The grand West London Synagogue, the premier synagogue of reform Judaism in the UK, is undergoing major renovation work, including the restoration of its organ and commissioning of two new stained glass windows.
The £2 million project, which began at the end of last year, also includes “stripping off more than a century’s worth of layers of paint from the ceiling in order to repaint it, […] replacing the carpet, upgrading the lighting, updating the sound system, purchasing new vestments for their Torah scrolls, and improving their security measures,” according to the Jewish Chronicle.
It posted a picture showing the sanctuary filled with scaffolding.
The organ — which has 3,000 pipes — is being dismantled and will be restored by the firm that built it, Harrison and Harrison. The full restoration will take more than a year.
“The works to the organ are extensive,” the synagogue said in a report on its web site. “It is planned to be returned at the end of 2026. Sounding (tuning) will then take over 3 months (14th December 2026 to 1st April 2027).”
Designed by the architects Davis and Emanuel, the synagogue opened in 1870. With a massive arched entry way and a richly decorated interior, it is a Grade II listed building.
The official Grade II listing states calls it “The most important Reform synagogue in Victorian London and, together with Davis and Emanuel’s East London Synagogue, [it] ranks as one of the finest Victorian synagogues in the country.”
The two new stained glass windows, with the themes Beacon of Light and Tree of Life. Beacon of Life will “picks up on our founding mission to be “a beacon of light” within and beyond Anglo Jewry,” the synagogue says. While the Tree of Life window “will serve as our Covid-19 memorial, enabling us to recognise all those members and loved ones of members who died during the pandemic. ”
