ESTMINSTER UARTERLY Volume X No.4 October 2019

From: The Life and Adventures of Ikey Solomons and his wife By Moses Hebron (1829)

Ikey Solomons - The Real Fagin?

Licoricia of Winchester

The Early Jews of Oxford

The Burning of Books

Lifecycle events

Westminster Welcomes its New Members Inside this issue

Lauren Hurwitz & Timothee de Mierry Dar Utnik

Yael Selfin Olivia Cohen Louise Lisztman 3 From the Rabbi Andrea Killick Gary & Robyn Mond 4 The Jews of Oxford Tally Koren 6 Justine Nahum & Simon Nicholls Licoricia of Winchester Julie Wilson Simon Waley 7

The Real Fagin? 8 Births Albert Rowe – a son for Anne & Barnaby on 13th June Amusement Arcade 9 Eliora Baroukh – a daughter for Eleanor & Benjamin on 13th July Jewish Calligraphy 10 Infant Blessings The Jewish Music Institute 11 Iris Clarfelt-Gaynor on 25th June Jack Clarfelt on 10th July Book Review 12 Balthazar Isaac Hurwitz de Mierry on 27th July

Anti-Semitism in Britain 13 B’nei Mitzvah Solomon J. Solomon 14 Sophie Singer on 8th June Tesa Getter on 6th July Sir Robert Mayer 15 Sophia Matthewson on 13th July

The Dorking Refugee Cttee 16 Marriages & Blessings Melisa Schindler & Jake Kahane on 26th May Park House School 17 Sam Feller & Andrea Carta on 2nd June Pioneers of WS - Mr Bradley 18 Johnny Quinn & Laura Rowland on 30th June - in Majorca

Poetry Page 19 Deaths Reggie Gourgey on 4th July The Burning of Books 20 Margrit Stern on 21st August Georgina Rhodes on 10th September Editorial 22

Education Report 23 Condolences We offer sincere condolences to Gabrielle Feldman and family on the death of her father Kurt Stern on the death of his wife and to Evelyn Stern Chipperfield on the death of her mother Mark Clarfelt on the death of his sister and to Matthew, James & Emily on the death of their mother

2 From the Rabbi

4. A community of relationships, in listening and committed conversations. which everything we do is geared Yael took over from me as the Young towards each of us having the chance to Adult Organiser and Educator for form life-long relationships. Reform Judaism, working with people in

‘I can tell from the newsletters that it’s their twenties and thirties, when I left for been a very busy time here’. I have heard Westminster Synagogue. I have been this a few times recently. It has been a pleased over the last two years to see her, busy time, as we have taken steps - in many ways, doing a better job than I

volunteers and professional leaders did! She improved the way that young together - to fulfil these four communal adult work was communicated and We are developing a project at aspirations. celebrated; she developed the Westminster Synagogue, working engagement of high-level stake-holders persistently towards a shared vision. To build a community of participatory in projects that I cherished, as she There is a great quality to what is spiritual services we have moved towards developed a Board where there had a diversity of professional singing voices. sometimes called ‘a ministry of presence’, previously been none. I have learnt with Anchoring our singing for these High in which the ultimate role of a minister is and from Yael over the years, both to turn up and be with people, and I do Holy Days are Yoav and Sara. Jewishly and professionally. She will help appreciate as invaluable, the bread and Yoav Oved has now been beautifully and us to develop and drive forward a butter aspect of my role in our conscientiously singing with us for a year Synagogue strategy. She will lead in community - supporting, guiding and and a half, invigorating our Friday Night aspects of community beyond education, listening to people at all times and stages Shabbat Unpluggeds, and joining our and she is passionate about social justice of life. However, I know that this Saturday morning singing panel. Yoav, in and action. With a special focus on ages community will have a much greater case you don't already know him, moved nought to eighteen, she will help us as a impact on people’s lives if we work to England from Israel in 2012 to study community to do, what some say together towards an ambitious vision music at Royal Holloway University. Progressive Judaism has struggled to do involving cultural and systemic change. Upon graduating, his interests turned to for a number of years - take on education From the start of my time here, two years Mizrakhi and Ashkenazi music, both and inspiration. secular and religious. He works closely ago, it has been important to me to hear Every Rosh Hashanah we celebrate the with the Jewish Music Institute to from you and work with you towards creation of the world and reflect that we what you want, rather than just imposing educate through performance. can create and innovate too. Work has programmes as a professional team. Sara Feldmann-Brummer trained at also begun in developing the other two Consequently, I have had quality Trinity College of Music London, and has areas, building a community of care and conversations, one-on-one and in groups, sung as a chorister and soloist at West relationships, but, as there are no new with more than 150 people to get to know London Synagogue. She has also appointments to introduce yet in those you and your desires for our community. performed at major venues including the areas, I will save those updates for now. Last March, many of us gathered Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall If you want to help us to achieve this together and heard from members who and St. Thomas Fifth Avenue in New important and emerging vision, in any of wanted to lead in these areas, about why York City. they’re so important. As an unnecessary the four areas, either with time or with reminder, we are building: As well as refreshing our professional money, please don’t hesitate to get in input, lay leaders have formed a Singing touch for a conversation. Our ancient 1. A community of educational Team. They brought the community teaching, the Mishnah, asks, ‘Why was excellence, standing out in the together last August, to get to know and there initially just a single human being?’ progressive Jewish world as a centre of enjoy Friday night and Saturday morning It answers: ‘To teach that someone who intellectual and discursive inspiration, a songs. They will continue with such upholds a single life it is as if they have place which people of all ages need in initiatives and will also make upheld the whole world’. This is the work order to navigate the moral, intellectual recommendations as to how to make our we are doing. Together we are enriching and spiritual challenges of today. services ever more participatory. and sustaining lives, through the nourishment of learning and song, and 2. A community of participatory To build a community of educational the need for company and care. spiritual services, with a diversity of excellence we have created a major new musical styles. appointment in the expanded role of 3. A community of care, in which the Director of Community and Education.

sacred responsibilities of calling and Yael Roberts is a leader who is passionate visiting the sick and the lonely are about both Judaism and people, and who shared by all who want to step up, will bring both to the fore in our Rabbi Benji Stanley and in which no member is left community, through careful

alone. 3

Anglo-Jewish History the college (Halegod’s House) from a man Tom Quad is now. It may have been on The Jews of Oxford known as ‘Jacob the Jew, the son of Moses the site of the modern Canon’s Lodgings the Jew’; the deed of sale is the oldest on the north side of Tom Quad. The surviving document in Oxford and is synagogue was founded circa 1228 by written in Hebrew and Latin. Copin of Worcester, a wealthy benefactor, probably an existing town house adapted All Jews living in England had at first to for the purpose. However, in a document be buried in the only Jewish cemetery in of 1367, Balliol claimed ownership of a London, but the first cemetery for Oxford certain wall next to the ‘Broadegates … Jews (founded in about 1190) was formerly called the Synagogue of the established on vacant low-lying land Jews’, in the parish of St Aldates'. The beside the west bank of the River former synagogue was completely Cherwell, outside the East Gate of the demolished, when Cardinal Wolsey and town, following the tradition that a Jewish One of the oldest known Jewish his men took it and its site from Balliol, to cemetery should be outside the walls of a communities in England is that of Oxford. make space for his Cardinal’s College. walled town. The Jewish community lost Records show that there were Jews living Otherwise, the only relic of the synagogue this site in 1231 when the King gave it to in Oxford shortly after William of is the stained glass given to Balliol in the nearby Hospital of St. John. In Normandy came to this country, bringing informal compensation for the site. compensation, the Hospital gave them a with him the Jews from Rouen who had Although the Jews of Oxford were left in smaller site opposite, an area which is now served his court there. There is no clear relative peace to go about their religious the memorial rose garden at the front of date of foundation for the University of and commercial affairs, there were the Botanic Gardens. It is possible that Oxford - the oldest university in the outbreaks of violence from time to time. the south-east ‘garden’ corner of the site English-speaking world - but teaching In 1244, a group of Oxford students ran contained a mikvah (ritual bath) for existed at Oxford in some form in 1096 wild, attacking Jews in the streets and bathing the dead (a common medieval and developed rapidly from 1167, when ransacking Jewish-owned houses. The practice) and perhaps even the living. An Henry II banned English students from Jews begged the Constable for help, and excavation in 1987 revealed a remarkable attending the University of Paris. The he arrested forty-five students, spring-fed stone culvert in the old St. Jewish community has been linked with imprisoning them in Oxford Castle. John’s Hospital Chapel, which according the University almost from that time. However in the country as a whole anti- to one interpretation and dating of the Jewish fervour was increasing, These medieval Jews settled in the area mason's chisel marks, could be from the particularly during Christian festivals. On around St. Aldate’s, once known as Great time of the cemetery rather than the Ascension Day 1268 an Oxford Jew was Jewry Street; they numbered some eighty Hospital and the chapel that superseded accused of attacking a religious parade to one hundred families, making their the cemetery. and destroying a crucifix. The whole living as merchants and moneylenders. It Jewish community was arrested and was a pious, educated group, worshipping In 1222 a scandal imprisoned. The King (Henry III) forced in freedom with its own rabbis and the Jews to pay for a huge marble and learned leaders. arose within the gold cross to be erected outside the As the number of students at the community synagogue. It was later transferred to University increased, the Jews began Merton College and finally disappeared, offering property for rent, with some ten though traces of marble have been found per cent of student lodgings owned by the In 1228 the houses of two prominent Jews in the College grounds. Jewish community. It also provided (David of Oxford and Isaac ben Moses) In 1222 a scandal arose within the finance for some of the poor clerics were confiscated. In their stead, a new community which has since intrigued attached to the University. The Jews town hall and court house were built; the historians of Oxford’s Jews. A deacon of themselves were forbidden to attend, houses were erroneously believed to be a the Christian church, living in Oxford, fell though they did offer Hebrew teaching to domus conversorum (house of converts) in love with a Jewish woman. We do not the largely religious curriculum. for Jewish converts to Christianity. The have the names of either, but the deacon householders, however, did pay an annual Early in its history the University was not decided to convert to the Jewish faith in sum to the London domus though there a collegiate establishment. The earliest order to marry. He was arraigned before was never such a building in Oxford. The colleges to be founded were University Archbishop Stephen Langton at a specially modern town hall is still on the site. College, Balliol and Merton. Merton convened council on 17th April and College, the first fully self-governing Investigation into the location of a charged with heresy. The punishment for college in the University, was founded in medieval synagogue in Oxford indicates a heresy was death by burning and was duly 1264 by Walter de Merton, sometime site on the right of St. Aldate’s, opposite carried out. The importance of the case Chancellor of England and later Bishop of Pembroke Street, where the north-west was its legal implications. For as far as is Rochester. He bought part of the land for corner tower of Christ Church's famous known this was the first case of heresy

