Sanctuary of Sydney’s Great Synagogue rededicated after 148 years

Sydney’s Great Synagogue has rededicated its sanctuary in a ceremony led by the Chief Rabbi of the Commonwealth, Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, marking the completion of a major restoration of one of Australia’s most significant Jewish heritage buildings.

Yesterday evening’s ceremony marked the culmination of the synagogue’s most significant restoration since the 1907 alterations. The rededication took place 148 years, one week and one day after the building was first consecrated on 4 March 1878.

 

Planning for the project began about a decade ago, with restoration work carried out over two and a half years. The works focused on preserving the historic character of the sanctuary while updating essential infrastructure for contemporary use.

A key part of the project was the return of the bimah, the platform used for Torah readings, to the centre of the sanctuary. It had been moved to the front of the synagogue during renovations in 1907. Returning it to the centre restores the layout originally intended by the synagogue’s architect and reflects the communal nature of Jewish prayer.

The Ark, which houses the Torah scrolls, was also restored, while new air conditioning and environmental systems were installed.

Despite the extensive work, much of the synagogue’s original structure remains intact. Corner posts and the reading desk dating from the building’s opening in 1878 have been preserved, along with brass and timberwork from the 1907 refurbishment. Replacement tiles required for the restoration were sourced from England, where the same tiles are still manufactured today.

The rededication coincided with The Great Synagogue’s annual Law Service, marking the beginning of the legal year. The event brought together senior members of the judiciary, the legal profession and the government.

Sir Ephraim together with senior rabbi Dr Benjamin Elton, led a procession carrying Torah scrolls, passing rows of political, religious and community leaders.

Speaking at the ceremony, Rabbi Mirvis described the moment as a declaration of resilience for the Jewish community.

“Our synagogues exist for the sake of the people,” he said. “What we’re celebrating today is an expansion, a rededication, a celebration of the fact that we are not just alive here in this building; we are thriving.”

He linked the moment to the aftermath of the Bondi terror attack in December, saying the response of the community was clear.

“The response of this community, as is the traditional response of Jewish communities around the world, is to declare we will never be cowed. We will never be intimidated,” he said.

Introducing the Chief Rabbi at the service, Rabbi Elton thanked him for travelling to Sydney and recalled his earlier visit following the Bondi tragedy. “When disaster struck this community last December, he came immediately to stand beside us, to offer us comfort and encourage us to be strong,” he said.

Elton also reflected on the enduring connection between Sydney’s Jewish community and the Chief Rabbinate. “The links between The Great Synagogue and the Chief Rabbinate go back to our founding and before,” he said.

Elton described the restoration as both a return to the synagogue’s origins and part of a broader renewal within the congregation.

“I’ve called this ‘back to the future’ because we have restored what was originally there but made it much more appropriate for almost 150 years after it was first designed,” he said.

Elton said the synagogue had entered a period of growth and renewal over the past decade, with about 500 new members joining the congregation.

Governor-General Mostyn also addressed the gathering, reflecting on the connection between civic life and Jewish tradition.

“To progress social cohesion requires meaningful social human interaction,” she said, describing mitzvahs as acts of kindness that help bind communities together.

In his address, marking the start of the law term, Chief Justice Andrew Bell warned of the dangers of antisemitism and spoke about “the resurgence of this ancient and pernicious prejudice”.

Among those present were NSW ministers Michael Daley, Penny Sharpe, John Graham and Ron Hoenig; Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore and Antisemitism Envoy Jillian Segal. Judges Julie Ward, Michael Allen, and Sharon Freund also attended, as did senior rabbis Nochum Schapiro, Shua Solomon, and Mendel Kastel.

Also in attendance were Jewish community leaders David Ossip, Michele Goldman, Peter Wertheim, and Robert Goot.

Synagogue president Max Freedman said the restoration reflected the commitment of the congregation to maintaining Jewish life in Sydney.

“This restoration has been more than a building project. It has been a collective effort by a community deeply invested in the continuity of Jewish life in Sydney,” he said.