The Soup Kitchen for the Jewish Poor was founded in January 1854. Its aim was to supply soup, bread and meat twice a week, during the winter, to poor members of the Jewish community. It was originally set up to help Jews fleeing from pogroms, who were arriving in London with no money and no employment. At that time it was probably only viewed as a temporary measure, a service which would no longer be required once the refugees had integrated. This was not to prove the case, although as the Soup Kitchen became more established it was no longer the refugees that needed the service, but the elderly and the sick amongst the Jewish community. 

The Soup Kitchen was originally situated in Fashion Street, Spitalfields. But the charity was forced to vacate to the new building, at 17-19 Butler Street, and opened in December 1902. The street name was changed to Brune Street in 1937. It closed in 1992, and its remaining functions were taken over by Jewish Care.