Beaufort West Synagogue page
The community had been gathering for worship in people homes and in the Lyric Hall. In 1918 they established a building committee.
In 1919 a site for a synagogue and adjacent minister's house was purchased for £600 in Union Street, off Donkin Street. Construction began soon after.
The cornerstone of the synagogue was laid in March 1922 by Mr Isadore Bakst, chairman of the Beaufort West Hebrew Congregation. The shul could accommodate about 50 men downstairs and about 50 women in the gallery and the minister's house was built next door to the synagogue.
According to official census records of 1936, the Jewish population of Beaufort West reached about 123 and this was probably at its zenith.
1943: Rev Aaron Myburg was persuaded by Mr and Mrs Finkelstein to come to Beaufort West from Middelberg and serve a bigger community in Beaufort West. He performed schechita, taught the children in cheder and conducted all services in the synagogue.
1960: Rev Aaron Myburg left Beaufort West. This seemed to toll the death knell of the Jewish presence in the town (or maybe it was indicative of it).
From 1961 to the middle of the 1970s the few Jews who had remained in the town tried to keep the Jewish flame burning and even engaged Major Jacob Potashnik from Cape Town to conduct services on the High Holy Days (Major Potashnik was a chaplain to Jewish servicemen in the Second World War). He was treated with great joy and respect. His wife wrote that going to Beaufort West for the High Holy Days was a highlight of their year.
1964: Community records show the Jewish community had declined to 42.
1978: By this time, the synagogue property was in a poor state due to neglect and lack of maintenance. Repairs were carried out.
1979: Both the synagogue and the minister's house were sold to Mr G T Botha for R5000. Sadly, the empty synagogue is used as a storehouse, but the minister's house is now occupied by a descendant of Mr Botha.
1990s: By the early 1990s there were no more Jews resident in the town and the major impact and invaluable contribution the Jews of yesteryear played in every aspect of Beaufort West life was lost in the mists of time.
