Selected Press Reports and Published Letters to the Editor
relating to the former Dunstable Jewish Community^1.

Jewish Chronicle, 17 October 1941

DUNSTABLE
A meeting of Jewish residents of Dunstable held recently at the Town Hall, unanimously passed a resolution in favour of establishing a United Synagogue Membership Group for the district. The gathering was addressed by the Rev. I. L. Swift, ... Among matters discussed were the extension of the arrangements for religious education and the need for a social centre for evacuees. All who are interested should communicate with the Secretary, the Rev. L. Blumenthal, 23 Luton Road, Dunstable.

Jewish Chronicle,12 July 1946

DUNSTABLE
The annual meeting of the Dunstable Congregation was held at the temporary Synagogue, Watling House, 123, High Street North. Mr. J. R. Graham was elected First President of the Congregation, Messrs. A. Podd and B. Green were elected Wardens, and Mr. D. Wernick was elected Financial Representative. The Rev. J. H. Rockman Minister and Secretary.

Jewish Chronicle, 30 August 1946

In every hamlet throughout the country one sees a few cottages, a public-house - and a church. And the church is of a size and grandeur that would do justice to a large community. And, a missionary can spend his entire life in the wilds and considers it well spent if he converts but one soul! But the United Synagogue is about to write off the Membership Groups that sprang up throughout the country owing to evacuation from the towns. We are in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, a group of some 40 families, mostly apathetic, a few potentially interested, and one or two enthusiastic in keeping up our Yiddishkeit, and educating our children, who are fast growing up without the solace of any Jewish fraternisation or the guidance of any Minister who can have our respect. We are now without a Minister and we look forward to a very bleak Rosh Hashana and Yora Kippur in very unsuitable premises. Surely it would be a good investment for the United Synagogue to pay a living wage to a Minister capable of keeping the Community together. The future of our children is the responsibility of the United Synagogue. We parents can only give them the home environment. — MR. JACK LIEBSTER, 29 Richard Street, Dunstable, Beds.

Jewish Chronicle, 6 September 1946

WRITING-OFF MEMBERSHIP GROUPS
The Executive Committee of the Dunstable-and District Hebrew Congregation feels it cannot allow Mr. Liebster's letter to remain unanswered, as our position may be similar to that of many other small Jewish Communities up and down the country. Apart from the difficulty of retaining our ministers, it is common knowledge that during the war it was practically impossible to find a hall of any kind for worship. We originally had a hut as a place of worship, until that was requisitioned by builders. Since then, by the kindness of Jewish residents, we have always had a place in which to worship, and, most important, we do have a minyan every Friday night. This year, for the Festivals, we have the Town Hall of Dunstable, and with the exception of last year, the Festival services have all been held at the Town Hall, or a modern school hall, places which are certainly not bleak. We would wish that Mr. Liebster attended our services and the general meetings we hold to discuss our Communal affairs, and to receive the helpful and healthy criticism of our small Community. Perhaps Mr. Liebster can obtain for us. the land and licence to build a Synagogue and Communal centre. We will obtain the money to carry out such a project. We should like to take this opportunity of publicly expressing our thanks to the United Synagogue for their continuous help; we have never appealed in vain, or found them disinterested, and although several membership groups have ceased to function we are nevertheless able to carry on through the support given by the United Synagogue. Furthermore, the United Synagogue supported the teaching of the children when the Jewish Education Committee ceased to exist. Incidentally, we will be able to support ourselves financially. It is the spiritual support which seems most lacking, and the Executive Committee feels that unless it receives more spiritual co-operation from the Community it will not carry on, and its endeavours to appoint another minister will be pointless. Finally, we have always made a point of impressing upon our Jewish parents in Dunstable that it is the home environment and the example of the parents which will maintain and keep our children faithful to Jewry.
J. L. GRAHAM, President; A.? and B. GREEN, Wardens; DAVID WARM? Financial Representative and Hon. Sec
Watling House, High Street North, Duntstable .