Created: 21 August 2005
Latest update or revision: 22 December 2011
 

The eastern sector of the valleys of south Wales was located in the old county of Monmouthshire, which, despite its culturally and historically affinity to Wales, was formally considered part of England.  In 1974, Monmouthshire (together with a few localities from adjoining Weish counties) was transformed into the county of Gwent and from then on officially became an integral part of Wales.  The Valleys were traditional mining areas and most of the towns of the region were built up in the second half on the nineteenth century when "coal was king".  With the decline of the coal industry and the accompanying steel industry, commencing in the 1930's, many of the towns become economically depressed.

From the 1870's, new Jewish communities sprung up across the Valleys, those in the eastern sector being situated in towns which are now located in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent, (which was created in 1996 from most of the Blaenau Gwent district of Gwent). There are now very few Jews left in the region.

The following congregations existed in what is now Blaenau Gwent:
 

Articles of the Welsh Valleys

How 'Greeners' Came to the Valley' - an article by Michael Wallach, which appeared in the Jewish Chronicle Colour Magazine in 1975 and makes reference to many of the Communities in the Welsh Valley.

For Other Information - see under individual congregation pages