East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation

With a proud history of over 150 years, EAST MELBOURNE Hebrew Congregation, or The City of Melbourne Synagogue, as it is now called, is the oldest functioning synagogue in Victoria. As the only synagogue in the Melbourne City centre, it has been vital to the development of the Jewish community in Australia. Deeply embedded in the memories and the history of every Jewish family in Melbourne, it also serves as a splendid landmark for the Jewish community and for the City of Melbourne.

 

 With its majestic and beautiful Italian Renaissance architecture, the synagogue is a major historic landmark, which has great cultural and architectural significance to the City of Melbourne and the State of Victoria.  The synagogue’s great heritage value has been acknowledged by the Victorian Heritage Council and the Australian Heritage Commission. It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, and The Register of the National Estate. Most significantly, East Melbourne synagogue has been classified by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) as a building of state significance.

 

Its location on the CBD fringe, close to hotels, offices, hospitals and universities enables it to cater for the needs of businesspeople, those visiting the sick and both local and international tourists and students. It is, in a unique sense, Jewish Melbourne’s gateway to the world.

 

Those from out of town can enjoy the warm, welcoming and beautiful environment on Friday night, Shabbat and the Yom Tov services. City workers, and students from nearby  Melbourne University and RMIT attend its regular weekly shiurim and daily minyans. City residents enjoy the pastoral support of  our Rabbi in moments of grief and happiness.

 

This wonderful religious activity in a historically significant setting   makes The City of Melbourne Synagogue an ideal showcase of Melbourne’s Jewish heritage.  Today it is a distinct attraction of the walking tours of historic Melbourne conducted by the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Jewish Museum. It is visited regularly by many school groups and it is on the itinerary of the historic places to visit encouraged by the surrounding hotels.

 

The City of Melbourne Synagogue is an important part of the Jewish and non-Jewish community in Melbourne and Australia, with many aspects to it, such as it’s location, architecture, and history, that are distinguished and different from other orthodox synagogues.