4

being punished by burning in England instead of Saturday and Jewish students decision was to insert an unalterable and it set a precedent for the later spent the Sabbath at the Roth family clause in the Memorandum of Association religious retribution against those who home so that they could enjoy no of the Company stating that the building turned against the official religion in advantage over their fellows by asking must be made available for 'all forms of Tudor times. what the questions had been. Public Jewish worship'. The 'default' services are schools were encouraging Jews to apply Orthodox, run by a 'religious services In 1290 under Edward I the Jews of for student places, and several moved on committee' in accordance with halachic Oxford, like those of the rest of England, to higher degrees and posts within the principles and long-standing local custom. were banished from the kingdom. University. The synagogue was rebuilt in 2005 with a Gradually many had already found new wing for classrooms and a student sanctuary abroad or in other cities in the lounge for the Oxford University Jewish country and only some ten families were ...allowing Society. left. Most of their property passed to examinations to be Balliol College. But one Jew at least taken on a Sunday The Oxford Chabad House opened in remained in Oxford teaching at the Cowley Road in 2001, with a new student University, though he had to convert to centre in George Street. The first mikvah Christianity to do so. This was a learned The years leading up to World War II since medieval times was built in 2006, Jew called Jacob (later James) Wolfgang brought European scholars and students not far from the original one at Magdalen who taught Hebrew at the University. He to Oxford (among them Albert Einstein) College. Jewish life in Oxford is thriving was followed by another, one Jacob and when the war was over, many coming with many young Jews attending the Barnett (see Westminster Quarterly, out of the forces turned to Oxford to University who need a Jewish ‘home’ January 2013) who escaped on the eve of continue their education or to begin it during their studies, and the ancient his conversion and fled to France. Others anew. In 1966 a new college was founded traditions of university life and of Judaism are known to have participated in in Oxford by a Jewish philanthropist, Sir itself are being enthusiastically upheld. academic pursuits, always having to Isaac Wolfson, and named after him. Its ______convert to do so. first President was Sir Isaiah Berlin. As early as 1667 an edition of the Mishnah The Jewish community in Oxford was not was printed at Oxford by the Clarendon slow to offer both a religious life and a Press, followed by other Biblical treatises social one to students and to those making and a Hebrew book on chess. However, their home in Oxford. The old synagogue, when they were readmitted to England in not in good shape, offered services 1665 the Jews once again were able to catering to most different aspects of contribute more fully to the University Jewish religious life, and the community though they were not admitted as offered kosher food to students and to any undergraduates until the passing of the others who wanted it. There is no rabbi The memorial stone laid to University Test Act of 1871. The first Jew but services are held on a regular basis commemorate the remains to be elected a fellow was Samuel with the help of both students and lay Alexander at Lincoln College in 1882. The leaders. The B'nai B'rith Hillel The story of Oxford and its Jews does not University owes much to its connection Foundation bought a site next to the end here. In June of this year members of with Jewish scholars and its fellow synagogue which by now was in a very Oxford University’s Magdalen College townsfolk. poor state. Funds were raised for a new attended a ceremony to reinter Jewish building on the same site and a company remains believed to date to 1190, when The few members of the Jewish trust was formed to administer the Oxford part of the site on which the college was community left in Oxford after the Jewish Congregation. A crucial additional built was a Jewish burial ground. expulsion kept a low profile. Those who did remain either converted to The remains were discovered at the Christianity or were careful to show little college during recent building works and, trace of their religion. After the after some investigating, the College readmission some returned, but the hold established they belonged to members of that Christianity had over the University the Oxford Jewish community. A short prevented much openly Jewish activity. ceremony was led by Rabbi Norman By the twentieth century however, with Solomons and representatives of the university places open to all, the Oxford Heritage Committee and the community began to flourish. In 1932 Sir Oxford Jewish Congregation. Kaddish Isaiah Berlin was awarded a fellowship at was said and there is now a All Souls College, and in 1939 Cecil Roth commemorative plaque to mark the first became a Reader in Jewish Studies. He Members of Oxford University’s Jewish cemetery in Oxford. was responsible for allowing Magdalen College attending the Philippa Bernard examinations to be taken on a Sunday ceremony to reinter Jewish remains

5 Anglo -Jewish History Licoricia of acquire at that time as a moneylender. year, received her dowry back, plus the amount specified as her inheritance in the The most notable English Jewish woman Winchester Ketubah of her marriage to David. The of her time, Licoricia married twice. Her price of her repurchase of all the debts first husband was one Abraham, son of (?-1277) owed to David was set at five thousand Isaac of Kent, and all we know of the marks, of which four thousand was to go to marriage is that it produced three sons and the special exchequer established at that she was widowed in about 1234. After Westminster Abbey for the building of a Abraham’s death, she continued to accrue chapel to house a new shrine to Edward wealth and influence. The first the Confessor. Despite the huge fine that documented evidence of her lending, she had paid to the King for David’s however, is in the early 1230s. Her clients chattels, Licoricia had been left in control included the King’s brother-in-law, Simon of enough wealth - both her own and de Montfort. She also financed farmers David’s - to enable her to engage in and lesser barons, as well as providing substantial and widespread business informal pawn-broking and household activities. She remained an active lending to local gentile women. moneylender for the next thirty years or

Eventually, she met one of the wealthiest more. Many of her clients were members of all English Jews at that time, David of of the royal family, the aristocracy, and the Oxford. They married in 1242 - perhaps to Church. She also lent to other Jews, local

consolidate their two businesses. David landowners, and small farmers. Licoricia’s The statue of a prominent thirteenth had to divorce his wife Muriel in order to name consistently appears in the financial century Jewish businesswoman is to be wed Licoricia. There was a complicated records of the time, often with one of her erected in Winchester to commemorate a and protracted battle over the divorce sons, in disputes over business matters. ‘woman of national significance’ and which involved Muriel and her supporters, These disputes appear in the Calendar of celebrate the city’s Jewish roots. The the English Beit Din, the Paris Beit Din, Rolls of the Jewish Exchequer and in other maquette was unveiled in April of this King Henry III, and the Archbishop of official records. Her business dealings year. The statue of Licoricia of Winchester York! Although the Paris Beit Din declined extended over southern and southwestern will be erected on Jewry Street near where David’s petition for divorce, King Henry England and, until her later years, she she lived. It will be a life-size bronze intervened. He denounced the French moved regularly around the country sculpture depicting the businesswoman rabbi’s veto and decreed that no-one managing her assets. with her youngest son Asher, at the age of should interfere with the divorce. To Licoricia’s dismay, Muriel, as part of four, holding her hand. As twenty-first her divorce settlement, had received a century women are fighting for equal pay, house very near to the home in which the discovery that in the thirteenth century She dealt with members David and Licoricia had been living. This there were Jewish women in England who of his court as well as is probably why she returned to were running their own businesses, has Winchester, the place where she had come as a revelation. with the King himself grown up. There, she began to carry on

In 1200, there were about 5,000 Jews with David’s business enterprises and start living in England. They were considered The couple settled in Oxford and they had new ones of her own. She frequented King to be chattels of the King, forbidden to a son, Asher. Although the two continued Henry’s court whenever he was in leave the country without permission. to conduct their affairs separately, their Winchester. She dealt with members of his However, they were free to travel around marriage effectively created a thirteenth- court as well as with the King himself who, England and to live wherever they chose. century power couple. However, two is it said, aided her in some of her more There is evidence that there may even have years after this, in 1244, David died. questionable activities. One of these cases been Jews here in the fourth century, as an Immediately, all the official records of the occurred in 1253 when she was taken to oil lamp with the design of a Menorah was debts owed to him were sealed and taken court by the heir of Sir Thomas of discovered in a gravel pit. to the Jewish Exchequer for assessment. Charlecote, for retaining custody of his late In order to prevent any attempt at father’s estate which had been pledged to Some Jews chose to settle in Bedfordshire, interference and, as strange as it may now her. Because the King had given her and it was there, sometime towards the seem, by standard procedure the King sent permission to occupy it for three times beginning of the thirteenth century, that Licoricia to the Tower of London while his longer than the normal permitted period, Licoricia of Winchester (what a delicious accountants assessed David’s estate and he attempted to remove her from the name!) was born. There are no records of exacted the King’s official one-third jurisdiction of the court but was not her early life other than the fact that her tranche. completely successful. Although likely to father’s name was Isaac. Her story have been guilty of at least one of the illustrates the extent of the wealth and Licoricia endured her time in the Tower allegations, Licoricia parried by publicly influence that a Jewish woman was able to with patience and on her release later that

6 Anglo-Jewish History accusing the younger Thomas of continued to be an inveterate letter- murdering his own father and forging the Simon Waley writer to the press, with several letters to deed. Once again, the King himself came (1827-1875) The Times, under the name W. London. to Licoricia’s aid. It was, after all, in his He advocated Boulogne as the postal interest to enhance the royal incomes. route between England and Europe.

Eventually, Licoricia was found guilty, but Boulogne was a favourite French town of before the court could arrive at its own Simon and his family where he spent penalty, the King interceded and limited much time on holiday and in his her fine to half a mark. retirement. From 1843 he was the official correspondent for England of the Licoricia’s ease of access to the King was chamber of commerce there. an asset to the Jewish community and individual Jews often turned to her to In 1858 Simon Waley contributed a series intercede for them. In 1258, Belia of of letters on A Tour in Auvergne which Bedford, another Jewish moneylender was afterwards included in Murray's who had been a partner of Licoricia’s in a Handbook to France. For nearly a

