Moor street synagogue in Sunderland
Plaque to the fallen men from the Jewish Community in Sunderland
Type: War Memorial
A memorial plaque for the Sunderland Jewish men who fell during the First War World was originally unveiled at Moor Street synagogue in Sunderland.
The synagogue on Moor Street was founded in 1821 as a place for the Sunderland Jewish community to meet. 150 Jewish men from Sunderland enlisted into the forces during the First World War and the memorial plaque remembers the 16 members of this community who were killed.
The plaque was unveiled on 14 May 1922 by Counsellor Walter Raine, mayor of Sunderland. The inscription on the memorial reads: “In honoured memory of the undermentioned members of the Sunderland Jewish Community who made the Supreme Sacrifice in the Great War 1914-1918.” Hebrew text written on the plaque translates as “The beauty of Israel is slain upon Thy High places: how are the mighty fallen (2 Samuel v9)”
The British Jewry book of honour with the names of the fallen was also displayed with the plaque. The plaque was initially moved to the new Ryhope Road synagogue and then after the closure of this synagogue, the plaque was taken to the Jewish Military Museum in London.
More information can be found about the plaque at the North East War Memorials site: http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=9831#listlink
Further information about the Jewish community in Sunderland can be found at the following link: http://www.seligman.org.il/sunderland_jews.html
Civil Parish: Sunderland
Contributed by Fiona Johnson
