the former

Tonypandy Hebrew Congregation

and Jewish Community

Tonypandy, Rhondda-Cynon-Taf, South Wales

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congregations throughout the British Isles and Gibraltar, both past and present.

Town of Tonypandy

Tonypandy is a small town (population of about 4,000), situated on the Rhondda Fawr Valley in South Wales. It lies about 23 miles north-west of Cardiff, some 6 miles to the west of Pontypridd. Penygraig is a village just to the south of Tonypandy.

From 1894, Tonypandy (including Penygraig) was in the urban district of Ystradyfodwg in the county of Glamorganshire. In 1897, the district was renamed the urban district of Rhondda (becoming a municipal borough in 1955), still within the county of Glamorganshire until 1974. From 1974 until 1996, it was part of the district of Rhondda in the new county of Mid Glamorgan. Since 1996, it has formed part of the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf - a unitary authority (within the ceremonial, or preserved, county of Mid Glamorgan).

The Jewish Community

The Jewish community in Tonypandy and Penygraig dates back to the end of the nineteenth century, but appears to have disappeared by the mid twentieth century.

Congregation Data
Name:	Tonypandy Hebrew Congregation⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ also known as Tonypandy Synagogue. Initially, also referred to as the Penygraig Congregation.^(iv)
Addresses:	Initially (1894), high holy day sevices were held at the Penygraig Hall.^(vii) By 1904 were held at the Central Restaurant, Tonypandy.^(viii) By at least 1911, the congregation's address was 7 Holborn Terrace, Tonypandy.^(ix) By at least 1924, the address was Eleanor Street, Tonypandy.^(x)
Formation:	The first known services took place, in Penygraig Hall, during the high holy days of 1894.^(xi)
Closure:	The congregation appears to have become defunct by the early 1930s.^(xii)
Ritual:	Ashkenazi Orthodox
Affiliation:	The congregation was an unaffiliated congregation presumably under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi.
Ministers and Readers: (To view a short profile of a minister whose name appears in blue - hold the cursor over the name.)	Rev. Levine - conducted initial services, high holy days 1894.^(xv) Rev. S. Zacutta - served in and about 1900.^(xvi) Rev. Isaac Domnitz - reader from at least 1906 until about 1908.^(xvii) Rev. Hermann Abrahams - reader and shochet from about 1908 until 1910.^(xviii) Rev. Morris Shriberg - reader and shochet from 1910 until at least 1912 (or possibly 1919).^(xix) Rev. Abraham Opolion - reader and shochet from 1920 until December 1921.^(xxii) Rev. Samuel Isaacs - reader and shochet from about 1924 until 1927.^(xxiii) Rev. B. Kertzman - reader and shochet from about 1927 until about 1929.^(xxiv) Rev. Herman Grunis - reader and shochet from 1929 until no later than 1931.^(xxv)
Lay Officers:	Unless otherwise stated, all data on lay officers has been extracted from listings in Jewish Year Books (first published 1896/7)^(xxviii)
	Presidents from 1894 - N. Tachan^(xxix) 1902-1910 - Moses Freedman 1910-1913 - W. Carter 1913-1914 - E. Jacobs 1914-1916 - H. Cardash^(xxx) 1916-1920 - I. Grose 1920-1923 - Osias Gold^(xxxi) 1923-1924 - P. Diamond 1924-1926 - Osias Gold 1926-1935 - M. Shreiburg	Treasurers 1910-1913 - M. Wolfson 1913-1916 - Jack Freedman^(xxxiv) 1916-1920 - B. Caller 1920-1923 - M. Shrieburg 1923-1924 - V. Caller 1924-1926 - C. Solomon 1926-1935 - P. Caller
	Secretaries and Hon. Secretaries^(xxxv)
	1908 - M. Wolfson^(xxxvi) 1910-1911 - C. Solomon 1910-1913 - D. Gross & George W. Canter^(xxxvii) 1913-1914 - P. Grose 1914-1916 - I. Grose^(xxxviii)	1916-1918 - Sol Moses 1918-1920 - A. Leavy 1920-1924 - C. Solomon 1924-1935 - M. Shrieburg
Registration District:	Rhondda Cynon Taf, since 1 October 2002^(xxxix) - Link to Register Office website
Cemetery Information:	There was no Jewish cemetery in Tonypandy, the nearest being at Pontypridd, some 6 miles to the east.

Online Articles and Other Material
relating to the Tonypandy Jewish Community

on JCR-UK

Some Thoughts on the Rhondda Valley Communities by Harold Pollins
Press Reports about the Jewish Community of Pontypridd and Surrounding Areas, 1852-2006, which include a number of references to Tonypandy.

Notable Jewish Connections with Tonypandy

During World War II, the Solomon Wolfson Jewish School was evacuated from West London to Tonypandy before moving to Pontypridd in 1941.

Other Tonypandy Jewish Institutions & Organisations

Tonypandy Ladies Benevolent Society, founded by 1910.^(xlv)
Tonypandy Zionist Society, founded by 1910.^(xlvi)
Tonypandy Jewish Ladies Society, founded by 1912.^(xlvii)
Dr Herman Adler Lodge, Order Achei Brith and Shield of Abraham, Tonypandy, founded in 1912.^(xlviii)
Tonypandy Jewish Boys Club, founded in about 1921.^(xlix)

Tonypandy Jewish Population Data
Year	Number	Source
1922	180	The Jewish Year Book 1923

Click HERE to view Jewish population figures for the whole of Rhondda Cynon Taf from UK Censuses since 2001.