Winchester deal in 1234, sent Licoricia a quarter of a century he was honorary precious gold ring as a gift to the King. The Waley family is one of the ancient secretary of the Jews' Free School, and The ring was mislaid and Ivetta, a Anglo-Jewish aristocratic families who conducted the entire correspondence neighbour, accused Licoricia of stealing it. could date their ancestry, though not between the school and the government’s Licoricia was again sent to the Tower their name, back almost to the Board of Education. while the accusation was investigated. She readmission of the Jews to England in Simon Waley was a fine musician and was released when Ivetta herself was 1656. Simon Waley’s father, Solomon composer. He received instruction in found to have been the thief. Jacob Waley, seems to have changed his piano from Moscheles, Sir William name from Levi in the nineteenth Despite her success, Licoricia’s end was Sterndale Bennett, and G. Alexander century. Solomon Jacob Levi of tragic. In 1277, thirteen years before the Osborne, and in theory and composition Stockwell, Surrey ‘was granted on the 8th Jews’ final expulsion from England under from William Horsley and Molique. The September,1834, a licence for him and his Edward I, she was found dead in her first musical work published by Waley issue by Rachael, his wife, second home, stabbed in the chest, beside the was L'Arpeggio, a study for piano, daughter of Nahum Hart of Goodman body of her devoted female Christian composed when he was twenty-one. His Fields, Middlesex, by Jane, his wife, servant, Alice. Locks of coffers and other compositions include a piano eldest daughter of Samuel Waley of the strongboxes had been broken off, and concerto, two piano trios, many other same place, to take and use the surname goods were missing, making the crime piano pieces and songs, and some of Waley in lieu of Levi and to bear the appear to be motivated by greed. Three orchestral pieces. He also composed arms of Waley’. men were eventually indicted, but none of hymns for Jewish Sabbaths and festivals, them was convicted, and the murder was Both Simon and his elder brother Jacob several of which were sung at the West never solved. studied at University College London, London Synagogue - the first Synagogue though Simon did not take a degree. in Britain to have an organ - where he A couple of years after her death, Jacob was a distinguished lawyer, one of and his family had long been members. Licoricia’s eldest son, Benedict, who had the first Jews to be called to the Bar, and His son Philip became the Synagogue’s accumulated a sizable fortune in his own a prominent member of the Jewish chairman and was responsible for right before inheriting the bulk of his community. In conjunction with Lionel bringing Rabbi Harold Reinhart to mother’s estate, was accused and Louis Cohen he organised the London England from America in 1929 as the convicted of coin clipping (illegally synagogues into a corporate Synagogue’s Senior Minister. Waley’s shaving metal from gold and silver coins) congregational alliance, known as the songs include Sing on, Ye Little Birds, and summarily hanged. Lumbard, the United Synagogue. On the formation of The Home of Early Love, and Alpine youngest of her sons by Abraham of Kent, the Anglo-Jewish Association he was Shepherds' Song. His setting of Psalms was, by comparison, somewhat of a ne’er- chosen as the first president. 117 and 118 for the Hallel is still used do-well. We know little about him, but he today by many synagogues, as is his seems to have drifted from bad debts to Simon became a prominent member of setting of Adon Olam. petty crime before disappearing in the the Stock Exchange where he was elected record. to the committee, and took a leading part Simon Waley married Anna Salomons, in the emancipation of the Jews from civil the daughter of P.J. Salomons, and they Asher, Licoricia’s son with David, became disabilities. had eight children. Simon died at his a financier like his illustrious parents and home in Devonshire Place, and is buried did very well, but he was driven from One of Simon’s absorbing interests was in in the West London Synagogue cemetery England in the expulsion of 1290. international travel. He was only sixteen in Dalston. when he had a letter on the subject Claire Connick published in the Railway Times. He Philippa Bernard

7 Anglo-Jewish History the more lucrative side of the business, to be returned to prison and a hackney The Real Fagin? buying and selling stolen goods from a cab was called to take him there, small shop in Bell Lane, Spitalfields and accompanied by several prison officers. When Charles Dickens sold his London known to the London police as the What the officers didn’t know was that house to a Jewish family, Mr. and Mrs. largest dealer in stolen bank notes, with the cab was driven by Ikey’s father-in- Davis, he was asked by them why he had Jewish contacts in the Netherlands. law, who chose a detour via Petticoat made Fagin, the villain of the novel Lane as his route, where, at a It didn’t take long for his exploits to be Oliver Twist, a Jew. He replied that prearranged spot, the guards were abruptly curtailed as the police arrested unfortunately a vile London criminal of overpowered and Ikey made good his him on several occasions; after the first that sort frequently was a Jew. He escape. he came up before the magistrates at the certainly had no anti-Semitic feelings Old Bailey and was sent to Newgate. In The police immediately arrested Ann, towards the Davis’s themselves, 1810 he received the maximum sentence Ikey’s wife, and found in the house remarking, ‘I must say that in all things for pickpocketing - transportation for enough stolen goods to warrant her the purchaser has behaved thoroughly life. He was sent to serve a part of this arrest and conviction. She was found well, and that I cannot call to mind any on one of the rusty old convict ships guilty and transported to Tasmania, occasion when I have had money rotting in the Medway. Dickens may taking her younger children with her. dealings with anyone that has been so have been able to gather background She became a servant to a police officer. satisfactory, considerate and trusting’. research for the story of the convict Meanwhile her husband found a ship Dickens later became quite friendly with Magwich in Great Expectations from bound for Rio de Janeiro and then the family. But the question remained this part of Ikey’s life. In fact Ikey was travelled on, under the name of Sloman, unanswered. never transported but was released, to Tasmania to rejoin his wife. They had While working as a boy of twelve in the perhaps due to an official error; he later several friends among the criminal blacking factory, Dickens became gave himself up to the police and was fraternity there, but he took a small shop friendly with a young fellow-worker by granted a free pardon. the name of Bob Fagin, and took the name for his depiction of one of the greatest blackguards in English fiction.

So much for the name. But the character of the Jewish criminal in Oliver Twist may have come from quite a different source. In 1785 a boy was born to a

Jewish family in Houndsditch named Solomons. The boy, one of nine children, was called Isaac, known always as Ikey, who turned out to be one of the most notorious criminals of his time - fence, robber and pickpocket. He probably learned his trade from his father Henry who went to prison for dealing in stolen goods. Ikey became a member of a pickpocket gang of Ikey Solomons by a Former Police Officer 1829 youngsters, taking wallets, pocket-books and silk handkerchiefs from It wasn’t long before this inveterate in Hobart, untroubled by the law. unsuspecting passers-by. A handsome criminal resumed his career as a fence However the Governor of Tasmania, who lad, he was not particularly Jewish- and pawnbroker, until in 1827 he was had no reason to arrest him, wrote to looking, which stood him in good stead again arrested for stealing ‘six watches, request a warrant from England. The when he met up with the law as he three and a half yards of woollen cloth, warrant finally arrived after some twelve progressed in his chosen profession. A seventeen shawls, twelve pieces of months and Ikey was rearrested. His prison record described him as being Valentia cloth, lace, bobbinet, caps and solicitor brought him to court under a slender and dark with brown hair and other articles’. By this time he was well writ of habeas corpus, and due to an hazel eyes. known, not only to the police and error on the original writ he was In 1807 Ikey Solomons married Ann judiciary but to the public at large. released. The judge fixed bail at £2,000 Julian at the Great Synagogue – she was Pamphlets were published recounting with four sureties of £500, enormous to be of great assistance to him later. his misdeeds and most of London was sums at that time. Ikey and his friends Gradually Ikey expanded his operations, aware of his activities. He was kept at found difficulty in raising such sums, leaving the pickpocketing to his gang of Newgate until the time of his trial at the and the Governor exercised his own young ruffians and keeping for himself Court of King’s Bench. He was ordered warrant, defying the writ, and sent Ikey

8 to a ship bound for England, escorted, as a special prisoner, by the Chief Constable.

The third trial took place in 1830 to great publicity. The title of one broadsheet read: Adventures, memoirs, former trial, transportation & escapes of that notorious fence and receiver of stolen goods, Isaac Solomons, better known to the public by the cognomen of Ikey Solomons: together with the In a medieval palace, the astrologer - who was Jewish - told the King that his apprehension, trial and subsequent Memorial to Isaac Solomon(s) in mistress would soon die. transportation of Mrs Solomons and her the Jewish section of the Cornelian husband's ultimate re-apprehension in Bay Cemetery in Hobart Tasmania She did. New South Wales. While the identity of its author is unknown, it is claimed the writer The King was furious, certain that it the fear of public condemnation and for a was 'a former police officer in New South was the astrologer’s prophecy that had time cancelled altogether. In an essay in Wales'. caused her death. the Jewish Chronicle in 2013, the author It may have been this that attracted draws attention to the fact that the He summoned the man and said Dickens’s attention as there are showing of David Lean’s version, with ‘prophesy the date when you will die.’ resemblances between the trial of Ikey Alex Guinness as Fagin (perhaps the best) His astrologer thought quickly, Solomons and that of Fagin in Oliver coincided with the formation of the State realizing that whatever he said the King Twist. Fagin’s final appearance before he of Israel, when world opinion of Jews was intended to have him killed. is hanged is described minutely. Referred at a critical point. The film itself was, to merely as 'the Jew', he seems to have no however, of such brilliant quality and the After a second, he said, ‘I can see no personality left, only his race is acting so perfect, that critics were forced date, Sire, but according to the mentioned. We are told that 'he seemed to to explain that it was Dickens’s own charts...whenever I die, your Majesty stand surrounded by a firmament, all virtuosity that had brought it into being. will pass away three days later.’ bright with gleaming eyes' - he is no longer the hunter, but the victim. Ikey was again found guilty of receiving stolen ______goods and transported back to Tasmania.

Here he served time, first of all in Richmond and then in the prison colony in Port Arthur. Upon his release he tried The telephone rings in the Rabbi’s to contact his family but by this time his office: relationship with his wife and some of his children was irretrievably broken. Ann ‘Hello, is this Rabbi Lieberman?’ was sent to a House of Correction but ‘It is’ released on the plea of her daughter, but ‘This is the Charity Commission, could she and Ikey never again resumed any sort of family life. He eventually received his you please help us?’ certificate of freedom in 1844. He died in ‘I’ll try’ 1850 and was buried in the Jewish Ron Moody as Fagin cemetery in Hobart. This burial ground, ‘Do you know Sam Moss?’ Nevertheless when Oliver! the musical, hit the oldest Jewish cemetery in Australia, the London stage in 1960 a new slant on ‘I do’ was closed in 1872 and finally bulldozed in the debate was brought to bear. Fagin had 2002. Some of the graves, including ‘Is he a member of your congregation?’ acquired a charm and warmth he had perhaps that of Ikey Solomons as there is never had before. Ron Moody gave Fagin ‘He is’ a memorial, were moved to the Cornelian a heart. The old Jew saved Oliver from Bay Cemetery in Hobart. ‘Did he donate ten thousand pounds?’ degradation and showed him affection, ******** even love. The Chronicle article says, ‘He will’ ‘With irresistible tunes, the musical Dickens’s delineation of the Jew Fagin, provides a lyrical redemption that makes and the origin of the character, has been him lovable.’ much discussed. The first film of Oliver Twist was due to be distributed in America in 1948, but was delayed due to Philippa Bernard

