The spatial representations of community-building in contemporary English synagogues

Synagogues as buildings take on many roles. They are places of worship as well as sites of Jewish cultural heritage and representations of how congregations understand this Jewishness within non-Jewish society. Synagogues therefore symbolise many different identities. This article will explore how Jewish congregations in England today navigate these identities within their synagogue buildings through an exploration of four case studies. It argues that congregations use their synagogues as sites to create both Jewish communities and to forge connections with their neighbours.