023
  23. ^ a b Girls' School History Saint Kentigern. Retrieved on 16 December 2023
  24. ^ The Good Life In Kiwi Country Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 10 October 2003
  • AHC official website