Kehilat Middlesbrough Newsletter No 1 January 1999 page 2

There then followed a video which one of the closure participants had taken, which brought home to everyone the fact that the Middlesbrough Kehilah had really come to an end. There was also an exhibition corner, not only of old and interesting photographs, but also of the closure ceremony and cuttings of war reports. 80% of the male Jewish population had served for King and Country during the Second World War. An interesting letter on show was dated 1934, addressed to a local Jewish historian, who at the time was writing a history of the Kehilah, which had been sent to him by the son of the founder of the Kehilah, from Australia. He wrote that his father was the first Jew to settle in Middlesbrough in 1855. Also on show, provided by his daughter, Rabbanit Helen Botchko, was Rabbi Epstein’s farewell sermon to his congregants from 1929.

There was a humorous quiz, both on the secular as well as on the communal, aspects of the Kehilah; about the famous explorer Captain Cook who was born in Marton; bus routes and school teachers from the 30's, 40's and 50's; as well as on communal affairs, including details about the Jewish hostel run during the war for refugee girls who were adopted by the Kehilah. Finally, when the question was asked: which photograph was hung in the Shul committee room for 60 years, a doctor from Elkana very proudly produced a copy from his pocket saying: This is my grandfather and this is his choir.

In order to attract interest in the new Israel-based community without a synagogue, but with at least a generation of reminiscing supporters, it was decided to start off a newsletter, not only for former Middlesbrough residents living in Israel and in Middlesbrough, but also in the rest of Britain and throughout the world.

Who knows, perhaps a new kind of floating Kehilah has just been born.

 

BORO QUIZ

1. Name 2 men who had the same Hebrew name in Shul.
2. Name 4 Jewish families who lived in Ayresome St, Oxford Rd, Cambridge Rd.
3. Who sat next to your mother in shul?
4. Who ran the hostel for Jewish refugee girls during the war; where was it; who donated it; name 3 of the girls.
5. Who was the last person to Duchan in Middlesbrough?
6. Who was the Chazan before Rev Wulwick and after Rev Wulwick?
7. When was the first and last time they said Mincha Gedolah on Shabbat?
8. Who was the Boro-born comedian who had a weekly Radio Show, Club Night at Dave’s?
9. Who sat in the Park Road South Shul in the South corner, back row, on the side of the Mizrach?
10. Which photograph hung in the Committee room from 1938 to 1998?

 

Attendees at last Shabbat Service

Local Residents - male

John Bloom

Dennis Broady

David Simon

Lionel Simons

Jack Klyman

Dr Bruno Isserlin

Jack Doberman

Ronny Goodman

John Grunthal

Local Residents - Female

Nan Bloom

Susan Broady

Eileen Doberman

Gwen Lamb

Visitors - male

Rev Ben Topp

Lesser Richman

David Saville

Benny Saville

Michael Blakey

Geoffrey (Schmulewitsch) Selwyn

Stuart (Schmulewitsch) Selwyn

Bernard Bookey

Dr Oppenheim

?Selby, grandson of Philip Simon

Visitors - female

Eve ( Halson) Oppenheim

Beryl Bookey + 4 grandchildren

Attendees at Sunday Event

Rabbi Trepp, 2 other Rabbis and choir boys

Non-Jewish Guests - 30

Middlesbrough Residents

John and Nan Bloom

Dennis & Susan Broady

David Simon

Lionel & Kay Simons

Jack & Rita Klyman

Dr Bruno & Mrs Isserlin

Jack & Eileen Doberman

Ronny & Anne Goodman

Gwen Lamb

Colonel Cohen

Bill and Sylvia Sachs

Yetta Rothfield

Jack & Myer Baum

Rosie Murray and husband

John Grunthal

Audrey Brechner

Michael Manning

Former Middlesbough visitors

Michael & Audrey Blakey

Geoffery, Stuart & Rochelle Selwyn (Schmulewitsch) and Douglas Spector

Michael Bharier & Judy (Bharier) Obrart

David and Benny Saville

Michael and Jeanette Saville