9 The Arts A Brief History of writing date from about 3000 BCE, to be just as the text is read. A missed letter followed by the Egyptian hieroglyphs in cannot be written in later. There are Jewish Calligraphy about 2800 BCE, and Chinese Kanji some mistakes which are allowed to be (logograms) a thousand years later. corrected and others which are not. A scribe must study the rules of correction. It was from the Phoenician invention of the alphabet that their neighbours, the Only specially dressed skins of kosher early Jews, started to form the Hebrew animals - a calf or a goat - can be used as script. It is interesting to note that the writing material. Papyrus or paper are word alphabet - in everyday use today – not used. Black varnish ink is used for comes from the first two letters of the writing, made of soot, gall, wood resin Hebrew form of script. Hundreds of and blue stone. The written letters shine years before the invention of printing like wood resin. Varnish ink is not water- Hebrew scribes were trained in the use of proof. Since the earliest days, scribes calligraphy, the word coming from the had used pens of reed. In medieval times Greek, beautiful writing. If you ask a kosher bird quills - turkey or goose - A sofer examining a Tefillin scroll sofer (Hebrew scribe) how he came to were widely used. The advantage of a follow his calling, he will usually say, ‘I bird quill is that a scribe can write the was born a sofer.’ And indeed this highly broadest and tiniest lines with one and

specialised and much revered trade does the same quill. Metal quills are not used. As I walked round the British Library’s often run in families. For it is one for Except for Tefillin scrolls, preliminary fascinating exhibition WRITING – which much training is needed, the same marking of the parchment is a Making Your Mark, I was surprised to instruction, method and equipment that compulsory procedure for writing a find no mention of Jewish writing or today still follows a very ancient sacred text and is done manually. The Hebrew calligraphy. There were tradition. The minute and carefully- letters are written under perforated lines. hieroglyphs, cuneiform, samples from drawn lettering, as well as the beautiful, The elements of letters are written from China and Japan, Africa and South intricate, highly coloured illustrations right to left along the nap of the America but it was not until I reached were used for Bibles, prayer books, parchment. Sacred texts are not written almost the end of the display that I came Haggadot, Ketubbot and other sacred from memory, but copied. When writing across a magnificent Ashkenazi documents. The micrography, literally a scribe pronounces out loud every Haggadah from Southern Germany small-writing, is a Jewish form of sentence, and then puts it down. dated to 1430-70, beautifully written and calligrams developed in the ninth Occasionally the sofer signed his work, illuminated in gold and silver; it had century, with parallels in Christianity but usually it is anonymous. One been placed open at the point where the and Islam, using minute Hebrew letters eminent sofer, Jehuda Machabeu, of the four questions are asked, with a tiny to form representational, geometric and seventeenth century, worked in picture of a child being honoured with abstract designs. Amsterdam. One of his books was the the task. But there was little to tell the The calligraphers of the Middle Ages, and last in a large conservation project of story of how the Jewish people came to even later ones, were trained soferim; over 30,000 books carried out for the Ets communicate by means of written their script style was that of the sofer, but Haim Library in Amsterdam (see the documents, though clearly the countries they were commissioned for their skills Westminster Quarterly January 2018). of the Middle East were among the first in decorating sacred books with The project took more than ten years and to put pen to paper – or perhaps one illuminations, enlarged and decorated consisted of damage assessment, should say stylus to clay. letters, and micrography, minute script condition reports, setting up a Just as printing succeeded handwriting, written in geometrical, flower and conservation plan and the carrying out so handwriting succeeded pictography figurative shapes. From the late ninth to of that plan by Elizabet Nijhoff Asser and and pictography succeeded verbal the twelfth centuries, frontispieces were a group of thirty freelance conservators. communication. We can trace back the decorated with carpet pages (full-page Since the Middle Ages and the earliest forms of writing in pictures to the decorations resembling oriental carpets). Renaissance, more beautiful work has Sumerian scribes, using long vertical A sofer works to very strict rules. A emerged from soferim all over the world. tablets of wet clay, the letters or pictures kosher letter is written in ink only, not We are fortunate at Westminster to hold read from top to bottom and right to left. engraved, applied nor printed. Each a fine modern Haggadah illustrated by Just as left-handed children today find letter has to be solid and have no splits. A Yaeli Vogel, a reminder that the art of ‘normal’ handwriting difficult, often split seen with the naked eye makes the calligraphy and illustration is still alive smudging the letters, so right-handed whole letter and text non-kosher. Letters and well. scribes in ancient times found the same mustn’t touch themselves, mustn’t touch problem with the wet clay. The earliest one another or the parchment edge. forms of such cuneiform (wedge-shaped) The letters are written from right to left Philippa Bernard

10 The Arts

The Jewish Music convened at SOAS. This brought together As part of the national Millennium a group of academics, producers and celebrations, the JMI organised a biennial Institute journalists whose work focuses on the month-long Jewish Music Festival at some impact that Nazism and the banning, exile of London’s most prestigious venues. and murder of Jewish composers had on Other highlights in almost thirty years of the development of music in the twentieth the JMI have included new commissions century. The team of experts of the ICSM and many UK premieres, such as a world are dedicated to pursuing and promoting premiere of a Holocaust Oratorio at any initiatives that keep this music alive, Canterbury Cathedral, a Rothschild Soirée from recordings and broadcasts to at one of the family’s stately homes, a exhibitions, publications and whole weekend commemorating the 800th performances. In 2003, a Jewish Music anniversary of the massacre of Jews in Institute library was established at SOAS York, and Yehudi Menuhin conducting comprising printed books and recorded Bloch’s Hebrew Sacred Service, in St Jewish music from all over the world, as Paul’s Cathedral. well as special collections of British Klezmer in the Park To return to Klezmer in the Park, this interest. festival brings together top klezmer Today the JMI at SOAS is recognised as a players from all over the world and invites In 1974, Geraldine Auerbach founded the world centre for Jewish music scholarship musicians from other cultures to join in. Jewish Music Institute – although it was and, with its second incumbent Dr. Abigail originally called the Jewish Music It has seen klezmer combine with African Wood as Joe Loss Lecturer in Jewish Heritage Trust. She was subsequently drums, Gospel singing and youngsters Music, the JMI is able to help scholars from Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds awarded an MBE for her contribution to from all over the world to study Jewish music education. Since then the making music together. music at degree level with its programme organisation, which has charitable status, Everyone experiences the festival in their of bursaries and scholarships. has developed into a far-reaching concern own way. Some young people stay near the whose activities include inter-faith work. Working closely with the Department of bandstand and dance. Others sit on Probably the most high-profile of its Music at SOAS, JMI has also established a deckchairs or rugs to listen and watch. It events is the annual Klezmer in the Park series of summer schools and conferences is open to everyone - Jew and non-Jew, festival, which takes place in Regent’s and inspired a large-scale World Music religious and non-religious. And the Park. However the main thrust is Summer School at SOAS. musicians are not all Jewish either. What education, which covers a lot of ground. a splendid way to promote Jewish culture!

The Jewish Music Institute is an Jennifer Jankel says that the organisation independent Arts organisation. Its aims is hoping to branch out into the Judeo- are to bring Jewish musical culture – Spanish world and eventually to have historical and modern – to the links with the Middle Eastern world of the mainstream of British cultural, academic Mizrachi as well. and social life. It also aims to make the We wish them continued success. study of Jewish music open to the widest possible participation through evening classes, workshops and summer schools.

The current Chairman is Jennifer Jankel, A JMI Summer School Session daughter of the late bandleader Joe Loss. In 1991 Jennifer and her mother founded Claire Connick a Joe Loss Lectureship in Jewish Music. The JMI offers financial support for the

This was first held at City University and study, creation and performance of Jewish then, in 1999 it became a branch of the music. Since 2000 JMI has granted fifty- School of Oriental and African Studies eight National Lottery funded Millennium

(SOAS). The position of the first full-time Awards for projects in Jewish music Jewish Music Lecturer in a mainstream throughout the UK. JMI also awards university anywhere in the world was scholarship places on JMI Jewish music taken by world-renowned Bloch scholar - summer schools, courses and conferences our very own Music Director, Alexander and, over the years, has helped to support Knapp. and nurture the careers of many UK-based musicians and bands working in the area In that same year, JMI International of Jewish music. Centre for Suppressed Music was also

11 The Arts

Antisemitism: It was hard to finish because, regrettably, their other positions - on class, capitalism,

Here and Now every time she thought she was finished, the role of the state, and Israel/Palestine - there would be some other antisemitic are to his liking’. by event that she felt she needed to address. She concludes forcefully on Corbyn as Deborah Eventually, because of deadlines from her Lipstadt follows: ‘Is Jeremy Corbyn an antisemite? publisher, she had to draw a line in the My response would be that that’s the summer of 2018. But, in doing so, she wrong question. The right questions to Published by observed: ‘Sadly, given the unending saga Knopf ask are: Has he facilitated and amplified that is antisemitism, I feel comfortable Doubleday 2019 expressions of antisemitism? Has he been predicting that by the time this book consistently reluctant to acknowledge appears there will have been new expressions of antisemitism unless they examples of antisemitism that should come from white supremacists and neo- have been part of this narrative.’ And of Deborah Lipstadt is the American Nazis? Will his actions facilitate the course she was right - as the attack on the historian and specialist in Holocaust institutionalization of antisemitism Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Studies, who famously prevailed in the among other progressives? Sadly, my Pennsylvania in October 2018 and English High Court in 2000 in a libel suit answer to all of this is an unequivocal yes.’ brought by the Holocaust denier, David numerous other more recent incidents Irving - a trial that was the subject of the confirm. Professor Lipstadt is equally direct throughout the book. She sees no point in 2016 film Denial. In her new book, After beginning with a discussion of how denying ‘that attacks on European Jews, Antisemitism: Here and Now, Professor antisemitism should be defined, Professor particularly physical assaults, come in the Lipstadt shifts from the history of attacks Lipstadt then describes different types of main from radicalized Muslims’. On Ken on Jews to the current undeniable surge antisemites – the hard-core extremist; the Livingstone’s claim that Hitler would have in anti-Semitism. As she explains in her antisemitic enabler; the dinner party been satisfied if the Jews of Europe had opening notes, ‘I try to unpack what we antisemite; and the clueless antisemite. moved to Palestine and that he worked are witnessing. Is today’s antisemitism Readers in the UK will be especially with Zionists in the 1930s to try to achieve the same or different from what we have interested in her discussion of antisemitic this outcome, she first refutes seen before? Where is it coming from: the enablers - a category she defines as people Livingstone’s reading of the historical right or the left? Is it, as some would who may not harbour personal contempt record and then concludes: ‘Critics such contend, all about Israel? Are we seeing for Jews but who, by their statements and as Livingstone who claim there was a antisemitism where it is not? Are others actions, ‘are directly responsible for the collaboration between Nazis and Zionists refusing to see antisemitism where it legitimization of explicit hostility towards do so for one repugnant reason only: to clearly is?’ Jews’. She begins with President Trump - imply that the Jews themselves were which is an ugly story in which she (By the way, the spelling used by complicit in the Nazis’ horrendous documents that his refusal to condemn Professor Lipstadt - antisemitism - is with crimes.’ She also comes down firmly the neo-Nazis who marched in purpose. She rejects using a hyphen against the Boycott, Divestment, and Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017 is, alas, because that would suggest that the bigots Sanctions (BDS) movement. She does so, not the only example of his willingness to are ‘anti’ all Semitic peoples, when in fact not because she believes that the actions tolerate and even cater to antisemites they are anti-Jews. And she rejects using of the Israeli government are beyond when it suits his political purposes. an upper case A because antisemitism reproach. She does so because - even if ‘doesn’t deserve the dignity of She then turns to Jeremy Corbyn. there are BDS supporters who love Israel capitalization’.) Understandably, she does not speculate but believe its government’s policies need In a recent talk that I heard Professor about his personal views. Professor to change and see the BDS as a necessary Lipstadt give in Chicago, she explained Lipstadt instead concentrates on his means to this end – in her view the real that this was a hard book for her to write behaviour – in particular the antisemites objective of BDS is ‘the dissolution of and an even harder book to finish. It was he has defended and been associated Israel as a Jewish state.’ with. Her view is that Corbyn starts with hard to write because, while there was so This is a book that will probably make you ‘an automatic – critics might call it knee- much she wanted to say, she struggled to feel more depressed than you already are, jerk – sympathy for anyone who is or find a way to make the book interesting and which does not provide much appears to be oppressed or an underdog’. and accessible. She finally solved this guidance about what you should do in In the context of the Middle East, this problem - and very effectively - by response to the rise in antisemitism. ‘good guys versus bad guys’ view of the structuring the book as a series of letters Even so, it is a book you should read. in which a hypothetical Jewish student of world leads him to complete and total hers and a hypothetical non-Jewish sympathy for the Palestinian position. If faculty colleague pose questions to her he encounters someone who agrees with Robert Stillman about antisemitism, to which Professor his analysis, that is all that matters – Lipstadt then responds. ‘their Jew-hatred is irrelevant as long as

12 Commentary

Anti-Semitism in surprising that we see such anti-Semitism Lord Harris, for his superb speech and the in the Middle East. Most Arab countries right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Britain today expelled their Jewish populations without Chester. On one occasion, I ran into the notice or compensation some sixty years Peers’ Writing Room, smashed my leg on ago. It is estimated that some 800,000 the table and, I am rather ashamed to say, people were simply expelled from the exclaimed, ‘Jesus!’ very loudly. The right countries in which they had lived - not for reverend Prelate the Bishop of Chester decades but for millennia - simply looked up and said, ‘Can I help you?’ because they were Jewish. Today, he did exactly that.

