On 9 March 1965, a few Jewish families met in the home of David and Rae Lipman to discuss the possibility of a new, progressive synagogue in Nottingham. This was a group of Jews who believed that the existing Nottingham Hebrew Congregation no longer met their needs for a communal Jewish home. Some of the group had converted to Judaism, but because their conversion had not been through an accepted Orthodox process, they were not accepted as Jewish in that congregation. Others felt that they could no longer fully accept the tenets of Orthodox Judaism, while others wanted a different kind of community from that offered by the Hebrew Congregation.

At that first meeting the group agreed to take steps towards building a progressive Jewish congregation. They approached both the Reform Judaism movement and ULPS, the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues (which has since become Liberal Judaism). After meeting with leading rabbis from both movements the group chose to become a Liberal congregation. This was due in part to a more proactive response from this movement and in part to the newly developed Liberal prayer book, which included more inclusive language and offered a more exciting approach to liturgy.

For a few years the congregation held services at the Quaker Meeting House in Clarendon Street in Nottingham city centre. In December 1970 an Extraordinary General Meeting was held to discuss the possibility of building a synagogue. After much debate, it was agreed that building a synagogue should be the first priority, before employing a rabbi. Commitments were made to raise the necessary funds. Danny Rubins and Martin Brandon-Bravo were appointed to seek appropriate land and to organise the design and the construction of the synagogue.

This act of faith – prioritising a building over a rabbi – proved the right choice, and on 1 October 1972 (23 Tishri 5733) the synagogue was consecrated at a service led by Rabbi David Goldberg and Rabbi Sidney Brichto. And, as they say... the rest is history!