The largest Jewish Congregation on New Zealand’s South Island.

There is no record of any Jewish place of worship in the Canterbury region of New Zealand’s south island before 1864. That year a Jewish group began meeting in the Christchurch home of Louis Edward Nathan. A proper shul, designed by architect Benjamin Woolfield Mountfort, was completed in 1865. Continued growth of the Christchurch Jewish community brought about the need for a new synagogue designed by the prominent Christchurch architect Thomas Stoddart Lambert. The Lambert building was dedicated in 1878-79, serving the community for more than 100 years.

In 1987 serious cracks in Lambert’s building rendered the fine old building unusable. A former Brethern Assembly Hall on Durham Street was purchased and redesigned to include a sanctuary, social hall, offices and kitchen. The building, re-designed by the architectural firm of Skews, Hay and Archer was dedicated in 1988. Many of the architectural details and much of the woodwork was salvaged from the Lambert building and incorporated in the Durham Street synagogue.

On February 22nd, 2011 a major earthquake struck the Christchurch area destroying much of the city’s downtown as well as seriously damaging the Durham Street synagogue. For nearly three years the Canterbury Hebrew Congregation met in temporary quarters until the restored synagogue was re-opened in 2013.