Jewish Origins and Key Organisations in the UK

• Jews have had historical roots in England that go back for many centuries. However, they were expelled from England by King Edward I in 1290. During the period of the Commonwealth, following the English Civil War, Menasseh ben Israel of Amsterdam successfully campaigned for their readmission to England.

• Initially, the majority of Jews were Sephardi (referring to those with ancestry in Spain and Portugal. Today, the majority are descendents of the Ashkenazi stream of the community. Their origins can be traced to economic migrations from Central and Eastern Europe between 1881-1914 and escape from Nazi persecution from 1933 onwards.

• Religiously, there are Orthodox and Progressive Jews (see A Short Introduction to Judaism). In the UK, the Progressive traditions are the Reform and the Liberal, represented by the Movement for Reform Judaism, and Liberal Judaism.

• Among the Orthodox, the oldest synagogue in current use in the UK is Bevis Marks synagogue in London, built in 1701. The spiritual leader of many Orthodox Ashkenazi Jews is the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. The principal Orthodox organisation is the United Synagogue.

• The Board of Deputies of British Jews is the representative communal organisation. Details of Jewish organisations can be found in The Jewish Yearbook, published annually by Valentine Mitchell publishers.

Written by Professor Paul Weller