Magazine page recounting a Londoner's visit to officiate the High Holy Days services in Newport, 1980

Description

This magazine page, the provenance of which is unknown, contains an unnamed London-based hazzan's, or cantor's, reminiscences of his and his family's visit to the Queen's Hill Synagogue to officiate the High Holy Days services for the Newport (MON) Hebrew Congregation.

The narrator is hosted by the then-president of the community, Ezekiel Nathan, and the former president Harry Joseph. He recounts the delight caused by the resilience of the community who remain proud and united in spite of the dwindling number of congregants.

The author notes that the Newport congregation initially had a synagogue at Francis Street, which had then closed and the services were moved to the Cheder, or the Hebrew school, at Queen's Hill. In spite of the difficulties, the community has always held services for special Shabbats and the Jewish holidays.

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.

Depository: Gwent Archives.