Perth Hebrew Congregation Explained

Perth Hebrew Congregation
Map Type:Australia Perth
Map Size:250
Map Relief:1
Coordinates:-31.9138°N 115.8649°W
Religious Affiliation:Modern Orthodox Judaism
Location:, Perth, Western Australia
Country:Australia
Organisational Status:Synagogue
Organizational Status:-->
Functional Status:Active
Architect:William Wolf (Brisbane Street synagogue)
Year Completed:1892 (Brisbane Street)
1975 (current)
Date Destroyed:-->
Elevation Ft:-->

The Perth Hebrew Congregation (often shortened as the PHC) is a Modern Orthodox synagogue located in the Perth suburb of in Western Australia. Established as an organization in 1892, it is the oldest of three shuls and one temple serving the Jewish community in Perth. The synagogue offers facilities for daily services, educational programmes, PHC also houses a library, a mikveh and a bookshop.[1] [2] [3] [4] It is situated within a Jewish precinct that also includes JHub Maccabi Community Centre and Carmel School, a Jewish Day School.[5] [6]

Overview

The first two scrolls in the possession of the Perth Hebrew Congregation were gifts from members of the Montefiore clan.[7]

The synagogue received a grant of as part of the National Community Crime Prevention Programme (NCCPP). The project was to "design and erect a perimeter security fence complete with access controls around the premises of the Perth Synagogue". The rationale was for protection of the premises and population in the event of a potential attack on PHC.[8] [9]

The synagogue includes a child care - namely Ruth Landau Harp Early Learning offering education to children aged from 6 weeks to 5 years, educating children on the Jewish calendar of events and Jewish values, with all meals being kosher.

History

The long-time home of the congregation was established at 117 Brisbane Street in 1897. The synagogue's New York architect, William Wolf, later designed His Majesty's Theatre in Perth.[10] Wolf designed the synagogue to specifications that would accommodate for 300 men and 50 women.[11] Architecturally, it was built in a Moorish style, using both brick and stone.[11] Prince's Hall, a function room was also situated to the rear. The hall was used to the congregation's Hebrew school as well as Yiddish theatre productions and other social gatherings.[11]

Western Australia's first Jewish congregation, Fremantle Synagogue on the corner of South Terrace and Parry Street, was absorbed into the Perth Hebrew Congregation in 1907.[12] For the more orthodox Jewish settlers, the more Anglicized services of the Perth Hebrew Congregation had no appeal. They formed the Perth Jewry Association and built a synagogue known as the Palmerston Shule. Possible conflict between the two congregations was avoided thorough the leadership of Perth Jewry's first minister, Rabbi D. I. Freedman who served in the Perth Hebrew Congregation for 42 years from 1897 up until his death in 1939.[13]

The congregation left its home on Brisbane Street in the 1970s, to relocate to a new purpose-built synagogue in Menora. The Brisbane Street synagogue was demolished in 1975.[11]

In July 2004, the shul was heavily defaced with anti-Semitic vandalism.[14] [15]

In 2022, it was proposed by City of Vincent to name a lane way on Brisbane Street honouring both the Brisbane Street and Palmerston synagogues.[11] Shule Lane, which lies between both of the original synagogues, has since been incorporated by the municipality.[11]

List of rabbis

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Perth Hebrew Congregation . J-Wire . 2013-12-26.
  2. Web site: Jewgle Perth » Blog Archive » Noranda shul honoured in Federal Parliament. 26 September 2008 . jewgleperth.com. 2014-04-04.
  3. Web site: Perth . Jewishvirtuallibrary.org . 2013-12-26.
  4. Web site: Jewish Community of Perth, Australia . Jewishtimesasia.org . 2013-12-26.
  5. https://www.carmel.wa.edu.au/community/life-in-perth/the-perth-jewish-community/ The Perth Jewish Community
  6. https://www.perthnow.com.au/local-news/perthnow-stirling/perth-jewish-community-centre-redevelopment-to-include-holocaust-education-centre-c-3845468 Perth Jewish Community Centre redevelopment to include Holocaust education centre
  7. Book: Encyclopedia of the Jewish diaspora: origins, experiences, and culture, Volume 1 . 16 April 2011 . Ehrlich, Mark Avrum . 2009 . 527. 9781851098736 .
  8. http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Lists/Statements/Attachments/125030/Confiscation%20Grants.pdf
  9. Web site: Archived copy . 15 April 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110403113443/http://www.ag.gov.au/agd/WWW/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/(CFD7369FCAE9B8F32F341DBE097801FF)~NCCPP+Consolidated+List+of+Grant+Recipients+Rounds+1-5.pdf/$file/NCCPP+Consolidated+List+of+Grant+Recipients+Rounds+1-5.pdf . 3 April 2011 . dead .
  10. https://www.taylorarchitects.com.au/Biographies/WG%20Wolf%20for%20AIA%20(WA).pdf William George Wolf
  11. https://ehq-production-australia.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/384dbf83cb3d7ed4042de24fbb4ed1527dc94f22/original/1643678554/1b6bd456765b3be97943210d4f5d3998_D22_15501__Shule_Lane_-_Proposal.pdf?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIA4KKNQAKIOR7VAOP4%2F20241127%2Fap-southeast-2%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20241127T133531Z&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=17c019554e1d3d1da58b4e7a18d5f53ba79f62bf033731b8dde447b6e705146b Shule Lane
  12. Jewish Personalities of Fremantle . Fremantle Studies . 1 . 1999 . Eric . Silbert.
  13. Book: James Jupp. The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, Its People and Their Origins. October 2001. Cambridge University Press. 978-0-521-80789-0. 529.
  14. Web site: Latest news briefs from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency - Cleveland Jewish News: Archives . Cleveland Jewish News . 2004-07-19 . 2013-12-26.
  15. http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200407/s1156478.htm
  16. Book: O. B. Tofler . http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A080598b.htm . Biography - David Isaac Freedman - Australian Dictionary of Biography . Freedman, David Isaac (1874–1939) . Adbonline.anu.edu.au . 2013-12-26.
  17. Web site: Blog Archive » Shalom Coleman – a rabbinic dynamo . OzTorah . 1918-12-05 . 2013-12-26.
  18. Web site: Shalom Coleman interviewed by Criena Fitzgerald [sound recording] National Library of Australia ]. Catalogue.nla.gov.au . 2013-12-26.
  19. Web site: The Perth Hebrew Congregation . Theperthshule.asn.au . 2013-12-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090930011643/http://www.theperthshule.asn.au/history_freilich.html . 30 September 2009 . dead .
  20. Web site: Photoexhibit 16 . Judaica.library.usyd.edu.au . 2011-12-07 . 2013-12-26.

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