Last year Natural Breaks was fortunate enough to make friends with Liverpool Community Spirit and people we support have been given so many wonderful opportunities by Matthew, Alison and Hinnah from LCS.  We have been to the top of the Anglican Cathedral, in the depths of Williamson Tunnels, travelled through time at the British Music Experience and have been on a Magical Mystery tour to name but a few of the experiences LCS have provided.  It is wonderful that LCS have given people we support the chance to experience the same things as everyone else with some amazing experiences that not many people have had the chance to try as well!

Our latest adventure was no exception and LCS kindly invited us to visit the Princes Road Synagogue. 

Steve said “I go past here all of the time and I’ve always wondered what it would be like inside.  It is great.  Really interesting.”

It was great that the tour was with other members of the public and other people connected with LCS so we met lots of new people on the day.  Our tour guides on the day Roy and Dennis were extremely knowledgeable and answered all of our questions and we learned lots of new things.  A competition was held to choose an architect and out of the 9 firms who applied with ideas 8 were Jewish.  However, once the plans were looked over it was actually awarded to William and George Audsley, a pair of Scottish Presbyterian brothers with no previous experience of building synagogues.  I think we all agreed they did an amazing job and that it is a truly stunningly beautiful building.  It was completed in 1874 and seats over 800 people.  We learned that men have to have their heads covered when they go into the synagogue and that men and women sit separately. The torra is a big scroll that is read from right to left and it has the first five books of the old testament in it. Each week, the holy day is Saturday, another section is read in turn and then when they reach the end, they roll it all back again to the beginning and read it over again. 

It is really hard to do justice as to how extraordinarily beautiful the building is and the vibrant colours and design, it is a real treat and we would advise anyone to book a tour and go along as it is well worth it.

 Thank you to LCS for another unique experience for people we support.

If you would like to find out how to be supported by Natural Breaks or if you would like to apply to work for us we would love to here from you!