Gateshead – Tyne and Wear is located on River Tyne banks, opposite the Newcastle upon Tyne. With the two centers of Newcastle and Gateshead lying next to one another, and ultimately forming the urban zone known as Tyneside. The town boasts with an estimated population of 78 403 inhabitants.

The area is home to MetroCentre, the largest shopping centre in the entire EU as well as the Team Valley, which is the largest commercial estates in the entire UK.

Tyne and Wear Metro services Gateshead, with stations at Gateshead Interchange and Stadium, Pelaw, Felling and Heworth. The region of Heworth is also served by another main train service, as are the stations located at Blaydon, MetroCentre and Dunston. Gateshead borough is connected to neighboring villages and towns by ten road, rail and pedestrian bridges. Getting in around the town will thus be an absolute breeze.

Christianity is the primary religion practiced in the town since the 7th century, with the mention of a monastery in Bede. During the 1080’s a church was burnt to the ground with a Bishop inside. St. Mary’s Church was built on the site and was the only church in Gateshead, up until the 1820s. The church is the oldest building in town, thus the reason why it re-opened to the public as a heritage site.

Most of the towns’ Anglican churches only date back to 19th century, when the town’s population grew significantly and developed into new areas in terms of religion. The town presently has a quite a few notable churches of varying denominations.

Gateshead – Tyne and Wear is also home to the most important yeshivas on the European continent, Gateshead Yeshiva as well as other Jewish educational institutions including but not limited to Sunderland Yeshiva, Be’er Hatorah, and Tiferes Yaacov, with students attending from far and wide.