This month’s Foodie Group will be co-hosted by a local Cheetham resident, Kryshana, who will bring a couple of her (much adored!) family recipes to our kitchen.
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Join us to explore the rich colours and fascinating patterns of our synagogue's stained-glass windows and learn about the stories they illustrate. We will also bake some delicious stained-glass window cookies using all-vegan ingredients.
In this session we will continue to grow and develop our song about Annie Conway and words inspired by stories connected to tea within our collection.
From a spot of tea on Cheetham Hill Road, to tea breaks in hat shops and Tennis Clubs, these images have opened up discussions about what a warm cup of tea means to us and may have meant to individuals in the past.
This week we will be exploring musical collaborations, talking about how music shapes our identities and how it shares traditions and cultures. Our inspiration will be Jarak Qaribak, a new collaboration between Israeli musician and artist Dudu Tassa and Radiohead’s English guitarist Jonny Greenwood.
In this session we will be visited by a textile designer and artist Emily Gubbay. She will be showing us how to create colourful patterns on fabric, using plants, flowers and a steaming technique called bundle dyeing. All the flowers Emily uses are UK grown and we will be looking at objects from our collection as colour inspiration!
Come along to our Discover in A Day, a full day of creative activities, and explore beautiful art in our galleries and collection. Get artsy as we draw, make collages and work with ceramic. You will receive an Arts Award certificate and get to go home with your creations!
In this session we'll be making sweet, crunchy Kichels! Join us to knead, shape and sugar coat these delicious Jewish cookies. Add the finishing touches by creating a beautiful biscuit box to take them home in.
This session will be co-hosted by Kit Mo, who will show us how to make Lou Hei, a salad popular in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, eaten during Chinese New Year. We will be pairing this dish with another 'New Year recipe', a Syrian Spinach Salad with pomegranates and chopped walnuts, traditionally eaten on Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year. Join us and see how these two salads come together!
Join us to discover the rich social and cultural history of needlework! Get inspired by beautiful embroidery samplers from our collection and decorate your own fabric badge!
In this session we will be continuing to create shoes, inspired by the story of Nathan Seaberg. Don’t worry if this is the first time you are joining us, we are still in the early stages of making and all activities are collaborative so you can join up with some other members of the group to help design a pair of shoes!
In this session we are getting ready for a performance as part of this year's Cheetham Cultural Festival!
This month we will be exploring Jewish stories from Scotland, inspired by a BBC documentary "Being Jewish in Scotland". From the busy Kosher delis at Chanukah, to the history of migration in Scotland and the opportunity to meet both reform and orthodox Rabbis of Glasgow, this portrait celebrates how Jewish and Scottish identities intersect.
This month we invite you to join us for a special, Shavuot edition of our Foodie Group workshop. Join us as we play around with different sweet and dairy fillings and bake our own Rugelach together. You will get to go home with some delicious sweet treats!
Rough Diamonds is Netflix’s latest drama centred on a Haredi Orthodox family that runs a business in Antwerps’s famed diamond district. But what is it about the Haredi community that has now become so fascinating in mainstream culture? Why are people hooked? Bring yourself and an open mind and join us at this month’s Culture Club as we discuss all this and more.
Do you love to write? Or have an interest in exploring music? Join our Song-writing Group as we work on a new song about Annie Conway, who was a prominent member of the Portuguese and Spanish Sephardi synagogue in Cheetham Hill – now the Manchester Jewish Museum.
Join us for some felt flower-making fun, inspired by the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. You’ll also get a chance to explore the museum and try out one of our family activity backpacks!
Our September session will be co-hosted by Filis Rosenberg who will be showing us how to make a Sephardi dish called Mejedra. Our Foodie Group meet monthly to discuss, cook and eat food inspired by stories from our collection, artists and events we programme, as well as our own members’ heritage and backgrounds. Our workshops are informal, chatty and a chance to meet new people as well as learn about new recipes and cooking traditions.
Do you have a passion for music? Do you like expressing yourself through words? Do you like the idea of writing your own songs? Our song-writing group meets monthly to create new music, lyrics and words inspired by the themes and stories in our collection and by the artists and events in our creative programme. […]
Do you like to get creative at home? Whether that’s making furniture, clothes, pottery, prints or woodwork, then we have the group for you! Join our new group ‘The Crafty Corner,’ a space where you will get to explore, experiment, and express your creative side. In this session, ahead of her return to Synagogue Nights, […]
This month will see two of our social groups: our Jewish Culture Club and Song-writing Group, come together to meet the team behind ‘My Heart is in the East’.