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) and (ii) Reserved.
(iii) This formal name appears in an advertisement by the congregation in the The Jewish Chronicle of 12 June 1908. ↵
(iv) The Jewish Chronicle of 7 December 1900 refers to "Rev S. Zacutta of the Penygraig congregation", which appears to be a reference to the Tonypandy congregation, which met in Penygraig Hall, Penygraig being just to the south of central Tonypandy. Based upon various press reports, a number of the members of the Tonypandy congregation lived in Penygraig . ↵
(v) and (vi) Reserved.
(vii) The Jewish Chronicle of 5 October 1894. ↵
(viii) The Jewish Chronicle of 5 October 1906. ↵
(ix) This was the address listed Jewish Year Books 1912 through 1924. ↵
(x) This was the address listed Jewish Year Books from 1925. ↵
(xi) The Jewish Chronicle of 5 October 1894. ↵
(xii) Although the community remained listed Jewish Year Books until 1950, no officers of the congregation were listed after 1935, and these had remained unchanged since at least 1927. ↵
(xiii) and (xiv) Reserved.
(xv) The Jewish Chronicle of 5 October 1894. ↵
(xvi) The Jewish Chronicle of 7 December 1900 refers to "Rev S. Zacutta of the Penygraig congregation". ↵
(xvii) The Jewish Chronicle reports of 5 October 1906 and 5 April 1907 place Rev. Domnitz in Tonypandy. However, by 12 June 1908 the congregation was advertising for a shochet. ↵
(xviii) He is believed to have been appointed reader and shochet in response to an advertisement in The Jewish Chronicle of 12 June 1908. carried an advertisement for the position of shochet. His departure was reported in The Jewish Chronicle of 15 April 1910. ↵
(xix) Listed, as Rev. J. Shrieburg, as reader and shochet of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1911 through 1919. ↵
(xx) and (xxi) Reserved.
(xxii) Although Rev. Opolion was listed as reader and shochet of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1921 through 1924, he started at his next post on 1 January 1922. (The Jewish Chronicle reports of 12 November 1920 and 6 January 1922). ↵
(xxiii) Although Rev. S. Isaacs was listed as reader and shochet of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1925 through 1929, he started at his next post in 1927. (The Jewish Chronicle of 18 March 1927). ↵
(xxiv) Jewish Chronicle obituary 27 February 1931. Rev. Kertzman was not listed in Jewish Year Books with regard to this congregation. ↵
(xxv) Jewish Chronicle obituary 1 March 1963. Rev. Grunis was not listed in Jewish Year Books with regard to this congregation. ↵
(xxvi) and (xxvii) Reserved.
(xxviii) Where a person was first listed in a year book as holding a particular office, it has been assumed that his term of office commenced in the year of publication of the relevant year book and that he continued in office until the commencement of office of his successor, unless the office was shown as vacant. Initially year books corresponded to the Hebrew year, and thus ran roughly from autumn of one year - the year of publication - until autumn of the next year. From 1909, year books were published according to the Gregorian year, being published generally towards the end of the year prior to the year appearing in the title of the year book. For example, if an officer is listed in Jewish Year Books 1919 through 1924, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1918 and continued in office until 1924. However, it should be noted that this is only an assumption and, accordingly, his actual years of office may differ somewhat from those shown here. ↵
(xxix) The Jewish Chronicle of 5 October 1894. ↵
(xxx) Listed as president in Jewish Year Books 1915 and 1916, H. Cardash's election as president in 1914 is confirmed by The Jewish Chronicle report of 10 July 1914. ↵
(xxx) Listed as president in Jewish Year Books 1921 through 1923, The Jewish Chronicle report of 12 November 1920 also refers to O. Gold as president. ↵
(xxxii) and (xxxiii) Reserved.
(xxxiv) Listed as treasurer in Jewish Year Books 1914 through 1916, J. Freedman's election as treasurer in 1914 confirmed by The Jewish Chronicle report of 10 July 1914. ↵
(xxxv) Unless otherwise stated, all those named from 1910 to 1911 and from 1918 to 1935 were listed as hon. secretaries, others listed simply as secretaries. ↵
(xxxvi) Named as secretary in an advertisement appearing in The Jewish Chronicle of 12 June 1908. ↵
(xxxvii) Both listed in Jewish Year Books 1912 and 1913, D. Gross was listed as hon. secretary and G.W. Carter as secretary. ↵
(xxxviii) Listed as secreatary in Jewish Year Books 1915 and 1916, I. Grose's election as secretary in 1914 confirmed by The Jewish Chronicle report of 10 July 1914. ↵
(xxxix) The Registration District was previously known as Pontypridd until 1 October 2002. All records would now be held by the current office. ↵
(xl) to (xliv) Reserved.
(xlv) First listed in Jewish Year Book 1911. ↵
(xlvi) First listed in Jewish Year Book 1911. ↵
(xlvii) First listed in Jewish Year Book 1913. ↵
(xlviii) The Jewish Chronicle reports of 27 September 1912 and 6 June 1919. ↵
(xlix) The Jewish Chronicle report of 12 August 1921. ↵

Former Jewish Communities in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf home page

Jewish Congregations in the former county of Glamorganshire

Jewish Congregations in the former administrative county of Mid Glamorgan

Jewish Congregations in Wales, listed according to current unitary authorities

Jewish Communities & Congregations in Wales home page

Page created: 23 August 2005
Data significantly expanded and notes added: 21 January 2025
Page most recently amended: 23 January 2025

Research and formatting by David Shulman

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