The Charity was formed as the Manchester Jewish Soup Kitchen in 1896, following a meeting at the Manchester Jewish Workingmen’s Club in November 1895. It provided soup containing meat and vegetables together with bread which the recipients ate in a communal hall or took home to their families. From 1906 it had its own premises in Southall Street, Strangeways.
From 1942, a Meals on Wheels Service was set up, the first Jewish organisation of its kind. It operated from the Manchester Jewish Benevolent Society kitchen for 20 years before moving into an outbuilding of Holy Law Synagogue, which was converted and equipped as a kitchen in memory of Rita Glickman. The kitchen was opened in 1978 and 200 clients received meals twice a week. The meals were and still are under the supervision of the Manchester Beth Din. They were cooked by four teams of volunteers and delivered by volunteer drivers.
With the onset of Covid in 2020 the meals could no longer be prepared in the Meals on Wheels Kitchen, which was too small for social distancing. The charity made an arrangement with the MJCC Nicky Alliance Centre, which was also closed to the public during Covid. The charity bought meals which were cooked on the Nicky premises by JS Catering Services and sent them out to their clients
With so many elderly and vulnerable people having to stay in isolation our numbers rose dramatically and we were sending out hundreds of meals weekly.
Today the Manchester Jewish Meals on Wheels service sends out 3 course meals twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays from the Nicky Alliance Centre catered by Corporate Caterers. The service is still run entirely by a band of around 30 volunteers and though no charge is made for the meals, the charity gratefully accepts donations from the clients.
Help us to continue our vital work