A leader of Aberdeen’s Jewish community has thanked the city’s residents for their “unbelievable generosity” ahead of the official re-dedication of Britain’s most northerly synagogue.
The Aberdeen Synagogue and Jewish Community Centre on Dee Street was forced to close in September after a washing machine broke, resulting in gallons of water tearing a hole through its roof and filling its basement.
In the months following the setback, a fundraiser was launched to help pay for the repairs with a goal of £10,000.
Despite initial fears the target would not be reached, the synagogue eventually received more than £25,000 from donors across Aberdeen and the world.
To thank them for their support, the synagogue is holding an open day on Sunday May 27, following an official rededication of the building earlier that weekend.
Mark Taylor, the president of the synagogue, said: “We didn’t even believe we would get £10,000, but we’ve had support from all across Aberdeen, Scotland and the UK.
“Donations have even come in from as far away as America, Israel and South Africa.
“And in our time of need it hasn’t been just money that people have kindly given for us, but services as well from groups including the mosque in Aberdeen, the city’s churches and the Bon Accord Centre.
“We’ve had all sorts of help from all kinds of different people.
“That’s why we really want to hold the open day. We want to invite everyone to come along and see how we’ve been able to rescue the synagogue with their support and thank them for their unbelievable generosity.”
To book a place on the free open day, visit www.eventbrite.co.uk and search for “Aberdeen Synagogue”.
