[1] The congregation consisted primarily of Rintel's followers, including German[2] and Eastern-European[8] Jews who lived in Melbourne's inner-city suburbs within walking distance of the synagogue.

It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register[2] and is classified by the National Trust of Australia[12] due to its historical, social, and architectural significance.

The internal space is surrounded on three sides by a gallery carried by cast iron columns, each surmounted by an unusual arrangement of an impost block flanked by consoles.

The main ceiling is paneled, with a row of large and unusual ventilators marking the location of former suspended gas lights.

[7] In January 2012, the congregation celebrated its 155th anniversary with a double Torah dedication ceremony and fundraising gala dinner attended by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (later Baron Sacks), Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.