Looking
through our archive material displayed for Jewish Heritage day 2005 was
a humbling experience.
We were
privileged to see first hand the original evidence of the
achievements of some of the founders of Liberal Judaism, and the
South London Liberal Synagogue. Illustrious names such as Sam
Rich, Julius Rich, Lily Montagu, Claude Montefiore, Israel Mattuck,
Joseph Asher, Morris Perlzweig, Myer Briscoe and others came to
life as we looked through the minutes of meetings they had led,
and the momentous
decisions
their vision had brought to fulfilment. For example, what sort of
struggle was involved when Prentis Hall was purchased and
converted into a synagogue? Well....it was all in the minutes of
the Council meetings and discussion groups on show at SLLS’s
Jewish Heritage Open Day.
Other documents
displayed included old
Bulletins (South Circulars - our monthly magazine)
and the forerunner of
Liberal Judaism Today - known in the 1930's as
The Liberal Jewish
Monthly. One particular passage in the September
1938 Liberal Jewish Monthly sticks in my mind. This edition paid
tribute to the former President and prime mover in the foundation
of Liberal Judaism, Mr Claude Montefiore, who had just died at the
age of 80. The passage is this:
"The following
resolution was passed at a meeting of the Council of the South
London Liberal Jewish Synagogue held on July 19th 1938....This
meeting desires to record its sense of deep sorrow and
irreparable loss at the death of Mr C G Montefiore, President of
the Jewish Religious Union, to which this congregation is
affiliated. Further, as an abiding expression of its gratitude
for Mr Montefiore's interest in the congregation and as a
memorial to his inspired leadership, it is resolved: That the
sermons which he regularly supplied from 1929 to 1937 for use at
the Afternoon Service on the Day of Atonement, continue to be
used at that service from year to year."
Hidden deeper in
our archives do those sermons still exist, and if so may we once
again be privileged to hear them? History dull? No way!
Philip Walker - Chairman SLLS .....and
on an historical note a member writes in October 2005.......
