Letter from CORRA to Newport Mon Hebrew Congregation regarding the World Refugee Day of Prayer, 5 November 1959

Disgrifiad

The letter is addressed to Mr Snadow, the Minister-Reader at the Newport Mon Hebrew Congregation, and is from The Combined Overseas Rehabilitation and Refugee Appeal (CORRA). The letter is regarding the appointment of 14 November 1959 as World Refugee Day of Prayer by the Chief Rabbi. The letter asks for help in approaching the Newport Mon Hebrew Congregation by sending follow up letters to be signed by Mr Snadow or an Honorary Officer. It is asked that Mr Snadow writes a draft of this letter on his own headed paper and that they will copy it. It is also asked that a set of addressed envelops should be sent to save time.

The Combined Overseas Rehabilitation and Refugee Appeal (CORRA) was a combination of appeals from organisations fundraising for Jewish refugees for World Refugee Year. World Refugee Year was launched by the United Nations in June 1959 to June 1960. It was set up to increase the public's awareness of the issues faced by refugees and to find solutions to improve their lives. The organisations which were included were the Central British Fund for Jewish Relief and Rehabilitation (C.B.F.), British Organisation for Rehabilitation through Training (British O.R.T.) and British O.S.E. Jewish Health Organisation. The Central British Fund provided support such as housing, a kindergarten and equipment for summer camps and clinics for Jewish immigrants and refugees in Australia, France, Morocco, Poland, Iran and the rehabilitation of Jewish survivors from Agadir. The British Organisation for Rehabilitation through Training (British O.R.T.) was part of World O.R.T. and provided technical training in 21 countries including Tunisia, Morocco, Israel, Iran, France and Poland. The British O.S.E. Jewish Health Organisation ran a health programmes in Tunisia, Morocco, Iran and Israel. As well as a scheme for patients discharged from mental hospitals in France. They also provided post-graduate medical training and scholarships for nurses.

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:
"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;
Letters sent from the Combined Overseas Rehabilitation and Refugee Appeal to the Newport Mon Hebrew Congregation between 1959 and 1960 with information about the organisation;
"When the war was over: European refugees after 1945. Briefing Paper 7. World Refugee Year 1959-1960" found at https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/postwar-refugees/documents/briefing-paper-7-world-refugee-year.pdf;
https://chiefrabbi.org/history-chief-rabbinate/;
https://www.theus.org.uk/aboutus;

Depository: Gwent Archives.