President Street Synagogue

The President Street Synagogue was a former Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa. It was the first synagogue in Transvaal and was completed in 1889. The synagogue building was sold in 1926.

President Street Synagogue
Religion
Affiliation	Judaism (former)
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Synagogue (1889–1926)
Status	Closed; Sold and repurposed
Location
Location	President Street, Johannesburg, Transvaal
Country	South Africa
Location of the former synagogue in Johannesburg
Geographic coordinates
Architecture
Architect(s)	Arthur Reid
Type	Synagogue architecture
Date established	1887 (as a congregation)
Groundbreaking	November 1888
Completed	1889
Specifications
Direction of façade	South
Materials	Brick

History

The first Jewish service in Johannesburg was held in the store of a Mr. Weinstein on the corner of Mark and Harrison Streets. The first High Holy Days services were held in 1887 in the old Rand Club of Johannesburg on Commissioner Street by the rabbi Joel Rabinowitz.

Shortly, afterwards, from 1888–89,^[1] the President Street Synagogue was built. It was one of the first brick buildings in the young city and was designed by Arthur Reid and Robert McCowat and contracted to a Mr. Rowe. E. Mendelsohn laid the cornerstone on September 24, 1889, but the date was later held to be November 1888. When it was completed, Johannesburg had a Jewish population of approximately 100. The synagogue looked south onto President Street and stretched between Kruis and Von Brandis Streets. It was sold in March 1926.^[2]

See also

• South Africa portal
• Judaism portal

• History of the Jews in South Africa
• List of synagogues in South Africa

References

1. Harrison, Philip (2004). South Africa's top sites. Spiritual. Spearhead. p. 32. ISBN 9780864865649.
2. "Lost churches of early Johannesburg". Johannesburg 1912 - Suburb by suburb research. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2019.