Do you want to join a new group, meet new people and learn new skills? Are you nifty with a needle or can spin a good yarn? Our Women’s Textile group is a great place to make new friends and practice your textile craft.
This month’s workshop will see us looking into the museum's own vegetarian café and it’s * brand new* summer Sephardic inspired menu!
Following on from the recent reveal of our 150 year old time capsule, we have set ourselves a new goal. We want to create a brand new time capsule to be buried in 2024 – and we need your help!
Join us to discover the incredible book of blue-inked stamps in our collection that belonged to the Btesh family, one of the earliest Syrian traders to arrive in Manchester. Inspired by the stamps in the Btesh book, you’ll get to design your very own stamp that reflects your interests – whether that’s football, food or animals!
This newly launched group is a friendly space where you will get to explore, experiment, and express your creative side. In every workshop we will explore a story from the museum’s collection about a trade or craft and create an artistic response to its themes, craft process or medium.
Join Manchester Jewish Museum alongside other community organisations from Cheetham Hill and Crumpsall at the Irish World Heritage Centre for the North Manchester ‘Diverse-city Festival’, as we celebrate what makes our local area special!
Do you love to write? Or have an interest in exploring music? Join our Song-writing Group as we work on a new song about Annie Conway, who was a prominent member of the Portuguese and Spanish Sephardi synagogue in Cheetham Hill – now the Manchester Jewish Museum.
This month we will be looking at some famous Jewish comedians and discussing all things comedy. Is there such thing as solely ‘Jewish Humour’? And what is its influence on modern society? Come on down to our very own café, grab a drink, have a chat and hopefully a laugh as we discuss Jewish comedy.
Unleash your imagination this summer with our exciting series of creative events designed for families, friends and individuals. Get ready to embark on a journey of fun, learning, and creativity at Manchester Jewish Museum.
Critically acclaimed duo Fran & Flora present new music from their forthcoming album Precious Collection.
“This play is a celebration of language. The language creates the space.” – interview with Jessica Litwak
On Thursday, 22 June, Jessica Litwak, a U.S. based playwright and actor, will stage her new play, "My Heart is in the East", at Manchester Jewish Museum's former Sephardi synagogue. We speak to Jessica about the importance of interfaith dialogue and making connections and how it's reflected in the play.
Following on from her sold-out 2022 Synagogue Nights show, Noga Ritter comes back to Manchester with a newly released album.
‘Take a Load Off’ offers museum visitors a taste of Sabbath – the Jewish day of rest, that begins on Friday at sunset and ends on the following evening after nightfall. The Sabbath is a time of gatherings, prayer, song, and eating and talking together. Every Saturday, the Museum will have two special sound installations for […]
Our 150 year old time capsule has been opened!
A year ahead the 150th anniversary of our historic Sephardi synagogue, we have decided to open the time capsule, found by builders during our recent redevelopment.
An award-winning documentary about the unknown photographer who created iconic images of the 20th century.
Join us this autumn for a series of atmospheric evening events in the unique setting of our 1874 Spanish & Portuguese synagogue.
Manchester Jewish Museum’s architects win two RIBA Awards 2023 for the outstanding project of the museum’s new building
Citizens Design Bureau, the architects behind Manchester Jewish Museum’s 2021 redevelopment project won not one but two awards at the 2023 RIBA UK Awards: the RIBA North West Award 2023 and RIBA North West Project Architect of the Year 2023 for Director Katy Marks and Candice Moore.
Two estranged half brothers meet at a truly bizarre shiva… – interview with Amy Lever
On Sunday, 2 April, Jewish Mancunian actor and writer, Amy Lever, will bring her new play to our former synagogue as part of Synagogue Scratch season. We speak to Amy about "We Wish You Long Life" and the fascinating creative process behind it.
Join us for a truly atmospheric evening of Jewish songs from all over the world, sung in Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, Greek and English.
“‘Beth’s Din’ is the story of the world’s most unlikely rabbi. It’s also a love letter to Manchester.” – interview with Ellie Silver
On Sunday, 26 March, Ellie Silver will premiere her new work-in-progress TV sitcom, "Beth's Din", at MJM during the first evening event of this Spring's "Synagogue Scratch" season. We speak to Ellie about her journey as a Mancunian comedian and get a sneak peek at her upcoming show!
Funny, heartwarming and mouth-salivating new musical, inspired by Nigella Lawson. Expect laughter, tears, roast chicken and some very imperfect cooking.
Synagogue Scratch. Manchester Jewish Museum launches an inaugural season of Jewish Mancunian works in progress.
Audiences will have the opportunity to be the first people to see a project up on its feet, get to know the local talented individuals who are telling Jewish Mancunian stories and be at the heart of helping to develop their material.