All the surveys consistently show that the Lord Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi said : UK is one of the world leaders in its ‘Within living memory of the Holocaust, The House of Lords abhorrence of anti-Semitism because anti-Semitism has returned, exactly as it citizens in the UK are tolerant, open, and did in the nineteenth century, just when

welcoming, so how has this been people had begun to feel that they had On July 10 the BBC ran a programme on completely reversed by some political finally vanquished the hatreds of the past. anti-Semitism in the Labour Party. Prior leaders? Has left-wing anti-Semitism Today, there is hardly a country in the to that, on June 20 there was a long risen because antagonism to Israel has world, certainly not a single one in debate in the House of Lords in which made it a rallying cause? I am aware that I Europe, where Jews feel safe. It is hard to Westminster Synagogue President, Lord speak in the presence of the noble Lord, emphasise how serious that is, not just for (Howard) Leigh, was among the notable Lord Sacks, but do not forget that my Jews but for our shared humanity, and speakers. All who spoke congratulated ancestors left the slavery of Egypt - not just for what it represents now, but for Lady Berridge on securing the debate: seeking to live in peace in Israel - well the danger that it signals for the future. A ‘That this House takes note of the before they became Jews. Tragically, the society, or for that matter a political party, incidence of anti-Semitism worldwide’. slur that Zionism is racism has taken hold. that tolerates anti-Semitism - that tolerates any hate - has forfeited all moral Howard began by saying that he was I have not the time to examine the credibility. You cannot build a future on ‘somewhat involved in the Jewish depressing path down which otherwise the malign myths of the past. You cannot community and was constantly deeply good people were led by lies and sustain freedom on the basis of hostility moved by, and in awe of, those people misinformation about Israel and who, like and hate.’ from outside that community who clearly Mr Abdullah Patel recently, may have care about and are prepared to fight anti- allowed this misplaced hatred of Israel to Concluding the debate, Lady Berridge Semitism, as opposed to others who just morph into anti-Semitism. But no one can thanked the Lords for their contributions walk away.‘ deny that it exists, and it is left to the and went on to say ‘There are of course He continued: ‘What is anti-Semitism? bravery of speakers such as those in too many speakers to mention everyone When I was fifteen, Sir Bernard Waley- today’s debate to try to change this flow. individually, but I am sure that all your Cohen, a former Lord Mayor of London, Even more parochially to this House, I am Lordships wish the special envoys all the told me that it was disliking Jews more sorry to say that many members of the best for their meeting on Monday. I hope than was strictly necessary. I speak as Jewish community were hugely that theirs will be a meeting of the super- president of the Institute for Jewish Policy disappointed in the Chakrabarti report, magnificents, as my noble friend Lord Research. The Anti Defamation League which missed a golden opportunity when Polak described them. I draw attention interviewed 53,000 people in ninety-six it could so easily have changed the briefly to my noble friend Lady Warsi’s languages in 100 countries. Sadly, it found attitudes and direction of the Labour comment that we should speak on behalf anti-Semitic attitudes in around a quarter Party. The worldwide fight against anti- of others; many people in today’s debate to a third of all global citizens, even Semitism is a very noble one, but for us it have exhibited that quality. I was very though twenty-seven percent of people must start in this country. Let us hope inspired by the comment of the noble had never met a Jewish person. that it is reinforced by this debate today.’ Lord, Lord Sacks, that freedom cannot be built on the basis of hostility and hate. Somewhat reassuringly, it found that Other Jewish speakers included Lord ninety-nine percent of people in the UK Finkelstein who said ‘I declare my The theme throughout has been, that if had heard about the Holocaust, although interests as a member of Northwood and our citizens, or European citizens, are this dropped to under ten percent in Pinner Liberal Synagogue, a columnist on listening to this debate and have certain other countries. Perhaps not the JC and a consumer of the products of problems, their problems may be the fault surprisingly, seventy percent of people in B&K deli in Hatch End. I thank many of their Government or of the EU; their the Middle East had heard about the noble Lords for wonderful speeches: the problems, perish the thought, may even Holocaust but chose to dismiss it as a noble Baroness, Lady Berridge, the super- be their own fault. But what they are not myth, or as having been greatly magnificent noble Lord, Lord Pickles -- is the fault of the Jews.’ exaggerated. It is, of course, not that is his official title - the noble Lord, The motion was carried.

13 The Arts Solomon Joseph dramatic, theatrical scenes from the French. His ideas were accepted, and mythology and the Bible on large he was asked to set up a team to start the Solomon canvasses. These scenes include some of production of camouflage materials in 1860-1927 his more popular paintings. In 1897 he France. On 31 December 1915, General painted a mural for the Royal Exchange, Haig, Commander-in-Chief of the British London - Charles I demanding the Five forces in France, instructed that Solomon Members at the Guildhall, 1641–42. be given the temporary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel to enable him to One of Solomon's most popular works carry out his new duties. was Samson (1887), depicting a scene Self- from the biblical story of Samson and The new unit's first task was the design portrait 1896 Delilah. This painting is one of few of armoured observation posts disguised Solomon paintings on regular display, at as trees, following the pioneering work of the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. the French Section de Camouflage led by Some other Solomon paintings that have Lucien-Victor Guirand de Scévola. The received significant attention include first British tree observation post was put

Ajax and Cassandra (1886), and The up on 22 March 1916. Solomon was Birth of Love (1896). An innovative effective at the artistic and technical The family connections of this talented portrait artist, he painted Mrs Patrick tasks of designing trees and nets, but not artist reached far and wide. His Campbell as 'Paula Tanqueray' (1894), as a commander. He was replaced in daughter married Ewan Montagu – one her role in Arthur Wing Pinero's The March 1916, instead becoming a of the brains behind Operation Second Mrs Tanqueray, and went on to technical advisor, a role that suited him Mincemeat about which the late Lewis paint a number of portraits of well- better. In May 1916, he was sent to Golden wrote in an article in the July known people, including the architect Sir England to help to develop tank 2010 of this publication. One of his Aston Webb, and later in life, King camouflage. Solomon doubted that tanks nephews was Moss Hart, the American George V, Queen Mary, and the Prince of could be effectively camouflaged since playwright. His sister Lily, who married Wales (later King Edward VIII). Solomon they cast a large shadow. Instead, he the architect Delissa Joseph, was also an was also in demand as a book illustrator, argued for the use of camouflage netting, artist of note. particularly adventure books. In 1914, he with which he gradually became Solomon J. Solomon was a founding wrote The Practice of Oil Painting and obsessed, claiming that the Germans member of the New English Art Club and Drawing. were hiding huge armies under immense a respected member of the Royal nets. Camouflage netting was at first

Academy. Solomon studied at various art considered unimportant by the army; it schools; first at Heatherley School of was not manufactured in large quantities Fine Art, then the Royal Academy until 1917. Eventually, in 1920, he Schools, the Munich Academy, and the published a book, Strategic Camouflage, École des Beaux-Arts. Solomon also arguing this case, to critical derision in studied Hebrew under Rev. S. Singer (of England but with some support from Prayer Book fame). He exhibited his first German newspapers. In December 1916, works when he was only twenty-one, and Solomon established a camouflage school showed at the Royal Academy, the New in Hyde Park, which was eventually taken Gallery, and the Society of British Artists. over by the army. In 1896, he became an associate of the The Solomon family Solomon’s parents were Joseph, who was Royal Academy, with full membership born in London, and Helena, who was following in 1906, one of the few Jewish There was another side to this man’s born in Bohemia. In 1897 Solomon painters to do so. He joined, and became prodigious talent. He made an important married Hyman Montagu’s daughter, president of, the Royal Society of British contribution to the development of Ella, who was just twenty-one. They Artists in 1919. In 1921 ‘Col. S.J. camouflage in the First World War, lived in Hyde Park Gate, just down the Solomon, RA, PRBA’ was listed as one of working in particular on tree observation road from Kent House and they had the early members of the newly-formed posts and arguing tirelessly for three children; Mary who married Society of Graphic Art. camouflage netting. Having originally signed-up at the start of the war as a Ronald Rubinstein, Iris, who married Solomon's painting was greatly private in The Artists Rifles, a home Ewan Montagu (a cousin?) and a son influenced by his teacher at the École des defence corps, he promoted his ideas on Dorian. In 1927, Solomon died, at the Beaux-Arts, Alexandre Cabanel, but camouflage, initially in the press and young age of sixty-six, in Birchington, Frederic Leighton and Lawrence Alma- then directly to senior army officers. In Kent and is buried in Willesden Tadema also made a great impression on December 1915, General Herbert Plumer Cemetery. His widow, Ella, died in 1957. him. Solomon painted mainly portraits arranged for Solomon to visit the front Claire Connick to earn a living, but also painted lines and investigate techniques in use by

14 The Arts

Sir Robert Mayer The Mayers asked Sir Adrian Boult and In 1932, Mayer was one of the founders Sir Malcolm Sargent to conduct these of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, 1879-1995 concerts and to explain each piece in and he also helped found the London advance. Each child was charged a Schools Symphony Orchestra in 1951. shilling admission because, as Sir Additionally, he was involved, with

Robert explained in an interview years Egon Wellesz, in the founding of the later, 'they wouldn't appreciate it International Society of Contemporary otherwise.' Music. He was created a Knight

Bachelor in 1939, and a Companion of Over the next sixty years, the music Honour (CH) in 1973. He was made a offered at the concerts was of a very high KCVO by the Queen in 1979. Sir Robert standard and educational at the same had a son, Adrian - a professor of time - Beethoven's Rondino in E-flat, to anthropology at the University of show how the woodwinds work, for London - a daughter Pauline example, and Mozart's Serenade, to Samuelson, nine grandchildren and two demonstrate the strings. 'You give great-grandchildren. His wife, Dorothy, children good music, well performed, died in 1974. and explain it, and they can't help but like it', Sir Robert said.

