Letter to members of the Newport Mon Hebrew Congregation and newspaper article in South Wales Argus following vandalism of the cemetery, June 1993

Description

The letter is written by the Honorary President Peter Fligelstone (also spelled Fliglestone) and asks for financial assistance to help with the maintenance of graves. The letter refers to vandalism at the Newport Jewish burial ground on Risca Road and the death of Eze[kiel] Nathan who was the former president and the tender of the Newport Jewish burial ground. Ezekiel Nathan died three days after learning about the desecration of the cemetery. A newspaper article in The Jewish Chronicle notes that police did not suspect that it was racially motivated.

Newport Monmouthshire Hebrew Congregation was founded in 1859 by orthodox Jews meeting at a temporary synagogue in Llanarth Street. A synagogue at Francis Street was opened in 1869 and consecrated by the Chief Rabbi Dr Herman Adler in 1871. In 1934 the congregation moved to their Nathan Harris Memorial Hall in Queen's Hill which was converted to a synagogue. In 1997 this synagogue was closed, and the congregation moved to their Prayer House by the Jewish Burial Ground on Risca Road. Within 20 years the congregation had dwindled to a few members able to attend and this too had ceased to hold services.

Sources:
"History of our Shul. The First Hundred Years", published by Newport Congregation in 1959;
Oral history interviews with members of the Newport Mon Hebrew Congregation, recorded in 2018 by JHASW.

Depository: Gwent Archives.