Service sheet provided for the Holocaust Memorial Evening held at The Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot, 2004

Description

This document is a service sheet for the Holocaust Memorial Evening held at The Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot, in 2004. Firstly, the Welsh National Anthem is detailed, alongside the date, location, and time of the event. Underneath is an extract from Martin Niemöller's famous poem, 'First They Came'. On the second page, a schedule for the evening can be identified, including: an opening and welcome address to the audience, readings, songs, commitments, a choir performance and other musical items.

Not much is known about the early years of the Jewish congregations in Port Talbot and Aberavon. Jewish people are believed to have lived in Aberavon already in the 1860s, but it is unclear when a congregation was officially formed. It is known that following a split, possibly in the 1900s, there was a congregation that split into two as a result of a quarrel between members. This led in the creation of two separate Hebrew congregations in Aberavon and Port Talbot. Unable to continue on their own, they were reunited in 1913 as the Aberavon and Port Talbot Hebrew Congregation. A purpose-built synagogue was erected on Tŷdraw Place in 1921. It is believed to have closed in the 1950s.

Sources:
'The History of the Jewish Diaspora in Wales' by Cai Parry-Jones (http://e.bangor.ac.uk/4987);
JCR-UK/JewishGen (https://www.jewishgen.org/jcr-uk/community/neath1/index.htm).

Depository: West Glamorgan Archives.