Sir Manasseh Meyer and Synagogues
An interesting and influential figure at the turn of the twentieth century was Sir Manasseh Meyer. An extremely wealthy Jew, probably the wealthiest in the Far East at the time, Sir Manasseh Meyer founded the Maghain Aboth Synagogue in response to finding the original synagogue in Synagogue Street in poor condition. Over the years, as Jewish immigration to Singapore increased, the Maghain Aboth Synagogue began to become overcrowded during services. Because of friction between the Sephardic and Ashenazi communities over how the services should be carried out, Sir Manasseh Meyer decided to build a new synagogue which was completed in 1905, The Chesed-El Synagogue. Both synagogues still stand today and have been gazetted as national monuments by the Singapore Government. The Maghain Aboth Synagogue is open throughout the year while Chesed El conducts Monday morning services and operates throughout the High Holidays.
Read more about this topic: History Of The Jews In Singapore
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—John Lee Mahin (1902–1984)
“Whether in the field of health, education or welfare, I have put my emphasis on preventive rather than curative programs and tried to influence our elaborate, costly and ill- co-ordinated welfare organizations in that direction. Unfortunately the momentum of social work is still directed toward compensating the victims of our society for its injustices rather than eliminating those injustices.”
—Agnes E. Meyer (1887–1970)
“Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.”
—Bible: New Testament Jesus, in Matthew, 6:2-3.
From the Sermon on the Mount.