Paarl Hebrew Congregation
The majestic Paarl Synagogue is located in Breda Street. Driving down the road the imposing and regal building cannot be missed. Adjacent to the Shul (Synagogue) is our Community Hall, which is used regularly for communal affairs and celebrations; the "Rabbi's" house is also on the property. Sabbath and Festival Services are ably conducted by R’ Bryan Opert or various members of the community. Bryan his wife Chana and their large family travel from Cape Town (distance 60km) every week to be with us.
We have an eclectic membership consisting both of members living in Paarl and ‘old Paarlites’ spread throughout South Africa. They all have a bond built on common experiences, love of community and memories. It is a joy when one of our country members attend our services.
Our community and Shul offer pastoral care for all life cycle and traditional religious events. The Paarl community is proud to offer all the infrastructure, facilities and services that can be found in much larger communities, it is the last community in the Boland offering these services. This coupled with the intimacy and welcoming atmosphere where everyone is made to feel a part of the Paarl family, makes for services that are looked forward to, not only for the prayer but also friendship and community.
Paarl is very much alive and vibrant and we look forward to having you join us at a uniquely flavoured Paarl experience.
The Community of Paarl
The Paarl Jewish Community was founded in 1893, consisting mostly of itinerant traders (pedlars), who made Paarl a base for their business activities. These pedlars and the few Jews settled permanently at Paarl gathered infrequently for religious services laying the foundation for a future congregation.
Among the earliest Jewish settlers at Paarl were the Dutch Jewish families - Droomer, van Gelderen, De Jongh, Hartogs and Van Biene being the most prominent. The Droomer family played an important role in the early years of the community. But the real founder of the Paarl congregation was a German Jewish immigrant by the name of Albert Hertz, who brought a Torah (Scroll of the Law) with him and agitated for the establishment of a proper congregation. In this he was assisted by Moses Lurie, a wagon maker who had his premises in Breda Street. Hertz had his general store in "Hommels Blok", a building that stood where Kriegler Flats is now, on the corner of Templier and Main Street, adjacent to the present Roodeberg Pharmacy.
Initially religious services were held at Lurie's house, since most of the local Jews lived in the nearby Breda Street area. Later a semi-detached house in Malherbe Street was fitted as a synagogue.
Meanwhile a cemetery had also been inaugurated in 1893, thanks to the work of Lurie, who had obtained the assistance of "Oom Seppie" de Villiers, then the Mayor of Paarl. A minister to serve the community was also appointed - the Rev Moses Hurwitz.
In 1903, an appeal was launched for a building fund for a proper synagogue in Paarl. This was successful, and one was opened in 1904.
During the First World War a number of Paarl Jews joined up. Lieutenant Moses Forman fell in battle in France in 1917 in the great Allied advance at Arras on 10 April of that year. A special memorial service for Forman was held at Paarl Shul on 29 April, when the whole community and Dr de Jager, Paarl's member of Parliament, paid tribute to the brave war hero. Another courageous participant in the war was Second Lieutenant Harry Wisnekowitz, Paarl's most famous aviator of the war, who was awarded the Military Cross for distinguished service with the Royal Flying Corps in England.
Before and after the Great War the Jewish community of Paarl grew rapidly, most being Yiddish-speaking immigrants from Lithuania. In fact, Jews were the largest foreign-language group resident in Paarl at the time.
In 1919, the Talmud Torah Hall was opened, which functioned as community centre as well as a school for many years. In 1926, the synagogue tragically burnt down, but the outer walls survived the fire and the synagogue was rebuilt within these same walls, providing larger accommodation in the galleries for the women. An important Jewish visitor to Paarl in 1932 was Dr Chaim Weizmann, later to become the first President of the State of Israel in 1948.
In 1938, the old burial ground on the banks of the Berg River was closed and a new one was inaugurated in Parys. The old cemetery is one of the most historic burial grounds at the Cape, having tombstones inscribed in five languages - Dutch, German, English, Hebrew and Yiddish.
During the Second World War more than 30 Jews from Paarl, including the president of the congregation, joined up for military service. The heyday of the Jewish community of Paarl was perhaps the 1940s and 1950s, when it reached its highest number, about 600 people. There were concerts, theatrical presentations in Yiddish, balls and numerous functions as well as visits and lectures by world- famous Jewish personalities.
But a decline was already beginning to set in as a number of families decided to leave for Cape Town, or to emigrate. In 1959, the first Jewish Mayor of Paarl was elected, in the person of Abel Volks. Between 1947 and 1961 Dr IH Levine was the spiritual leader of the community. Beloved religious leaders from an earlier generation included Rev Hillel Strelitz and Rev BD Melamed.
In the 1960s the number of Jews in Paarl declined further, but there were still 180 families as late as 1965; but since then the number has fallen sharply, so that today there are only a handful of families left.
The Wellington Jewish community had already ceased to exist, and joined Paarl in 1981 to form the Paarl/Wellington Hebrew Congregation. In 1990 Jack Lichtenstein became the second Jewish Mayor of Paarl.
Although small in number, the community still holds regular Friday night religious services in the old synagogue.
In 1993, the community celebrated its centenary in grand style with a wonderful function in the Town Hall. The record of the Paarl Jewish community is a proud one.
Its members, all products of Paarl schools, have provided Paarl and South Africa with academics of the first rank, doctors, lawyers, architects, surveyors, businessmen and other professional men and women, who have brought honor to our community and our town.
There has been an incredibly revival in the community. With a significant number of Jews moving to closed estates in the area and joining the shul we have seen phenomenal growth. After decades we have recently held Jewish milestone celebrations, which have been a great pleasure.