The Synagogue
In the early 1930’s as the British were building the world’s largest and
fastest transatlantic liner, Nazi anti-Jewish racism was rapidly increasing in
Germany. According to the director of the Judah L Magnes Museum,
“Jews were not welcome in Germany or on German ships. In an obvious
gesture against Nazism, the British determined to build a synagogue on the Queen
Mary as a sign of welcome to the Jews. In the bitter climate of those
days, this was an act of courage sorely needed by the beleaguered Jews of
Europe.”
The synagogue or scroll room was located on “B” deck with direct
access from both first class and third class areas. It was a small but
beautiful room, with polished light wooden paneling and pilasters, a polychrome
cornice, brass prayer plates, custom light fixtures and cushioned pews. .
The location of the Synagogue on B Deck, and the Queen
Mary's Torah.
History of Use
1936-1939 - The ark of that synagogue, the first ever designed
and built for a ship, was dedicated in May of 1936 by the Chief Rabbi of the
British Empire, J. H. Hertz.
On June 1, 1936 the Queen Mary completed her maiden voyage to America and
triumphant entry into the harbor of New York City. Many Jews fleeing
Nazism would worship in the synagogue aboard the Queen Mary.
1940-1946 - during World War II, hundreds of thousands of American and
allied troops would cross the Atlantic on the Queen Mary to fight and defeat
Hitler’s armies.
1947-1967 - The synagogue remained in place throughout the entire
service life of the Queen Mary.
1968 to present - After the ship reached Long Beach in 1967 the room
was removed along with many other wonderful features of this great ship. Today
the space that housed this historic synagogue is a hotel storage area.
Restoration Potential
As the Queen Mary’s operator and her city stewards plan for the future of
this great ship we ask - what more appropriate use could this room have than to
be restored as a memorial to the victims of the holocaust?
The room lies on the very route of the single guided tour offered to visitors
on the ship. Hence its restoration would enrich the meaningfulness of the
historic tour.
Detailed deck plans and
photographs remain in the Queen Mary Archive. The one shown above was provided courtesy of the Queen Mary Archive.
Many of the furnishings including three of the cushioned benches seen in this
photograph are on display on Sun deck, along with an original menorah, a Torah
breastplate and one of the two bronze dedication plaques. Victims of their
own Diaspora, they are displayed torn from their original context along with
objects from other religious backgrounds.
Rabbi
pointing out breastplates protecting sections of the Torah.
Significant architectural elements remain in storage including a twelve-foot
section of the polychrome ceiling cove and eight-veneered pilaster casings.
The ark itself is still in existence, but no longer in the Queen Mary
Collection. It is now housed at the Magnes Museum in Oakland where it was
fully restored after years of neglect. It might be reproduced.
The ship’s current stewards might well ponder the inscription of the prayer
plaque that once graced the wall of this beautiful synagogue. It reads:
“May the supreme King of Kings in his mercy inspire their hearts and the
hearts of all their counselors and representatives with tenderness, to act
kindly towards us and all Israel. In their days and in ours may Judah be saved
and Israel dwell in safety, & a Redeemer come unto Zion, in accordance with
God’s gracious will; and let us say: Amen.”
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