The Merseyside city of Liverpool can proudly claim to have been home to northern England’s largest Jewish community in the nineteenth century. Today, the community centers around Wavertree, the location of the city’s Jewish cultural center at Childwall Road.

The beautiful Princes Road Synagogue

Liverpool boasts one of Britain’s finest synagogues . Consecrated on 3 September 1874, the building on Princes Road is particularly admirable for its late Victorian interior. Be sure to call ahead before attempting to visit.

Jews have probably first settled in Liverpool early in the 17th century. Only 20 were registered there in 1790. In 1860, that number rose to 3000. At the end of the 19th century, some of the Polish and Russian refugees, on their way to the United States, settled in Liverpool.

A Sephardi community from the Levant also settled there in that era. A Liberal synagogue was built in Liverpool in 1928. The Greenbank Drive synagogue presents architectural interests. But the most famous synagogue is the one located at Princes Road, famous on a national scale. In the beginning of the 20th century, a yeshiva, a school and social services were made available.

Since its closure in 2008, plans to convert the Greenbank synagogue into a block of flats retaining the original structure seem to be taking a long time to come to fruition.

The synagogue was built in 1936 by architect Ernest Alfred Shennan, and can accommodate up to 700 people. At its peak in the 1950s, nearly 600 worshippers were members. The decline of Liverpool’s Jewish community, with only around 100 worshippers in the synagogue at the turn of the 21st century, forced the sale of the synagogue.

The only active synagogues in Liverpool are Childwall and Princess Road, the latter being used mainly for large events such as bar and bat mitzvahs and weddings.

In January 2025, Liverpool’s under-18 team visited the Manchester Jewish Museum as part of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. The aim was to give young people a better understanding of Judaism and the history of the Shoah, and to combat prejudice.

In September 2024, the Princess Road Synagogue celebrated its 150th anniversary. Numerous events were organised, including concerts, lectures, guided tours and ceremonies.

In 2025, there will be around 2,000 Jews in Liverpool.

Participation of Jews in the development of the city

Grateful for the warm welcome and the access to all levels of society, much more than in most other English cities, Jewish refugees vividly encouraged their children to integrate, first and foremost through school, and participate in the radiance of the city. Which explains the great number of local public figures, politicians (among them a few mayors) and lawyers.

Among the biggest contributors to the city’s heritage are two major families: Lewis and Cohen. The Lewis family is best remembered today for the department store founded by entrepreneur David Lewis, operating from 1856 until 2010, carrying their name (on which stands the famous statue by Jacob Epstein celebrating the resurgence of Liverpool after World War II).

Brian Epstein, The Beatles’ manager

Also important to the city’s development is the Cohen family, whose name was given to the library of the University of Liverpool. Those two families have financed many local institutions.

Among the Jewish personalities of Liverpool, we can mention zionist leader Samuel Jacob Rabinowitz, as well as the future Chief rabbi of Israel, Isser Yehudah Unterman.

And of course Brian Epstein, the famous manager of the Beatles who discovered them in a small club and represented their driving force through their fabulous rise. Cynthia Lennon regrets the fact that Brian’s part in their success was much underestimated.

Interview of Howard M Winik, former chairman of the Merseyside Jewish Representative Council.

Jguideeurope: What is the role of the MJRC and its future challenges?
Howard M Winik: MJRC (Merseyside Jewish Representative Council) is the umbrella organisation of the community and provides leadership for all Jews of Liverpool, Wirral, Southport and Chester, whether Orthodox, Reform, Masorti or unaffiliated. We currently have around 3000 members, of all ages and a well-established infrastructure, including synagogues, schools, a dedicated Jewish welfare hub and a care home. In addition, there are several local universities, and we provide activities for every age group. Our numbers reflect employment patterns over the past 20 or 30 years, when many younger people moved to London and elsewhere to find work, although the area has undergone significant regeneration recently and, at present, our local population is fairly stable numerically. There has been considerable investment in the science and biotechnology sectors, which are attracting people into the area, so we are very upbeat about the future. That said, we are entirely self-sufficient financially, and our main challenge is maintaining the resources to fund the services we provide.

How is the Jewish heritage shared in Liverpool?
We encourage people to visit our museums; there is an excellent section at the Museum of Liverpool (close to the cruise terminal) describing the history of the once large Jewish community that lived in the centre of the city. Visitors can also book a tour of one of our local synagogues, and Liverpool Old Hebrew Congregation, in Princes Road, boasts a magnificent, Grade 1 Listed building, decorated in the baroque style, which is one of the finest anywhere. It is also near the Pier Head and City Centre. A number of local Jewish cemeteries are open to visitors too, and the Deane Road grounds have been fully restored and are of particular historical interest (contact Princes Road Synagogue for details). Liverpool also has a Chabad Centre and an active student chaplaincy. We have deposited large archives of historical material with the City of Liverpool. Specific inquiries should be directed to the local records officer, museums, or our community office at Shifrin House.

Is the Beatles Museum devoting an important part to Brian Epstein’s influence? 
There is a considerable amount of information available about the Beatles, the Epstein family, and the history of pop music in the museums and elsewhere. Brian Epstein is buried in the Greenbank Synagogue,  Long Lane Jewish cemetery in north Liverpool (visits by appointment only) and we encourage people to take a Beatles heritage bus tour too.