Letters regarding Reverend David Braunold's resignation from the Newport Mon. Hebrew Congregation, May 1980

Description

The first letter is dated 2 May 1980 and is a resignation letter from Reverend David Braunold of the Newport Mon. Hebrew Congregation.

The second letter is from the President of the Newport Mon Hebrew Congregation informing Reverend David Braunold that his resignation had been accepted by the council at a meeting on 19 June 1980. They wished him success at his new post as minister for the Bradford Synagogue. The date 24 June 1980 is written in pencil on the letter.

Reverend David Braunold served the Newport Mon. Hebrew Congregation from 1974 to 1980. He was originally from Sunderland. Before being appointed to Newport he served at Queens Park Synagogue in Glasgow. He resigned in 1980 and was the last minister to be appointed to the Newport Mon. Hebrew Congregation.

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 the 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 the 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.
Information about Reverend David Braunold comes from letters written by him and the Newport Mon Hebrew Congregation between 1974 and 1980.

Depository: Gwent Archives.