Community
Smallest shul attracts a big crowd as Newport opens its doors
Welsh community's open day is a huge success
September 27, 2019 09:56
By, simon rocker
1 min read
Welsh community's open day is a huge success
September 27, 2019 09:56BySimon Rocker, simon rocker
The smallest shul in the land was full once again as 300 visitors attended Newport Synagogue’s open day on Sunday.
Services were last held in the distinctive hexagonal building, a converted cemetery prayer hall, some four years ago.
Tours and kosher food were enjoyed by the guests, who included former members of the Welsh community — which dates back to 1859 — from London and Manchester and Newport Mayor William Routley.
A Victorian chupah restored for the occasion enjoyed pride of place among the exhibits.
“It was a fantastic success,” said Ronnie Black, 75, one of the handful of local members of the synagogue, who also looks after the cemetery.
Newport is believed to be one of just two synagogues in the UK with a cemetery directly adjacent.
The open day was planned over the past year by a group including Mr Black, JTrails founder Marcus Roberts, South Wales Jewish Representative Council chairman Stanley Soffa and Nicola Tucker, an art historian in Cardiff who has been involved in Holocaust education for many years. Although not Jewish herself, she lived near the synagogue as a child.
“We’d like to open the building on a monthly basis initially,” she said. “We’ve had interest from interfaith groups and historic societies in holding meetings there.”
Sunday’s event attracted some locals “who have passed by the building for 20 years but never knew what it was. They thought it was a toll house.” The visitors’ book revealed some Jews living in the district who were hitherto unknown to the synagogue’s members.
The surrounding woodland, known as Jews’ Wood, has also piqued the interest of BBC naturalist Chris Packham as an area of natural beauty, with the pipistrelle bats who nest in the great oaks a particular feature.
