Manchester Jewish Museum

Synagogue Scratch 2024

A season of work-in-progress performances celebrating new Jewish art.

Join us this Spring for ‘Synagogue Scratch’, a season of evening performances in our historic synagogue, celebrating new Jewish works-in-progress.

Come and see shows ranging from poetry and talks, to plays and vocal recitals, all with a little bit of Sephardi flavour, as a nod to the 150th anniversary of our Spanish & Portuguese synagogue this year.

This season we are supporting new and experimental Jewish art and want you to be the first people to see a project up on its feet, before it becomes a bestseller. So, whether you’re into music, theatre or spoken word, come and support new Jewish work this Spring at Manchester Jewish Museum.

Our spring line-up includes:

Cantorial Song: A Jewish vocal tradition through time
By Hannah Rachel
Thursday, 9 May, 7:30-8:30PM

Join us for an evening of incredible vocal recital with Hannah Rachel and an accompanying band. Exploring cantillation – the art of vocalising the Torah – and its influences across jazz, popular and contemporary classical genres, this event promises to excite and intrigue your ears.

“Lost Girl” by Amy Lever
Sunday, 19 May, 7-8:15PM

A work-in-progress play exploring Jewish-Arab heritage, the expectations of womanhood and found family.

Jill Abram presents: “The Manchester Minyanaires”
Sunday, 26 May, 7-8:15PM

According to orthodox Jewish law, a Minyan (quorum) of ten men is required to speak prayers in public. There are no rules for women speaking poems, so meet the Manchester Minyanaires! Join Aviva Dautch, Jill Abram and Kitty Martin for an intimate evening of poetry and conversation about their Manchester Jewish roots.

“Into the Melting Pot” by The Telling
Thursday, 30 May, 7-8:15PM

Join us for a screening of “Into the Melting Pot”, a concertplay developed by groundbreaking theatre and music company The Telling. The film will be followed by a talk with creator Clare Norburn and flautist and teacher Sarah Atter, discussing the project and their workshops with the museum’s Songwriting & Poetry Group.

PROGRAMME

Into the Melting Pot: Songwriting Workshops

The groundbreaking music and theatre company, The Telling, would like to invite you to a series of workshops exploring the power of music and song to tell stories! Across three 2-hour workshops, led by musician Sarah Atter, we will delve into ideas around home, journeys and sharing our own voices and experiences through sound.

“Lost Girl” by Amy Lever

Birdy, twenty years old, aimless but determined to travel, digs through her estranged family’s Jewish heritage in the hope of obtaining an EU passport. Instead, she unearths a family secret buried since 1930s Cairo.

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