Click here to read about the appeal to save Aberdeen Synagogue and Community Centre.
We are delighted to hear that the Aberdeen community has reached its initial target to enable them to begin work to repair the damage to their historic building, and congratulate them on their achievement. We are pleased to have been able to assist, and extend the thanks of the entire Jewish community of Scotland to everyone who has contributed to this effort.
Aberdeen Synagogue was severely damaged in August by a broken washing machine which broke during its fill cycle and proceeded to fill the building with water for about an hour before being found and turned off. However, the first phase of repairing the building has now started, and contractors have begun stripping out the damaged parts of building. Damaged chairs from the ladies' section of the synagogue have been sent for repair, and all the benches have been dismantled and stacked to enable access to the floor.
If all goes to plan, and no other problems are revealed during the initial works, the next stage of the work, drying the building, will start at the end of October with the installation of dehumidifiers on three floors of the building. Drying is expected to take three to four weeks. The repair work will then start after a "drying certificate" is issued, and the Synagogue is expected to reopen for services in February or March 2018 after the flooring will have been relaid.
Debby Taylor of Aberdeen Jewish Community writes:
