Welsh Journals

THE HISTORY AND INFLUENCE OF SWANSEA'S JEWISH COMMUNITY, 1730-2006 JANET M. NEILSON The Swansea Hebrew Congregation (written hereafter as the SHC) is the oldest Hebrew Congregation in Wales. It is also one of the oldest Hebrew Congregations in the United Kingdom. It is an independent, Orthodox congregation, affiliated to the United Synagogue, which is under the auspices of the Chief Rabbi, Professor Sir Jonathan Sacks. Swansea is the second largest Hebrew Congregation in Wales today, the largest being Cardiff. Its official history Swansea Hebrew Congregation 1730-1980, by Dr. Neville Saunders in 1980, dates its commencement as 1730. The dating of a new Hebrew Congregation usually coincides with a significant event, such as the building of a house of prayer (also known as a shul or synagogue) or the purchase or lease of land as a burial ground. The latter happened in 1768, when a piece of land was leased to the SHC. The purchase of this land was the first evidence that there was an emerging Jewish community in Swansea. As early as the 1730s, there is written evidence that individual Jews lived in the Swansea area, although their numbers were small. By the 1800s a group had started to meet regularly in Swansea for prayer. The first synagogue was in the house of David Michael who was a silversmith born in Germany. In 1740, David Michael, a founder member of the community, built a wooden synagogue behind his house in Wind Street, near the docks. It could hold about forty people. This structure served until about 1789, when a new building, also of wood, was erected on The Strand, nearby. This was replaced in 1818, by a larger structure, with a capacity of 60 to 70, in Waterloo Street. (Alderman) Fortunately the names of the leading members of the community are preserved. They include David Michael's two sons Jacob and Levi, both silversmiths; Jacob Cohen; Ephraim Joseph and Ephraim Moseley (watchmaker and jeweller). His son was named Henry Phillip Moseley. It is interesting to note, even at this early stage in the development of the Swansea Jewish Community, that the children of the early