The Manchester premiere of a new play by Jessica Litwak about the vital importance of language and imagination to both who we are and how together we might be.
Generations share stories to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day
MJM Creative Activists have visited the residents of Belong Morris Feinmann, the dementia specialist, to share lesser-known personal stories of Manchester people’s experiences during the Holocaust and the Second World War, ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day.
MJM marks Holocaust Memorial Day with events co-created with ‘Creative Activists’
This January, Manchester Jewish Museum will mark the international Holocaust Memorial Day with a Museum Open Day involving reflective performances and workshops created with a group of young people called the ‘Creative Activists’. Since 2020, they’ve be working at the museum to explore creative ways of commemorating the Holocaust and connecting lesser heard stories from our collection with local communities.
Looking back on 2022
As 2022 draws to a close we just wanted to reflect on what an incredible year it’s been for the museum and share some of its key highlights. We raise a glass to the New Year and would like to thank our staff, trustees, volunteers, partners and most of all our audiences and supporters, who make our work possible and enable us to make connections and share Jewish stories with the world.
Quartets written in memory of lost sisters – Interview with Quatuor Danel
On Thursday, 8 December, MJM will welcome the world famous string quartet Quatuor Danel for the last show of this year's Synagogue Nights. We spoke to the members about their beloved composers and their upcoming show at our historic synagogue.
Ari is the Jewish best friend I never had! – Interview with Deli Segal and Tanya Truman
This December, Tanya Truman and Deli Segal will bring their hilarious comedy show, Pickle, to MJM as part of Synagogue Nights, a season of intimate evening events in our synagogue. We've recently spoken to them both about this darkly comic piece.
Meshuga Baby! – Interview with Emma Smith ahead of her show at MJM
On Sunday, 27 November, Manchester Jewish Museum will welcome Emma Smith, one of the greatest voices on the contemporary UK jazz scene. We talk to Emma about her newly released album and how she's getting ready to perform at MJM.
“Cultural connections, being part of a diaspora and what we inherit from those who went before” – interview with theatre maker Anna Clover
On Sunday, 6 November, Manchester Jewish Museum will welcome the London-based theatre maker, Anna Clover, in her debut solo comedy show, Going Deutsch. Anna talks to us about her semi-biographical piece and the emotional story behind it.
Manchester Jewish Museum pays tribute to the Queen
We were deeply saddened by the recent news about the death of Queen Elizabeth II. She was a constant in the lives of many in our community and will be missed and remembered by them. We offer our dearest condolences to the Royal Family. Our thoughts are with them now.
Synagogue Nights 2022. MJM once again launches the autumn season of evening performances in the historic former synagogue.
Manchester Jewish Museum will once again be celebrating Jewish music and art with the new season of Synagogue Nights: intimate performances in the 1874 Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue. From the mellow sounds of jazz and entertaining comedy shows to the greatest of classical hits, this season’s line-up celebrates diverse identities within the Jewish community.
Stencl and the Jewish East End – interview with Dr Rachel Lichtenstein
This September, we will be exploring one of Britain's foremost, but now largely forgotten Yiddish poets, Avram Nachum Stencl. The evening event will be hosted by Dr Rachel Lichtenstein, whose grandparents were Polish Jews and who, like Stencl, settled in East London in the 1930s after escaping Nazi persecution. We speak to Rachel about her interest in Stencl's story and works.
The story of Truus’ Children – interview with Pamela Sturhoofd and Margaret Jacobi
This September we will be showing the Dutch documentary 'Truus' Children' during an intimate, evening event at our beautiful synagogue. We talk about the film with the director Pamela Sturhoofd and Margaret Jacobi, a descendent of one of the children saved by Truus Wijsmuller.
A year after reopening to the public, Manchester Jewish Museums shares highlights of its first twelve months in the new building in Cheetham Hill.
Today marks exactly one year since Manchester Jewish Museum reopened to the public after being closed for two years to undergo a £6m redevelopment and extension. On this special day we have decided to shine a light on some of the highlights of this exciting year.
Diving into klezmer tunes – interview with Richard Fay and Daniel Mawson
In July we're inviting you for the second meeting of the Klezmer Tune Club in cooperation with klezmer musicians, Richard Fay and Daniel Mawson, who will take you on a musical journey through klezmer’s fascinating history and work with you on a new musical piece.
On the occasion of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Manchester Jewish Museum reflects on Her Majesty’s visit to the museum twenty years ago
Manchester Jewish Museum have decided to share the memories of the Queen’s visit to the museum twenty years ago, as part of her Golden Jubilee tour. We have also talked to Basil Jeuda, who then was the chair of the museum’s Trust. He has shared his memories from the Queen’s visit with us.
