Bensham, Bewick Road, No. 180, Gateshead Synagogue

HER Number:
10850

District:
Gateshead

Site Name:
Bensham, Bewick Road, No. 180, Gateshead Synagogue

Place:
Bensham

Map Sheet:
NZ26SW

Class:
Religious Ritual and Funerary

Site Type: Broad:
Place of Worship

Site Type: Specific:
Synagogue

General Period:
Modern

Specific Period:
C20

Form of Evidence:
Extant Building

Description:
Red-brick building by R.G. Pearson of White & Pearson of Newcastle, 1938-9. It was built for the strictly Orthodox community which grew up around the Gateshead Yeshivah (traditional religious seminary for young men) established in 1927-9 by European refugees. The foundation stone is dated 25 Tammuz 5698 (24th July 1938). There is a red and green Star of David roundel by over the Ark (plain timber cabinet), which bears the year of opening in Hebrew letters 5699 (1939). The other windows are clear glazed double-height round-headed windows. Inside, the gallery along the back wall is hidden by a glazed mehitzah (partition between the mens' and womens' section) made of little square lights set in a concrete frame. In front of the Ark is a shtender (lectern facing the Ark occupied by the prayer leader during services) decorated with a painted Shiviti (decorative plaque featuring the opening word from a verse in Psalm 16). The central bimah (reading desk) and benches face forward. It originally had a mikveh (Jewish Ritual Bath) attached which was rebuilt in 1986.

Easting:
2496

Northing:
6214

Grid Reference:
NZ24966214

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
Sharman Kadish, 2006, Jewish Heritage in England - Architectural Guide, page 189-190; www.jewishgen.org; Peter F Ryder, June 2014, Bensham Synagogue, Bewick Road, Gateshead - Historic Building Recording