Accounts book of the Newport Hebrew Congregation, 1942 - 1958

Description

A green accounts book with maroon binding. The left-hand pages show monthly payments made to the Newport Hebrew Congregation by individuals from 1942 to 1958. The number of individuals increases from 45 in 1942/3 to 53 in 1958.

The right hand pages show payments made to charitable bodies up to 1952. In 1942 the charities included: Mrs Churchill's Red Cross Fund for Russia; Mayor's War Charities; Manchester Jewish Home for Aged and Needy; Home for Blind in Palestine; Prisoner of War Fund; Merchant Navy; Cripples Aid Society; Children's[?] Boot Fund; Shelter Fund (Moral Welfare). In 1952 the charities included: National Institute for the Blind; Jewish Institute for Blind (Jerusalem); Home & Hospital for Jewish Incurables (London); Jewish Orphanage (Norwood); Baby Home (Jerusalem); Mental hospital (Jerusalem); South Wales & Mon. Discharged Prisoners Aid Society; Houseworkers' Institute; and various parcels to individuals and presents of fruit, flowers and cigarettes.

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.