MJM Café wins Café or Restaurant of the Year award at 2022 Museums + Heritage Awards
Manchester Jewish Museum Café was voted Café or Restaurant of the Year at 2022 Museums + Heritage Awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 11.
Reclaiming those stories others would rather erase – Interview with Victor Esses
Victor Esses is a Jewish-Lebanese Brazilian queer theatre maker and performance artist. In this interview he talks about his new piece, the Death & Life of All of Us, which he will be performing at Manchester Jewish Museum.
Holocaust Memorial Day 2022: why do we commemorate?
To launch our year long Holocaust Memorial Day project in partnership with Imperial War Museums, we asked a group of young people "why do we commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day?". In response they created a powerful poem and film, inspired by the personal stories in our collection.
Music in our Synagogue: our second Synagogue Nights Season of music this March
Manchester Jewish Museum will be celebrating Jewish music with our new season of Synagogue Nights: intimate performances in our stunning 1874 Synagogue. From Klezmer ensembles to Baroque quartets, musical theatre and pop covers to Hebrew world jazz, we are showcasing Jewish music in all its diversity.
Manchester Jewish Museum launches Holocaust Memorial Day project with Imperial War Museums
On Holocaust Memorial Day 2022 we will launch a year-long project that will culminate on Holocaust Memorial Day 2023 with a public event and hosting a travelling exhibition sharing lesser known Holocaust and Second World War stories from across the UK. The project is part of Imperial War Museum’s Second World War & Holocaust Partnership Programme and will be working with local artist Becky Prestwich and young people from across Manchester.
Looking back on 2021
As 2021 draws to a close we just wanted to reflect on what an enormous year it’s been for the museum and some of the highlights. We’re excited for what next year will bring and just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who made it possible.
A more sustainable Manchester Jewish Museum – COP26 update
On Thursday 4 November we were proud to speak at The Carbon Literacy Project's Museum Sector Day as part of the COP26 Conference. We have been working with BuroHappold, Carbon Literacy Project and Museums Development NorthWest to build a more sustainable Manchester Jewish Museum for future generations to enjoy.
Chief Executive Max Dunbar to hand over the new Manchester Jewish Museum
After 10 years and a multi-million redevelopment and reopening, Manchester Jewish Museum Chief Executive Max Dunbar and Chair of the Trustees Andrew Singer QC will step down as they hand over the new museum to someone new, to lead the organisation during the next stage of its journey.
Yankl & Der Beanstalk revives Yiddish Pantomime once more
On Thursday 2 December Manchester Jewish Museum will be transported to the magical lands of Brick Lane and Hampstead with a bawdy and infectiously fun take on a classic Yiddish pantomime. We speak to director Samuel Ranger about how they are hoping to revive Yiddish pantomime for a new generation.
Women’s Textile Group dress to be included in HOME’s Manchester Open Exhibition
A dress created by our Women’s Textile Group, exploring the women's own different identities and heritages, is to be featured as part of HOME’s Manchester Open Exhibition in 2022 in a celebration of Greater Manchester's creative talent.
‘I believe music can bring change’ – Interview with Noga Ritter
Israel-born singer songwriter Noga Ritter talks about her music, how songs can create change and her upcoming performance as part of Synagogue Nights at Manchester Jewish Museum.
The Memory Map of Jewish Manchester
We are proud to have contributed to the Memory Map of Jewish Manchester. This interactive map shares the stories, histories and memories of the Jewish community who once lived in the Cheetham Hill, Strangeways and Hightown areas of North Manchester between the two world wars.
Manchester Jewish Museum wins two British Construction Industry Awards
Manchester Jewish Museum, along with architects Citizens Design Bureau and structural engineers Buro Happold, have won two prestigious awards at the annual Building Constriction Industry Awards at their ceremony on Wednesday 13 October.
Weaving the past and present together – Interview with Sophie Ablett
On Thursday 14 October Sophie Ablett and Klein Blue will weave together spoken word and large-scale knitting in 'She Seeks Out Wool' to tell the personal journey of a family, the relatives left behind and how the past can be woven into the present. We speak to Sophie about her work, her knitting expertise and how it felt to explore your own family's history.
A more sustainable Manchester Jewish Museum
Our new museum is more sustainable and energy efficient thanks to the hard work of the structural engineers at Buro Happold. Despite doubling in size, we have reduced our overall energy use and carbon impact by 20% so that our museum may be preserved and enjoyed by future generations.
