Leaflet for a 'Celebration of the life of Alan Schwartz MBE', Cardiff, 2012

Description

A leaflet for a 'Celebration of the Life of Alan Schwartz MBE' event, held on 11 March 2012 at Cardiff United Synagogue.

Alan Schwartz was born on 13 December 1939 and died 1 November 2011. He was a prominent Welsh Jewish leader. The leaflet features the images of Alan and a list of speakers, who include leaders of different faiths and reflect his work in bringing together different community groups. Amongst the speakers are listed Rhodri Morgan, who was First Minister of Wales from 2000 to 2009, and Harry Poloway, who was a well known toastmaster. On the back of the leaflet is a list of organisations and projects Alan Schwartz was involved with. Some of his many involvements include being chairman of the South Wales Jewish Representative Council, a member of the Interfaith Council for Wales and a Senior Warden at Cathedral Road Synagogue.

The Cardiff United Synagogue was established in 1942 when the Cardiff Hebrew Congregation and the Cardiff New Hebrew Congregation were united into a single organisation. The early years of the Cardiff congregation remain shrouded in mystery, but it is known that a Jewish cemetery was founded in 1841 and a purpose-built synagogue was built for the Cardiff Hebrew Congregation in 1858 in East Terrace. As the congregation outgrew the premises, a new synagogue was opened on Cathedral Road in 1897. In 1889, a group of recent immigrants left the “Englisher shul” to form the “foreigners’ shul” formally known as the Cardiff New Hebrew Congregation. Having initially worshipped at Edward Place and Clare Road, the New Congregation moved to purpose-built premises on Windsor Place in 1918. After the 1942 reunification, the Cardiff United Synagogue continued to use both the Windsor Place and the Cathedral Road synagogues until 1955 when the former was sold, and a new synagogue was built on Ty-Gwyn Road. The Cathedral Road synagogue was eventually sold in 1988 and the Ty-Gwyn Road synagogue in 2003 with the congregation moving to its current premises in Cyncoed Gardens.

Sources:
'Tributes to Welsh Jewish leader' (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-15593274);
'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/card/index.htm).

Depository: Glamorgan Archives.