Robert Mayer was born in Mannheim, My children’s first concert experience Germany, his father was a brewer. The began with the Robert Mayer Concerts. Blue plaque in very young Robert possessed an These were full-blown orchestral Portland Place, amazing musical talent. At the age of London W1 concerts held in the Royal Festival Hall eight, after two years of study under and were a total delight for children and Felix Weingartner at the Mannheim their accompanying adults. Generations Konservatorium, he gave his first public of English youngsters became piano recital. Three years later he was acquainted with classical music through introduced as a rising young artist to the concerts. Queen Elizabeth - then Johannes Brahms. Music was to remain I remember seeing him regularly in the Princess Elizabeth - went to her first one of the great loves of his life. stalls at the Royal Opera House even Robert Mayer concert at the age of six Nonetheless, his parents insisted he go when he was very old. I was also lucky and Prince Charles attended his first at into business and in 1896, at the age of enough to be at his 100th birthday the age of four with his grandmother, seventeen, he was sent to London to join celebration in 1979 - a gala concert at Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. the prominent banking firm of the the Royal Festival Hall which was However, after twenty minutes, his Seligman family. He became a British attended by Queen Elizabeth II. The fidgeting became so conspicuous that citizen in 1902 and joined the British Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under the Queen Mother had to take him army in the First World War. Bernard Keeffe played music by Ludwig home! Ultimately, he became a very prosperous van Beethoven, Benjamin Britten, Sir Robert and his first wife, the former merchant of industrial metals, which Malcolm Arnold and Jean Sibelius - the Dorothy Moulton, started these concerts enabled his philanthropic works. most requested works as the result of a in 1923. The first of what came to be poll. After the concert Sir Robert made

called the Robert Mayer Children's a speech of thanks from the Royal Box, Concerts was held in Central Hall, in a clear voice, without any notes, Westminster, with 'no adult admitted standing to deliver it.

except in charge of children’, as the In 1980, he married Jacqueline Noble. programme put it. The idea for the Rumours circulating at the time centred concerts grew out of a visit which the on the fact that she would not allow his Mayers paid to New York in 1919. While family to see him. He died at his there, he had what he later described as London home at the age of 105. 'the experience that changed my life', Although Chaim Weizmann referred to when he and his wife attended one of a him as ‘an assimilated Jew’, Mayer series of Saturday-morning children's stated ‘I am a man, not a Jew or a non- concerts conducted by Walter Jew.’ Damrosch. Sir Robert and his wife Portrait by Derek Hill which returned to England determined to hangs in the Royal College of Claire Connick make the same sort of thing available in Music this country.

15 Anglo -Jewish History The Dorking his service in the First World War, when in spite of his Christian surroundings at as naval commander in the Dardanelles Dorking, Erich left a few years later to go

Refugee Campaign, he encountered the Zion Mule to Hasmonean School in London, before

Committee Corps, from which time he became an joining relatives in Israel. He eventually active Zionist. Ralph Vaughan Williams went into the travel trade in England and

eventually directed the work of the Home was knighted for services to tourism. One of the last and youngest children to Office Committee for the Release of Another distinguished member of the arrive in England on the Kindertransport Interned Alien Musicians. He was well Dorking Committee was the writer E.M. in 1939 was Erich (later Sir Erich) Reich, aware of the price he would pay for such Forster. He knew the village of Abinger (a aged four. The tiny boy, all alone, was activities if the Nazis succeeded in few miles from Dorking) well, having taken to London, to the refugee conquering Britain. He was actually stayed there in childhood with an aunt, committee at Bloomsbury House. The supplied by the British government with though he was unsympathetic to the class committee was considering what to do pills of a quick acting poison to be taken if distinctions of village life and at odds with with him, when in walked the the Germans crossed the channel. the local gentry whom he felt had too distinguished composer, Ralph Vaughan Vaughan Williams was also on the much power. But he was friendly with Williams. He was the Chairman of the committee that helped Myra Hess many of the local artistic community and Dorking Refugee Committee and agreed inaugurate the National Gallery in 1934 he wrote the Abinger Pageant, to take the little German boy to Dorking lunchtime concerts. with Ralph Vaughan Williams providing to the home for refugees at Burchett In 1938 the Duke of Newcastle offered the music. Although an important House. Burchett House on the outskirts of member of the Bloomsbury Group, whose Dorking as a hostel, rent-free, for the use attitude to Jews was often questionable, of refugees coming from Europe. Here Forster hated anti-Semitism. In an essay

they received financial assistance, medical of 1939 - Jew Consciousness - he wrote care and help with finding work and that anti-Semitism was the worst and somewhere to live. When they arrived in most shocking evil of all. ‘It was the one

the Surrey town they were greeted by no-one had foreseen at the end of the members of the Dorking Women’s First World War.’ Voluntary Service, given a medical Some 3,000 non-Jewish refugee children examination and a paper bag with rations Sir Erich Reich from South London arrived at Dorking for two days: condensed milk, tinned Station in 1939. Local schools struggled beef, biscuits and chocolate. The Dorking Sir Ralph Vaughan Williams, through his to absorb the influx. Some worked double Congregational Church also helped to find mother’s family, was descended from two shifts, others took lessons outside. The homes for Londoners whose homes had distinguished families, the Wedgwoods children were inspected. Some from been destroyed. and the Darwins, notable in the domains poorer areas were infested with lice: of craft, manufacturing, and science; the Burchett House was specially designated ‘disgusting – you have my sympathy’ composer's maternal grandparents were for child refugees from Nazi Germany. wrote the chairman of South Holmwood Josiah Wedgwood, grandson of the Almost all were Jewish but one family, the School to the Head. But the evacuees also potter, and Caroline Darwin, sister of Kreibichs from Sudetenland, was not and had complaints: one girl was billeted with Charles Darwin. From these eminent it was this family which agreed to foster

philanthropists he inherited a feeling for little Erich Reich. He said later, ‘The his fellow man which led to his working Kreibichs really loved me and looked after on behalf of German musician refugees, me. At the age of five I felt safe with them.

assisting many to safety, including the They were practising Christians. My first distinguished composer Robert Mὓller- memories were of going to church and Hartmann and his family. This seems to Sunday school. They didn't tell me I was

have led in 1939 to his music being Jewish, nor that I was adopted.’ When banned by the Nazi regime, his opposition Erich was about ten or eleven, a young to which he had made quite plain when man in Dorking asked him where the

accepting - after some soul-searching - Kreibichs lived. Erich recalled, ‘My foster the Hamburg prize two years earlier. mother called me. It was my brother He attempted fruitlessly to give the prize Jacques. He didn't recognise me and I Sir Ralph Vaughan Williams

money to the Quaker Relief Agency for didn't recognise him . . . I later refugees. discovered that he had tried to get me out a woman of eighty, others had to sleep on of there through the social workers in the floor. Mothers with young children Vaughan Williams’ ancestor, Francis Dorking, who said that I was very happy were often required to leave host houses Wedgwood, had been interested in the where I was. Why should I be taken to a in the morning, roaming the streets until Jewish people, stemming perhaps from Jewish orphanage? They were right.’ But they were allowed to return at night. The

16

Dorking Nursery School in Junction Road who was one of the Managers. It was The percentage of boys who stayed out of was set up by the Women’s Voluntary managed by a board, whose first Chairman trouble and in employment for at least two Service in early October 1939 to provide a was Sir Meyer Spielman, a school years after leaving was far higher than the place for evacuee children to go during the inspector and a member of a committee national average for Home Office day when many pre-school age children, dealing with child welfare and the after- Approved Schools. who were accompanied by their mothers, care of children. He was knighted in 1928. The building suffered extensive damage were required to leave. In May 1950, the School moved to a when one of the children set fire to it and former mansion house at Peper Harrow, the school eventually closed. near Godalming, and continued to be

known as Park House School. The mansion was transformed. A new sick bay was added and the old conservatory was The house itself has an interesting history. converted to a gymnasium. The school was One owner, Sir Bernard Brocas, was now able to accommodate a greater beheaded on Tower Hill in January 1400 number of pupils. From its for plotting against King Henry IV. The commencement there, and until 1955, it estates were forfeited to the Crown but had a Jewish Headmaster, Albert Gould, E M Forster later restored to Sir Bernard’s son and whose wife, Martha, was the Matron. remained in the Brocas family for a further Albert served as President of the Many of the Jewish refugee families 170 years. Association of Head Teachers of Approved sheltered in Dorking during the war stayed Schools. Passing through the hands of Ralph on there when hostilities ceased. The Peckshall, Master of the Buckhounds to Dorking Museum holds many records of He was also a member of the Board of Edward IV, thence to his son and various their life there, and the town is proud Deputies, and sat on the council of the other owners, the estate came into the today to continue its work for refugees United Synagogue. In 1957, on behalf of possession of John, Earl of Clare, who had from all over the oppressed world. the British Council for Aid to Refugees, he to have a special Act of Parliament passed was made Official-in-Charge of a camp for to authorise its sale to Philip Frowde, Hungarian Refugees at Tidworth, in postmaster-general in the reign of Queen Wiltshire. Anne. From him it was bought, in 1713, by Park House Brodrick - afterwards created Viscount School The regime was Midleton and Speaker of the Irish House progressive and of Commons. enlightened The house was completely rebuilt by the

third Viscount, though the work was not completed until after his death in 1765. The regime at Peper Harrow was The estate remained in the Brodrick family progressive and enlightened and, when the in unbroken succession to the ninth school’s intake dropped below the agreed Viscount Midleton, who was responsible number, the Home Office requested that for additions to the house in 1930. A large some non-Jews be accepted as a part of the planning for the Dieppe raid temporary measure. This arrangement and the Normandy invasion took place became permanent and after World War here. After the Second World War, it was II, the average number of Jewish boys Founded in 1923 as an approved school for the headquarters of the Canadian steadily declined to single figures. For delinquent Jewish boys from the ages of Ordnance Corps. instance, in 1965 there were only eight fourteen to eighteen, the purpose of Park Jewish boys out of 206 pupils. On the death of the ninth Viscount House School was to equip the lads with a Midleton, by then raised to the title of trade and to prevent them from re- When the Goulds retired, despite the fact Earl, the house was sold by his son to the offending. Later, it became one of the new that non-Jews now comprised the majority managers of Park House School. However, institutions introduced by the 1933 of pupils, Jews remained predominant on the farm and largest part of the lands were Children and Young Persons Act to replace the board, which was chaired by Godfrey sold to a Mr Fuller. the existing system of Reformatories and Isaacs, who died in 1980. There was still Industrial Schools. It accommodated up to one Jewish staff member, Mr. Popeck. Mr In 1998 the house was again sold - this forty boys and the industrial training at Popeck taught tailoring and also led the time to a developer - and was subsequently the School included cabinet-making, Jewish boys in religious services in the split into nine flats. motor engineering and tailoring. It was School synagogue which had once been a established in Hayes End, Middlesex and private chapel. was consecrated by Sir Basil Henriques,