Our brand new vegetarian Café
Opening on Friday 2 July, Manchester Jewish Museum is delighted to reveal an exclusive “first look” at its brand new museum café and launch menu. Located at the Museum’s new entrance, the museum café will open daily from 10am seven days a week to serve a contemporary vegetarian kosher-style menu.
Our New Gallery
Part of our £6 million redevelopment, our new gallery space will take visitors on a journey through Manchester’s Jewish history to the city’s present day communities and individuals. We spoke to our curator Alex Cropper and Matt Schwab from All Things Studio about the process and what to look out for in our new gallery when you visit.
Tickets now on sale for Turner Prize-winning artist at Manchester Jewish Museum
Tickets are now on sale to visit the new Manchester Jewish Museum which will be opening on Friday 2 July with a world premiere of Turner Prize-winning artist Laure Prouvost’s new installation The long waited, weighted gathering as part of this year’s Manchester International Festival.
Second World War and Holocaust Partnership Programme with IWM
Manchester Jewish Museum joins IWM's Second World War and Holocaust Partnership Programme. We will be joining seven other regional partners to engage national audiences with hidden or lesser-known stories from across the country relating to the Second World War and the Holocaust.
A key milestone for Manchester Jewish Museum
A 'key' milestone for Manchester Jewish Museum as the keys for the new museum are now in the firm possession of our Chief Executive Max Dunbar as the building is officially handed over to the staff,
Turner Prize-winner Laure Prouvost at Manchester Jewish Museum
Turner Prize-winning artist Laure Prouvost will unveil a major new work that will transform The Ladies' Gallery in our historic synagogue. 'The long waited, weighted gathering', co-commissioned by Manchester International Festival and Manchester Jewish Museum, will premiere at MIF21 on 2 July 2021.
Manchester Jewish Museum will reopen this July
Manchester Jewish Museum will be opening its doors on Friday 2 July after a multi-million pound development. The new museum includes a new gallery, café, shop and learning kitchen as well as complete restoration of its stunning 1874 synagogue.
Restoring our Synagogue Windows
Restoring one of Manchester's oldest surviving synagogues is no mean feat. Learn about the "pane-staking" process of restoring our 1874 synagogue's stained glass windows with Recclesia stained glass repair specialists.
The Great Jewish Museum Bake Off – Strudel & Clara Weingard’s Mother’s Sweetshop
For our fourth and final week of our Great Jewish Museum Bake Off with Jewish Museum London we made strudel! Why not try making your own using this recipe, or read more about Clara Weingard's incredible mother who's baking inspired this week's challenge.
Passover in our Collection
This Saturday is the beginning of Passover (also known as Pesach or Pesah), one of the most celebrated holidays in Jewish culture and marks the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Learn more about the festival and some of the Passover items in our archives.
The Great Jewish Museum Bake Off – Annie Conway’s Borekas
We have teamed up with Jewish Museum London to compete in the #GreatJewishMuseumBakeOff on Twitter!
Our Week Two challenge was borekas - discover the recipe and read the story that inspired us.
The Festival of Purim
Next week is the celebration of the Jewish festival of Purim, also known as the 'Feast of Lots', but do you know the story behind the festival? Find out here, and discover one of the Purim celebration stories from our collection.
Corten and the new museum
You may have spotted the rust-coloured cladding on our new extension as you pass on Cheetham Hill Road. But what is it? Meet corten, an architectural trend bringing the contemporary and the historic together!
Giving audiences a “flavour” of what to expect in the new museum
This February Theatre Chef Leo Burtin will be taking our audiences on an online culinary journey through our collection as we prepare for food to be at the heart of the new museum.
Our Creative Activists shine a light on Holocaust Memorial Day
Responding to the Holocaust Memorial Day theme ‘Light the Darkness' our Creative Activists have created their own artwork in response to stories from our collections and from speaking to local community members about their own relationship to the Holocaust. They have created a film to share their experiences, artwork and the stories and inspiration behind them.
Young people keep past stories alive for Holocaust Memorial Day
Young Activists Keep Past Stories Alive as Manchester Jewish Museum Marks Holocaust Memorial Day
Designing a “place for conversation”
As we look ahead to our reopening in 2021, architect Katy Marks from Citizens Design Bureau speaks about her inspiration and process for creating a museum that reflects the diversity of Manchester's Jewish Communities and creates a space for sharing and connection.
Time Capsule Discovery
Our builders have made an astonishing discovery of a time capsule hidden in the historic synagogue’s walls.
The sealed glass jar was discovered by a builder hidden deep in a wall cavern within our synagogue. Filled with money, synagogue papers and newspapers, these original artefacts are dated from the synagogue's foundation in 1873.