Page 24 - 10052 WORSH Marketor Issue 79.indd

We learnt that the Jews arrived in
Briton under William the Conqueror
and were expelled by Edward I in
1290 but readmitted back to
England under Oliver Cromwell in
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UK were Sephardic Jews who came
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after the readmission was established
in the City of London in 1657. After
this became too small, Bevis Marks
was opened in 1701. Two of its
Exploring the famous sons were Sir Moses
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We then visited the old Jewish Soup
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Liveryman
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pogroms, who arrived in London
Interior of Bevis Marks Synagogue with no money or employment. Now
it is converted into extremely
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building is listed and the writing
was so popular that we decided to run it again – except this time we above the entrance says: “SOUP
would focus more on the Whitechapel area. On another scorching hot KITCHEN FOR THE JEWISH POOR
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shop outside Whitechapel Tube station. Everyone arrived on time and VHH 6DQG\V 5RZ V\QDJRJXH WKH ÀUVW
RXU JXLGH -RKQ 6WHHO EHJDQ RXU WRXU WR GLVFRYHU WKH FRORXUIXO Ashkenazi synagogue in the UK,
established in 1854, and formerly a
neighbourhood of a bygone era.
French Protestant Church. Our tour
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station stopping at the
Just by the station, John pointed out old disused synagogue stood side by
the Edward VII drinking fountain paid side in perfect harmony. Next door Kindertransport Memorial by Frank
for by Jewish street traders as a to the old synagogue, John pointed Meisler just one of the 10,000
children saved from the Nazis.
thank you for the right to enter UK out where Grodzinski’s once stood in
while escaping persecution in Russia. 1888, baking 20,000 loafs a week. A We headed to Bishopsgate for a
We saw the word LIBERTY was little way down the road was a GHOLJKWIXO SXE OXQFK LQ WKH DSWO\
engraved on it. mosaic in the form of a Star of David named, the Woodins Shades. This
to signify the history of the area. From was a favourite meeting place for
A short walk from here led us to the there we saw the site where The the traders of Petticoat Lane and
front of the Old Great Synagogue – Jewish Daily News – a Yiddish paper 6SLWDOÀHOGV 0DUNHWV RYHU WKH \HDUV
Fieldgate Street. What was – used to be printed. All that remains including one particular Jewish
interesting was that this synagogue now is the logo still above the door. trader, Alan Sugar, who was looking
closed in 2015 and the land was Next door is the site where Blooms, for an apprentice! All in all, a very
purchased by the East London the longest running kosher restaurant memorable journey through the old
Mosque which is next door. The in UK, once stood. Ironically it is now Jewish East End London – with John
perfect diversity of the East End was a Burger King. We walked past a Steel’s excellent commentary
house with a blue plaque where bringing it vividly alive.
clear to see where a mosque and an
Isaac Rosenberg, poet and painter,
lived. Isaac Rosenberg is one of 14
First World War poets honoured in
Westminster Abbey. We also walked
past Jewry Street – close by the Port
of London and named after the
masses of Jews who arrived in that
area off the ships from Russia to
escape persecution.
One of the highlights was a tour of
Bevis Marks Synagogue, the oldest
active synagogue in use in Britain,
dating from 1701. Maurice Bitton
from the synagogue took us through
the history of the synagogue and
pointed out the main features. What
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Entrance to Bevis Marks Synagogue - furnishings and structure have Blue door of the Old Great Synagogue
oldest active synagogue in Britain on Fieldgate Street
remained completely unchanged.

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