17 History within the Synagogue premises for Mr. his flat, and he revealed little of what he

Pioneers of Bradley, where he could be part of the did outside of ‘office hours’. He was once Westminster congregation and yet have his own heard singing Some day my prince will domestic arrangements. It was not long come, and he was believed at one time to Synagogue before the area at the far end of the have a cat - though it never had the run ground floor, beside the kitchen, was of the house. He was closely associated 1. Cecil Bradley turned into a comfortable furnished flat. with St. Paul’s Cathedral and seemed Few were admitted to Mr. Bradley’s perfectly at ease sharing his affections private sanctum, and the congregation between Cathedral and Synagogue. respected his solitary though contented Cecil Bradley served Westminster existence. Synagogue for nearly thirty years before It was not long before Mr. Bradley retiring to Eastbourne. He died on 23rd

became an essential part of Synagogue April 1992, the birthday of William life. He was always immaculately dressed Shakespeare and St. George’s Day. He even when wearing his baize apron, as would have found that appropriate.

efficient when scrubbing the marble floor

as when greeting congregants on a Saturday morning. He knew every

member by name, though not all who

visited Kent House met his high standards of behaviour. When asked, on

occasion, how an event had been, he was wont to say that some of the visitors ‘were not our sort of people’. When we bought Kent House in 1960 it was obvious that the congregation would He took great pride in his Kent House need a resident caretaker. This would not kingdom; the floors shone, the silver be an easy job; the house was large and in sparkled, the table linen was always poor condition. The candidate would spotless. If one could liken him to any have to live in it alone, and it was not professional, it might be that he played suitable for a family man. In fact it was the part of ‘a gentleman’s gentleman’. No not at that time suitable for any resident. job was too much for him. He would We advertised for a single man, one who undertake dangerous climbing of ladders could act as handyman, cleaner, to change light bulbs or to clean windows, A Victorian kitchen much like that receptionist, telephonist, secretary, and much to the concern of the congregants. of Kent House in the early days. shammas. We found the answer to our On one occasion, over the age of seventy, prayers - Mr. Cecil Bradley. he was found sixty feet up in a large tree

in the front garden, pruning it. Mr. Bradley - never Cecil - had previously The Victorian worked at Norwood. Not a Jew, he was a Mr. Bradley kept ‘his’ kitchen like that of safe - still in confirmed bachelor, a church-going Downton Abbey. There were huge use but not to Christian and a man of integrity, with a wooden plate racks over the enormous store silver! sense of humour, a love of Jews and porcelain sinks. The cupboards were all

Jewish life and able to turn his hand to lined with green baize and above the door anything. He and Rabbi Reinhart became there was one of those boxes with little close friends. They respected each other’s bells to summon staff to various quarters calling and their work at the Synagogue of this former stately home. And then

dovetailed like perfectly fitting pieces of there was the safe! Mr. Bradley was very fine mahogany. He liked to tell of his first strong, in spite of his small stature. He interview at Kent House. The door was was the only one who could open and opened to him by Rabbi Reinhart in his close those extremely heavy doors. All shirtsleeves. Hardly had he stepped over the synagogue’s beautiful silver was kept The makers’ the threshold when he was asked to hold in the safe, always shut except when the mark - some wood steady for the rabbi’s contents were needed. No biscuits or L W Baily & carpentry efforts. They became friends at lemonade in the safe in those days! Sons once. Mr. Bradley’s private life was something 71 Gracechurch The first thing was to make a good home of a mystery. He seldom had visitors to St

1 8 Poetry Page

OVID AND TIME

Time that was ahead is now behind - Ovid

Time that was ahead is now behind... me I, the human being aware that time is ahead and behind I, for whom Time progresses in relation to my life I, unaware of progressing as progressing with Time I, who exist in Time and through whom Time exists I, who divide Time into Past, Present, Future Divisions to measure my progress from birth to death Time and Life locked in a cycle of destructions and renewals

And I think about man through Time Man who is not just another aspect of nature Man through whom life acquires a spiritual dimension Man who evolves on several conscious levels Man who transforms sounds into words Meaningful words encapsulating life Life communicated through sounds/words Sounds, words, images committed to man’s memory Transcends, outlives, immortalises

Colette Littman

19 History

The Burning of Books Some religions, such as Zoroastrianism, claim fire to be a part of their belief. As

time went on the same treatment was handed out to other precious collections of books in many parts of the world, such as

the burning of the Library of Alexandria in about 49 CE, one of the greatest collections of written material ever assembled; during

the Mongol invasion of Baghdad in 1258, the House of Wisdom was destroyed along with all other libraries in Baghdad. It was

said that the waters of the Tigris ran black for six months with ink from the enormous quantities of books flung into the river. The burning of the books in the Qin Dynasty Another interesting early account of Jewish

books being burned was the story of Rabbi One of the earliest known incidents of the In 168 BCE, the Seleucid monarch Antioch Nachmanides, who in 1263 held a destruction of books by fire was that of the IV, ordered Jewish 'Books of the Law' disputation with the Dominican monk library of Ashurbanipal in Nineveh in 612 found in Jerusalem to be 'rent in pieces' Pablo Christiani who had himself BCE (see Westminster Quarterly, January and burned - part of the series of converted from Judaism. It was held 2019). In the Hebrew Bible the book of persecutions which precipitated the revolt before the King, James I of Aragon, who Jeremiah tells the story of the burning of of the Maccabees. declared he had never heard ‘an unjust the scroll written by the scribe Baruch ben cause so nobly defended’ and awarded the Under the Emperor Hadrian, the teaching Neriah at the dictation of the prophet, by Rabbi a prize. However, the Dominicans of Judaism was forbidden, as, in the wake king Jehoiakim in the seventh century BCE. claimed the victory, and Nachmanides felt of the Bar Kochba Rebellion, the Roman Visitors to the exhibition of the Terracotta compelled to publish the controversy. The authorities regarded such teaching as Army, the collection of terracotta Dominicans asserted that this account was seditious and tending towards revolt. sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi a blasphemy against Christianity. Haninah ben Teradion, one of the Ten Huang, the first Emperor of China, Nachmanides admitted that he had stated Jewish Martyrs executed for having defied marvelled at this form of funerary art many things against Christianity, but he that ban, is reported to have been burned buried with the Emperor in 210–209 BCE had written nothing which he had not used at the stake, together with the forbidden with the purpose of protecting him in his in his disputation in the presence of the Torah Scroll from which he had been afterlife. But they may not have known King, who had granted him freedom of teaching. According to Jewish tradition, that the Emperor is also renowned for speech. The justice of his defence was when the flame started to burn himself and being the destroyer, by burning, of a recognized by the King and the the Scroll he still managed to say to his magnificent library of books. He ordained commission, but to satisfy the Dominicans pupils, ‘I see the Scrolls burning but the that the scholars who wrote the books Nachmanides was exiled and his pamphlet letters fly up in the air’ – a saying should also lose their lives. His purpose, it was condemned to be burned. considered to prove the superiority of ideas is believed, was to prevent historical over brute force. The Spanish Inquisition too, better known references to his predecessors who may perhaps for the burning of Jews, needed to have been more illustrious than himself. This symbolic censorship of written works eradicate the writings which tended Qin Shi Huang was only an early example to eliminate ideas, unacceptable to a towards heresy. In 1490 a number of of many state-inspired destructions of political or religious power, is therefore a Hebrew Bibles and other Jewish books libraries from ancient times to the present very ancient system of censorship, existing were burned. In about 1500 some 5,000 day. long before the invention of printing, when Arabic manuscripts, including a school ‘books’ were scrolls or tablets and multiple Jewish writings have been the subject of library, were consumed by flames in a copies had to be written by hand. book burning throughout the ages. public square in Granada, on the orders of Destruction by burning carries with it the Josephus tells the story of a Roman soldier Cardinal Ximénez de Cisneros, Archbishop notion of purification, an attempt to banish seizing a Torah Scroll and, ‘with abusive of Toledo, excepting those on medicine, evil by fire in order to replace it with and mocking language’, burning it in which are conserved in the library of El another unsullied system of thought. The public. This incident almost brought on a Escorial. same search for redemption was the general Jewish revolt against Roman rule, punishment meted out to those whose way In England, in the sixteenth century, the such as broke out two decades later. of life conflicted with the state or the nation was embroiled in the newly However, the Roman Procurator, church in command at the time, such as established Protestant religion. Even Cumanus, appeased the Jewish populace the battles between Catholics and before Henry VIII’s divorce provoked the by beheading the culprit. Protestants, or the Spanish Inquisition.

