Book Notes: Liverpool Old Hebrew Congregation, 1780-1874, David Hudaly

<plain_text><page sequence="1">Liverpool Old Hebrew Congregation, 1780-1874, by David Hudaly, (foreword by Professor S.D. Temkin and epilogue by David Carr), Liverpool Old Hebrew Congregation, 1974, 94pp. The recording of the history of our communities and congregations is more than a work of mere piety. It is an essential part of the continuing process of recording the changing relationships between the var? ious waves of Jewish immigrants and host communi? ties, Jewish and non-Jewish alike. And indeed it is virtually a positive command laid upon us?Look to the Rock from which you were hewn. One of our oldest congregations is that of Liver? pool, and a number of historians have in the past told part of its history. It is, incidentally, a matter of regret that one of that congregation's most eminent members, Bertram B. Benas, never wrote the full history which he was well fitted to do. On the other hand, each generation has to rewrite the history of the past in its own image, so that even had that monumen? tal history ever been written it would now still need to be redone. This particular study was occasioned by the centenary of the Princes Road Synagogue, and its author put a considerable amount of work into it. His comments on the synagogue, its officers, and its var? ious internal dissensions are of interest not only within the context of this particular congregation itself but also for those interested in the wider Anglo-Jewish picture. The building was designed from the begin? ning to reflect the spirit of the times; its officers? including the formidable Rev. Morris Joseph?often made their mark on the broader community; and its internal dissensions?sometimes over the form of ser? vice and sometimes on such issues as Zionism?find parallels in similar congregations the length and breadth of the country. The volume is a tribute to the Old Hebrew Congre? gation, but it also has become unfortunately a memor? ial to its author, who died while the book was in the press. His work was done well, and indeed done better than he knew, for it was in part a result of the enthu? siasm which he kindled that a branch has been formed in Liverpool of the Jewish Historical Society. Long may that branch flourish and continue to study the history of that community from which he, and they, sprang. Aubrey Newman</page></plain_text>