Huw Edwards becomes a patron of the project to preserve Merthyr Tydfil’s historic synagogue
Welsh broadcaster Huw Edwards has agreed to become a Patron of the project to transform the grade II listed former synagogue in Merthyr Tydfil into a Welsh Jewish Heritage Centre.
He joins Sir Michael Moritz and David Baddiel as the latest Patron of this special initiative which is being developed by the Foundation for Jewish Heritage.
The Foundation purchased Merthyr synagogue in 2019 and carried out urgent repairs in 2020.
In 2021, a detailed business plan for the proposed heritage centre was prepared, and an application for funding was made to the National Lottery Heritage Fund in February this year. The decision is expected end of June.
Huw Edwards stated, “I feel honoured to be a Patron of this exciting project to preserve and bring back into use the striking grade II listed Victorian synagogue in Merthyr Tydfil, which is an important Welsh landmark building.”
Michael Mail, Chief Executive of the Foundation stated: “The Foundation is delighted that someone of the prominence of Huw Edwards has agreed to serve as a Patron of our special Merthyr Tydfil synagogue heritage centre project.
“Huw Edwards is a leading personality in Wales and indeed across the UK, and a major champion of Welsh culture and the cause of heritage preservation. This is a major boost to our efforts to save Merthyr synagogue to serve the local community and wider Welsh society”.
History
A prominent advocate for Welsh chapels, Edwards has regularly expressed his passion for the upkeep and restoration of Welsh places of worship, including the Jewin Welsh Presbyterian Chapel in London which features in his 2014 book ‘City Mission: the story of London’s Welsh chapels’.
Edward’s enthusiasm for the heritage of Wales has culminated in a series of appointments in the heritage sector. He is currently Vice-President of the National Churches Trust and Patron of Addoldai Cymru (Welsh Religious Buildings Trust).
In 2012, Huw Edwards presented ‘The Story of Wales’ a six-part documentary described by the BBC as “a major television history of Wales, showing the country in ways it has never been seen before” and a series on the South Wales valleys which included, ‘The Merthyr Valley: Lessons from the Past’.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
In the good books again, Hugh! Diolch!!
I’m with Huw all the way on this.
Good work, Huw. Our cultural and architectural heritage desperately needs protecting!
Where I agree that any historical building in Wales should be saved & protected for future generations to enjoy, find it ironic seeing David Badiel attach his name to this project seeing his father is Welsh being born in Swansea who jokingly retold a story on the BBC One Show recently how his aunty once said how you couldn’t be Jewish and Welsh, which I thought extremely insulting, dare I say hurtful, especially seeing how Jews throughout Europe suffered terrible prejudice & hatred themselves to use such a Cymrophobic trope in jest.