Broken Hill Synagogue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Broken Hill Synagogue |
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Former Broken Hill Synagogue, 2009
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Closed |
| Ownership | Broken Hill Historical Society Inc.; Synagogue of The Outback Museum (SOTOM) |
| Year consecrated | 1911 |
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| Location | |
| Location | 165 Wolfram Street, Broken Hill, City of Broken Hill, New South Wales |
| Country | Australia |
 Location in New South Wales
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| Architecture | |
| Groundbreaking | 30 November 1910 |
| Completed | 1911 |
| Official name: Broken Hill Synagogue; Historical Society | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 675 |
| Type | Synagogue |
| Category | Religion |
The Broken Hill Synagogue is a special building in Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia. It used to be a place of worship for Jewish people, called a synagogue. Now, it's a museum known as the Synagogue of the Outback Museum. It's owned by the Broken Hill Historical Society and is recognized as an important historical site on the New South Wales State Heritage Register since April 2, 1999.
Contents
A Look Back: The Synagogue's Story
The Broken Hill Synagogue is one of only three synagogues built specifically for Jewish communities in country areas of New South Wales. This makes it quite unique!
How the Jewish Community Started
Jewish families began to settle in Broken Hill in the 1880s. They needed a place to bury their loved ones, so a Jewish cemetery was officially opened on May 17, 1891. The first members of the Broken Hill Hebrew Congregation arrived after this date.
Most of the Jewish people who started the synagogue came from places like Lithuania and Ukraine. Their way of practicing their faith in Broken Hill followed the traditional customs of Jewish people in Russia during the 1800s.
Building a Place to Worship
In 1900, the community decided to create a formal group and build a synagogue. It took a few tries to raise enough money, but they succeeded later that decade. They bought a piece of land in July 1907. Before the synagogue was built, Jewish services were held in the Masonic Hall.
The first stone for the synagogue was laid on November 30, 1910. The building was officially opened on February 26, 1911. The special holy scrolls, called Torah scrolls, used in the synagogue were gifts from the Jewish community in Adelaide. By October 1914, the community had paid off all the money they borrowed to build it.
Closing and Reopening as a Museum
By 1961, the number of Jewish people living in Broken Hill had become very small, only about fifteen. Because of this, the synagogue closed its doors in 1962. The precious Torah scrolls were moved to a Jewish school in St Kilda, a suburb of Melbourne. When it closed, the building was in poor condition.
After closing, the building was used as a private home for a while. Then, in 1990, the Broken Hill Historical Society bought it. They worked hard to fix it up and bring it back to life.
Today, the building is home to the Synagogue of the Outback Museum and also houses the Broken Hill Historical Society. In 2017, a copy of a Sefer Torah (Torah scroll) was placed in the museum.
In 2017, a big hailstorm caused about $140,000 worth of damage to the building. Even though people asked for help, the state government did not provide special funding for the repairs that year.
What is a Heritage Site?
The Broken Hill Synagogue was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999. Being "heritage-listed" means a building is recognized as very important to the history and culture of the state. It helps protect the building so future generations can learn from it.
See also
- Judaism in Australia
- History of Broken Hill
- List of synagogues in Australia
