THE NEW SYNAGOGUE

Markt Uehlfeld is located about 75 miles from Nuremberg in Bavaria.

In 1818 it has about 800 inhabitants of which 275 are Jewish. The main occupation is agriculture, particularly the cultivation of hops needed by breweries for flavoring their beer.

There is no kingdom in Germany where religious hatred has raged so furiously against the Jews as Bavaria and no­where else has exceptional legislation against them been so persistently maintained.

Markt Uehlfeld is no exception.

In 1583 the Jews were expelled and only in 1619 were some families re‐admitted. Very slowly some concessions were grudgingly made. In 1696 the Jews were permitted to build a synagogue and in 1732 a cemetery was authorized.

Today, March 16, 1818, all this is forgotten; Jews and Christians unite to celebrate the opening of a new synagogue.

No longer are Jews despised outcasts, barely tolerated and constantly persecuted. True, they do not as yet have all the rights of citizens, but strenuous efforts for equality are gradually beginning to tell.

Markt Uehlfeld is most fortunate in having an outstanding rabbi, Samson Wolf Rosenfeld, only about 28 years old.

At the age of 13 he entered the Yeshivah (Seminary) in Fuerth, Bavaria, where he studied rabbinics for six years. His sermons are in German at a time when other Bavarian rabbis can neither read nor write the German language. He is serving without pay or emoluments.

For the dedication of the synagogue he has prepared three sermons and together with the teacher, H. L. Kohn, has composed several songs, one to be sung by school children when leaving the old synagogue, the boys being supervised by the teacher and the girls by the teacher's wife. Other songs are to be chanted during the procession, on entering the new synagogue and after the sermon ‐ some by young people and some by all persons present.

Everything is well prepared for the big day; however, one feature is lacking: music for a public dance, for this is Lent when no public dance music is permitted. Rabbi Rosenfeld is not sorry, as dancing has deteriorated to such an extent that one cannot praise God by group dancing as has been customary in the past.

March 5th is being celebrated as a day of fasting, praying and penance. In the evening the town is crowded with visitors, friends and relatives who are all looking forward to the festivities to take place on the following day. They are all dressed in their best clothes. Jews no longer have to wear distinctive costumes, the men do not wear beards, but most of the women wear wigs.