Long-lost voices of Cheetham Hill’s Jewish community unveiled in new MIF film
Manchester Jewish Museum may no longer be a functioning shul but it still has plenty of stories hidden within its walls. Turner prize-winning artist Laura Prouvost explores them for MIF.
Manchester Jewish Museum has finally reopened its doors to the public, following two years of forced closure and a huge £6m refurbishment to the original Grade II-listed Portuguese and Spanish synagogue building.
As part of its grand reopening, the newly-renovated museum has partnered with the Manchester International Festival (MIF) to commission a new film and art installation to tell the long-lost stories of Cheetham Hill’s Jewish community.
The Ark at Manchester Jewish Museum still holds a set of Torah scrolls on loan from the original community, which shifted to a new building in Salford in the early 1980s.
Teams also uncovered a hidden time capsule containing newspapers, old coins and synagogue minutes dating back to the 1870s during the renovation process.
Suffice to say, it certainly still has plenty of stories hidden within its walls – many of which are now being revealed as part of a new MIF film currently on display from Turner-prize winner Laura Provost.
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Called The long waited, weighted, gathering, the installation aims to explore the long-lost voices of Manchester’s Jewish community: transforming The Ladies’ Gallery in the historic synagogue into an immersive installation space.
Laura Provost’s work is on display until 19 July for MIF / Image: A secret time capsule uncovered during the renovation process / Image: Manchester Jewish Museum
Shot inside the gallery and the surrounding Cheetham Hill area, the installation features as a major part of the reopening of the newly redeveloped Manchester Jewish Museum.
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Award-winning artist Prouvost has explored the museum’s extensive collection to discover the stories behind past congregants of the synagogue: unearthing the stories of the Manchester women who once found comfort and community within its walls.
Her films are often accompanied by objects to evoke its themes and imagery, and The long waited, weighted, gathering is no exception.
She has also been working alongside the Museum’s resident Women’s Textiles Group, and their materials are being incorporated within the installation to give a voice to modern women in the local community as well as those from days past.
The museum houses over 31,000 items in its collection, many of which are now going on display for the first time; sharing stories of Jewish Manchester by exploring universal themes of migration, communities, and identities.
Located in Cheetham Hill, it’s the only Jewish museum of its kind in the UK outside of London.
Following the recent upgrades to the building, funded by a two-year £6 million Capital Development project and a £2.89m National Heritage Lottery grant, it now boasts an architecturally impressive extension and new veggie kosher-style café and kitchen – where schools and community groups can develop a greater understanding of the Jewish way of life.
Its 1874 Spanish and Portuguese synagogue has also been fully restored, whilst further new additions include a shop and learning studio for community events.
From personal letters and photographs to more eclectic items like a herring chopper and an English-Hebrew teapot, there is a huge range of objects on display.
Featured image –Manchester Jewish Museum / Ruth Allan
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Manchester launches new fund to help support city’s ‘struggling’ grassroots music venues
Emily Sergeant
An important new fund has been launched to help support Manchester’s local grassroots music venues that are ‘struggling’.
Manchester City Council has teamed up with national charity Music Venue Trust (MVT) to launch the fund as a ‘rapid’ and ‘targeted’ intervention to protect the small venues that make Manchester’s music scene and culture world-renowned.
The launch of the new fund comes following reductions to the Retail, Hospitality, and Leisure Business Rates Relief Scheme.
Council and MVT say this new initiative is designed primarily to ‘ease the financial pressure’ caused by Manchester’s grassroots music venues having to transition to these new business rates tariffs.
The fund aims to recognise and highlight the ‘vital’ contribution that grassroots music venues make to Manchester’s economy and to its identity as one of the world’s leading music cities.
This initiative has been made possible through the previously-reported Council revenue generated by live concert arena, stadium, and festival activity during what has been a record-breaking year – particularly summer – for major events throughout the city.
Applications for the fund are now open to venues.
Grant applicants must be able to demonstrate that they are a location in Manchester that has a dedicated live music or performance space, puts on live music at least three times per week or consistently feature it as part of a wider cultural programme, and has an organisational focus on music – with other services being subsidiary or dependent on music activity.
The size of grant awards will be based on a venue’s business rates liabilities – with the maximum amount that can be applied for being £20,000.
Manchester has launched a new fund to help support the city’s ‘struggling’ grassroots music venues / Credit: Rahul Kukreja | Joshua Hanson (via Unsplash)
“We understand the importance of smaller venues, the stages where talent is nurtured and the city’s music begins,” commented Cllr Bev Craig, who is the leader of Manchester City Council, as the new fund was announced this week.
“We also know that across the country, grassroots venues are struggling, and that’s why in Manchester, we’re taking action to ensure that real support reaches our venues quickly.
“This swift delivery is virtually unheard of in the sector, but we are determined to innovate.”
Applications for funding are now live on the Music Venue Trust website and will close on Friday 28 November, and payments will then be made by Saturday 31 January 2026.
Paul Scholes shares touching message over response to quitting punditry to look after his son
Danny Jones
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes recently announced that he has stepped away from football punditry and other media duties to look after his son, Aiden, and he has clearly been touched by the response to his deeply honest interview.
The former United star and England international has three children with his wife, Claire Frogratt, recently revealing that the two have sadly separated.
While his only daughter, Alicia – a thriving young netball player with London Pulse – and eldest son Arron (who runs the family’s self-titled Scholes Gym in Oldham) are both fully grown and in good health, Paul recently opened up about the challenges of looking after his youngest child, who has autism.
Aiden Scholes was diagnosed as autistic when he was just two and is largely non-verbal, meaning there are added difficulties not just when it comes to communicating but overall welfare. Opening in a fairly rare instance on a recent episode of The Overlap, the ex-midfielder is now putting all his focus on care.
As a dad to a young boy with autism, I can’t help but have more respect for Paul Scholes after seeing him open up about his own experiences. Not only does it hit home, his priorities are in order. ❤️ https://t.co/kCjfQye3ef
Speaking with his old Man United teammates, including host Gary Neville and Roy Keane, as well as the rest of the panel, the 50-year-old retired pro and one-time manager turned pundit says that he recently made the conscious decision to put virtually everything else aside to put all of his efforts towards Aiden.
Put simply, he said, “I just decided everything I’m going to do is around Aiden.”
Of course, he went on to explain some of the important “routines” and obstacles in more detail during the sit-down, but even from the brief clip that went viral online, he’s been met with an incredible reaction on social media.
Sharing an update on his Instagram story, he went on to add: “Would just like to thank everyone for all your kind messages since The Overlap interview regarding Aiden – there’s been loads and tried to read as many as possible”, he said.
“The response from families (especially Dads) shows how much speaking about it helps so many… There was one quote from a parent in a similar position that’s just got me…”
The anonymous line he shared read: “My job is to stay alive one day longer than my son/daughter”. Truly tearjerking stuff.
Now 20, the Scholes family are a couple of decades into learning how best to meet Aiden’s additional needs, but Paul has admitted in the past that the climate was different back in the day.
Neville himself said that his long-time friend, teammate, and fellow Class of ’92 graduate has always been a private person and didn’t talk to anyone about anything.
He signed off by urging people to enjoy the little things, like the weekend and having a few drinks – as well as wishing the best of luck to his beloved Salford City FC – but it can’t be overestimated how much his candid words have resonated with people all over the country.
You can see Paul Scholes’ most recent appearance on The Overlap in full down below.
Georgina Pellant -
7th July 2021 