20

break with Rome, a law passed by the Costa, was burned in public by joint action purpose is to denigrate the origin, the English Parliament under King Henry IV of the Amsterdam Jewish Community and spirit and the culture of the German Volk; in 1401 - De Heretico Comburendo - was the city's Protestant-dominated City books that advocate art which is decadent; intended to stamp out heresy and in Council. The book, which questioned the writings on sexuality and sexual particular the Lollard movement, fundamental idea of the immortality of the education; literature by Jewish authors, followers of John Wycliffe. The law stated soul, was considered heretical by the regardless of the field; popular that ‘...divers false and perverse people of Jewish community, which entertainment literature that depicts life a certain new sect … make and write excommunicated him, and he was and life's goals in a superficial, unrealistic books, [and] do wickedly instruct and arrested by the Dutch authorities as a and sickly sweet manner, based on a inform people’. The law's purpose was to public enemy to religion. bourgeois or upper class view of life; utterly destroy all ‘preachings, doctrines, pornography and explicit literature by and opinions of this wicked sect. Jewish authors; all books degrading Therefore, all persons in possession of German purity. This was a books or writings of such wicked doctrine comprehensive assessment of much of the and opinions’ were ordered to deliver literature written before the Nazis came to them to the diocesan authorities, within power. forty days of the law being enacted, to let The blind writer Helen Keller published them be destroyed. Those failing to give an Open Letter to German Students: 'You up their heretical books would face the may burn my books and the books of the prospect of being arrested and having best minds in Europe, but the ideas those their bodies as well as their books burned. books contain have passed through The first public burning of books in this A public burning of books in Berlin, millions of channels and will go on.' This country is believed to be the destruction of in front of the University on vast destruction of books has come to May 10, 1933 Martin Luther’s writings. The London represent an important feature of the merchant Thomas Sommers was caught Holocaust. Few can have imagined in the with some banned books in 1513 when it However, it is perhaps the burning of 1930s that Germany’s book burning would was illegal to own an English translation books by the Nazi regime that is most precede the wholesale slaughter of human of the Gospels and he was made to take memorable in view of the treatment of the life. part in their destruction. A few years Jews that followed. On April 8, 1933, the later Bishop Tunstall of London ordered Main Office for Press and Propaganda of the burning of William Tyndale's English the German Student Union proclaimed a Book translation of the New Testament; the nationwide ‘Action against the Un- burning Bishop claimed that Tyndale's version was German Spirit’, which was to climax in a memorial. filled with lies and errors. The dissolution literary purge or cleansing by fire. Among Frankfurt of the monasteries was also responsible the authors whose works were burned for the destruction of some of the included Einstein, Herman Hesse, Karl magnificent libraries they contained. Marx, Heine, Kafka, and even the Kaiser. On May 10, 1933, the students burned The practice of the burning of books by The poet John Milton, whose books were more than 25,000 volumes of ‘un-German those who disagree with their content goes publicly burned in England and France, books’ in the square at the State Opera, on to this day. In 1984 orthodox Jews in explained why authorities down the Berlin; it was treated as a joyous Jerusalem burned copies of the New centuries have seen danger in certain occasion, accompanied by music and Testament; Salman Rushdie's The Satanic books. ‘Books are not absolutely dead dancing, and some 40,000 people heard Verses was ceremonially burned in Bolton things,’ he wrote in his attack on Joseph Goebbels deliver a fiery address, and Bradford in 1988; even Harry Potter censorship, Areopagitica, in 1644, ‘but do ‘No, to decadence and moral corruption. books have been burned in the US on contain a potency of life in them to be as Yes, to decency and morality in family and various occasions since their first active as that soul was whose progeny they state!’ he said. A long list of the types of publication; and in Rome they burned The are.’ Anyone who kills a man, Milton said, books destined for the flames was issued. Da Vinci Code. It is a matter of debate as kills ‘a reasonable creature, God's image; Among them were the following types of to whether, when books appear only in but he who destroys a good book kills literature, as described by the Nazis: the digital form, the eradication of written reason itself’. works of traitors, emigrants and authors works will end. One thing is certain: no The Jews themselves were not entirely from foreign countries who believe they destruction of books, in whatever form innocent of the practice of burning books, can attack and denigrate the new they may appear, will bring to an end despite their claim to be The People of the Germany; the literature of Marxism, man’s infinite capacity for expressing his Book. The 1624 book An Examination of Communism and Bolshevism; literature ideas. the Traditions of the Pharisees, written by with liberal, democratic tendencies and Philippa Bernard the dissident Jewish intellectual Uriel da attitudes; all historical writings whose

21 Editorial

Philippa Bernard’s book Out of the Midst of the Fire - the story of the Czech Scrolls – is being reprinted. It will in fact be a new edition as it now some fifteen years since the book was first published and the Scrolls Trust says that much has happened in that time. An entirely new database has enabled the Trust to maintain contact with the present guardians of the individual Scrolls, and to receive news of local events concerning them from all around the World. Modern research in the Czech Republic and from America has shed fresh light on the subject and this second edition contains a new foreword and additional photographs.

At this year’s Shavuot Supper the contribution of the younger members of the congregation was noticeable and greatly appreciated. They happily helped with the serving (and clearing away!) and generally added to the success of the evening. Judging from their attendance on Friday evenings as well as Saturday Services, we are delighted to sense that the future of Westminster Synagogue is safe.

On 18th August the BBC ran two stories, one of which was on the Jews of Majorca - which had appeared in our July issue (we got there first!) the other was a fascinating note about Prague. This concerned Leo Pavlat, ‘the owlish bearded director’ of the Prague Jewish Museum, who has visited Westminster Synagogue. Pavlat told the BBC reporter how he found a pile of cobblestones ‘something about them caught his eye and he bent down for a closer look. They were fragments of Jewish tombstones that had been cut into perfect cubes of granite’. One bore fragments of a date, 1895. Another bore three letters of the Hebrew alphabet - He, Vav, Bet, - the gold paint which lined the chiselled inscriptions blinking in the winter sun. Pavlat was asked what he wanted the City to do. ‘The gravestones can never be put back together’, he said. He’d like the City to put up a small plaque, that would remind people of the once-vibrant Jewish life here.

In case anyone thinks that the preparation of a new Prayer Book is always a serious business we quote some extracts from correspondence on the subject:- Valery: In the preparation of the new Machzor for Yom Kippur, those of us who worked on it learned a tremendous amount. For example, would the use of ‘thee’ and ‘thou’ re-open an old can of worms? Among many conundrums* is a puzzle of the English language. What is the defining distinction between ‘thou doest’ and ‘thou dost’? *For any pedants, both ‘conundrums’ and ‘conundra’ are correct plurals. Philippa: I don’t think Jews can open cans of worms – they are certainly not kosher, however Progressive we are. Regarding the pedantry qualification for being on the committee, is anyone on the committee under the age of 35? If not, why not? Where are our future pedants? Chris: Can anyone on the committee not be a pedant? I thought that was a basic requirement of the job specification. Valery: As Philippa suggests, we need to start recruiting the pedants of the future! Lunch & learn may be the place to start.

22

Community Matters Education Report course of improvement by following the redemption. They do not go for the easy path of teshuvah. The word teshuvah, fix. Instead, the path is circuitous. often translated as repentance, actually Progress takes time. Progress sometimes means ‘return’. Paradoxically, we achieve moves backwards. this progression by moving backwards, When we put ourselves on this path, we by returning to something. are putting ourselves on a course, not

During the Torah service, we evoke this towards forward motion, per se, but path, when we sing the words of etz towards change, that both evokes our chaim hi - It is a tree of life. We talk tradition and builds to a brighter future.

about how the Torah - our books of In Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Jewish wisdom - are paths of Growing Up, Jerry Colonna describes pleasantness. purchasing a pair of shoes with his As Tractate Ta’anit points out, ways - daughter. When they are at the car park

habits - are actually improved not on the way home, she realises that she We welcome Yael Roberts - our new through the surface work of path- actually wanted a different pair. And he Director of Community Education walking, but through the deep work of takes her back to get that other pair. They reaching backwards to the root of who we return the first pair. Yael has a hugely impressive educational are, and asking the difficult questions. background and has shown great This story struck me, because as a child, The Maggid of Mezritch, an eighteenth commitment in her career both to Jewish my parents didn’t allow us to ‘return the century Hasidic Rabbi, even writes about Education and to driving community shoes’. We were asked to continue looking closely at every thought we have engagement across all age groups. She onwards without regretting previous and asking where it is coming from, or as joins us from the Movement for Reform decisions, without returning to the key he calls it ‘returning it to its root’. Judaism where she was the Young moments where more than just a pair of Adults Community Organiser (the role What is really driving us, our thoughts, shoes were at stake. ‘Returning’ is the art that Rabbi Benji held prior to joining us) our habitual modes of being? of not just returning a purchase, or and has previously been the Lead returning to a previous decision in The idea of returning to a root takes us Educator and Hebrew Co-ordinator at reflection, but the ability to take back back to the etz chaim prayer - it is a tree the North Western Reform what we’ve done wrong, to re-credit our of life - and its ways are ways of Synagogue. Yael has a degree in Judaic accounts with new habits, to seek out pleasantness. But what lies at the root of Studies from Yeshiva University and has alternative models and makes of being, to the tree, the root of our Jewish practice studied at the Pardes Institute of Jewish take our heaviest baggage back to where and lives? What brings us back again and Studies. She also has an MA from the we found it, and own up to it. again, to this building and to this University of the Arts, London. community? Which leaves me with a few questions, which I invite you to reflect on as well for The word derech is composed of three this season of teshuva: Here is Yael’s first message. letters - dalet, resh, and chaf. When we pronounce this word (try it now), we can In what ways am I progressing? In what I am very excited to join the team at feel the dalet at the tip of the tongue, the ways am I moving backwards? Westminster Synagogue as Director of resh at the back of the teeth, and the chaf Community and Education. I’m looking What do I return to? What do I not at the back of the throat. Derech, while forward to working with and meeting all return to? being forward looking, is also a of you in the coming months. I offer a few backwards movement - from the outside When do I take shortcuts, when actually, reflections for this time of year, in. It is a progression back in time, the long and challenging path is what’s connected to the High Holidays period. towards our ancestral roots, and a needed? Judaism is a religion focused on the movement from the external world into I am looking forward to continuing to ask derech, or path, whatever denomination our internal selves. questions together and to learning from you affiliate with. Growing up Orthodox At the end of the Torah portion each one of you - students, teachers, in America, we talked often about those Beshalach, we learn that God takes the friends. I hope that the coming months of who left Orthodoxy as ‘off the derech’ (off Israelites the longer way, instead of the working together will bring change and the path) of strictly following halachah shorter one. Some read this as a practical growth, built on deep tradition and (Jewish law). and historical decision to avoid conflict rooted in our truest selves. As Progressive Jews, the path we are on with the Philistines. Others see it from a might be a path towards improving spiritual perspective. The Jewish people ourselves, our community, and the world. do not take shortcuts. They do not go Yet at this time of year, we conduct this directly to the land of Israel, to

23

WESTMINSTER SYNAGOGUE Kent House, Rutland Gardens, London SW7 1BX

Planning Your Diary Contacting the Synagogue

RABBI Rabbi Benji Stanley [email protected] T: 020 7052 9712 Kol Nidre CHAIRMAN OF THE Jeffrey Ohrenstein [email protected] Tuesday 8th October EXECUTIVE

EXECUTIVE Gary Sakol [email protected] Yom Kippur DIRECTOR T: 020 7052 9713

Wednesday 9th October

EDUCATION Yael Roberts [email protected] T: 020 7052 9714 Erev Succot EVENTS & COMMUNICATIONS Jon Zecharia [email protected] Sunday 13th October T: 020 7052 9711 MANAGER

KIDDUSHIM Hilary Ashleigh [email protected] T: 020 7052 9717 Succot Hilary Ashleigh [email protected] Monday 14th October MITZVOT

MEMBERSHIP Darcy Goldstein [email protected] Erev Simchat Torah LIFECYCLE Ben Shaw - PA to the [email protected] Wednesday 20th October ENQUIRIES Rabbinic Team T: 020 7052 9701

CZECH SCROLLS Jeffrey Ohrenstein [email protected] Simchat Torah T: 020 7584 3740 MUSEUM

Thursday 21st October Nivi Chatterjee Duari [email protected] GENERAL ENQUIRIES T: 020 7584 3953/020 7052 9700 Hanukkah first night

Sunday 22nd December EMERGENCIES Monday to Friday: In the first instance, please call Hanukkah last night the Synagogue Office: 020 7052 9710 Evenings and weekends: Sunday 29th December please call +4420 7052 9710. Leave a message and a member of staff will promptly return your call.

Please send letters, articles, photographs or other items of interest for publication in the Westminster Synagogue Quarterly directly to the Synagogue office or e-mail to [email protected]

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