Book Launch: And The Walls Sang by Olga Swan

Spanning three centuries, this vivid narrative explores the rise of Birmingham’s Jewish community through the lens of its magnificent Grade II* listed Singers Hill Synagogue, built in 1856. From the early Jewish families of the 17th century to the industrious artisans and entrepreneurs of the Victorian era, the book uncovers a world of tailors, jewellers, cinema pioneers and renowned professionals who helped to shape the city’s character. Woven throughout is the author’s own family story: a grandfather’s journey from Lithuania, a marriage forged at Singers Hill, and childhood memories of the demanding Victorian Hebrew School. A rich portrait of a community and a city transformed ― and of the places and people whose stories deserve to be remembered.