Correspondence between the President of the Newport Hebrew Congregation and the Office of the Chief Rabbi regarding a recommendation for a scribe, Newport, 24 November 1958

Description

A handwritten letter, dated 24 November 1958, is asking for recommendations for a scribe. The letter is signed HJ for Harry Joseph who was President of the Newport Hebrew Congregation at this time.

The letter reads: "I require to have the Sephorim of the Congregation looked over and should be glad if you will recom. persons who could be approached to carry out this work. The names of / / / have been mentioned but as these persons are not known to me I shall be glad of your guidance. HJ."

The second letter is from the Office of the Chief Rabbi to Harry Joseph, President of the Newport Hebrew Congregation. The letter is a reply to a request from Harry Joseph for the recommendation of three men as scribes.

The Chief Rabbi is the spiritual leader of the United Synagogue. Founded in 1870 the United Synagogue is the union of Orthodox Jewish synagogues in the United Kingdom. The Chief Rabbi of Great Britain and the Commonwealth from 1948 to 1965 was Sir Israel Brodie.

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:
https://chiefrabbi.org/history-chief-rabbinate/;
"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.

Gwent Archives.