In glorious sunshine, the 2009 European Days of Jewish Culture and Heritage opened with a flourish with the lilting, rhythmic sounds of the Jewish Music Institute’s ‘Klezmer in the Park’.

However, the very success of ‘Klezmer’ impacted on the East End and though a couple of the walks were well supported and, indeed applauded, the synagogues were a little quieter than usual.    

Further afield, the tour of Willesden Cemetery and other events, spread over the ten-day period, were well patronised.   Within London, the Spiro Ark held three events based on our theme, ‘Celebrations and Traditions’.  Visitors to the London Metropolitan Archives (a first-time participant) were fascinated to learn about the records of the London Jewish community dating from the 17th Century and even how to trace one’s own family or organisation’s records.   There was also a chance to see the small collection of Judaica at the Museum of London.

The West End synagogues, some of them displaying a table set for Shabbat, welcomed their usual numbers.   Great interest was shown this year in the exhibition of the Czech Memorial Scrolls (rescued from the former Czechoslovakia) at the Westminster Synagogue.

Ealing Synagogue, another first-time participant, celebrating its 90th anniversary, held an extremely successful Fashion Show and opened its doors on both Sundays.  New London Synagogue’s beautiful Selichot Concert and Service attracted a large, appreciative congregation.  New London was also a focal point on the walk conducted by Clive Lawton, round the St. John’s Wood synagogues, on ‘The Great London Jewish Argument’, (a historic landmark in Anglo-Jewish history, leading to a break-away from the established United Synagogue and the formation of the Masorti Movement).  Marking its 70th anniversary, Belsize Square Synagogue, founded by German Jewish refugees in 1939, screened a BBC documentary on the experiences of the children of survivors and refugees, followed by a discussion with some of the interviewees in the film – a moving, poignant evening, revealing deep psychological reactions.

The interest shown on Heritage Day in the Jewish Military Museum last year encouraged them to open on the occasional Sunday during the year and, once again, they welcomed many people keen to know about the Jewish contribution to the British Armed Services.

The Jewish contribution to public life was again highlighted in the tour of both Houses of Parliament, led by Lord Janner, who seemed to know everyone in the House and even introduced us to a former Leader of the Opposition, Sir Ian Duncan-Smith. The tour had been heavily over-subscribed so Lord Janner kindly offered to lead another one at a later date.

London’s East End produced many Jewish writers and artists who became an integral part of the British literary and artistic scene.    Their contribution was shown in the first exhibition at the Whitechapel Art Gallery after its recent refurbishment, ‘The Whitechapel Boys’,  during which a memorable evening on the ‘University of the Ghetto’ (the former Whitechapel Library), delightfully chaired by Professor Lisa Jardine, daughter of Dr. Jacob Bronowski, brought together Sir Arnold Wesker, Bernard Kops and Bill Fishman and others, who read from their own works, some of which were illustrated by film – a ‘sell-out’ weeks in advance!

Outside London, major centres such as Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Leeds attracted large attendances. In particular, a spectacular event, with talks, exhibitions, music, dance and food, organised jointly by B’nai B’rith, Leeds Museum Services and the Leeds Jewish Representative Council, took place at the new Leeds City Museum.     

The Manchester Jewish Museum, celebrating its ‘Silver Anniversary’, together with Manchester B’nai B’rith, organised a full programme of events on the first Sunday and a week later participated in the Cheetham Multi-Faith Festival – always a great success; and in Liverpool, not only were several full tours conducted round the Princes Road synagogue, but the shop did well, too!   Recently restored, the Deane Road Cemetery (Liverpool) also saw many visitors, Jewish and non-Jewish, as indeed did the Delhi Road Cemetery in Hull.

The response of the smaller communities was heart-warming. Chatham’s visitors included a coach-load from London; Cheltenham celebrated the 170th anniversary of its synagogue and the 185th of its congregation, with people visiting from far and wide; Bristol welcomed the President of the Latvian Jewish Community; Cornwall held a popular klezmer concert at the beautiful Trelissick Gardens; Lincoln opened their ancient synagogue and led a heritage trail on both Sundays; and Bradford and Exeter also welcomed numerous visitors.
A group of Christian missionaries, several of whom were of Jewish descent, journeyed some distance to the lovely Victorian synagogue in Reading, in their search for their Jewish identity – and then continued to London to join ‘Klezmer in the Park’.

The Montefiore Synagogue and Mausoleum in Ramsgate achieved star status with hundreds of visitors this year due to the publicity efforts of a knowledgeable local enthusiast.   Nearby Thanet Synagogue, too, had a constant flow of people at their exhibition of Jewish Ritual Objects, as did the Salomons estate in Tunbridge Wells, home of the first Lord Mayor of London, Sir David Salomons.

Jewish Heritage Trails were also conducted round Richmond, Northampton (where there was also an exhibition on ‘The Jews of Northampton’ at the Guildhall) and Brighton.

B’nai B’rith

B’nai B’rith Lodges supported Heritage Days either by organising their own acitivities and/or joining other Lodges’events or visiting historic sites.
          
The Leo Baeck Lodge invited Dr. Margaret Brierley to speak on ‘Jews-Nazis-Nature; Raoul Wallenberg were addressed by Baroness Sarah Ludford, MEP for London on ‘the Jewish Contribution to Human Rights’;  the Finchley & Hendon Lodge, together with the Abraham Lewin Lodge, arranged a coach outing to Beth Shalom, the Holocaust Museum in Nottinghamshire;  First Lodge and the Yitzhak Rabin Lodge were addressed by Kenneth Marks on ‘The Archaeology of Anglo-Jewry in London’;  and the Shlomo Argov Lodge welcomed visitors from the Warsaw Lodge at their Musical Evening introduced by Wally Leaf.

Publicity

For the first time we advertised in the Jewish press, which did produce a response.  Before Heritage Days, articles appeared in ‘The Times’ and ‘Jewish News’ and ‘The Jewish Chronicle’ carried a feature afterwards.   In addition, publicity was given on the jc.com and other websites, JNet Radio, LBC and local radio and press in different parts of the country.

Conclusion

With the increasing participation of national institutions, as well as our outreach to the wider public and their positive response, the scope of EDJCH has grown each year, as people have become far more conscious of their heritage and are now also prepared to travel to sites outside their own areas in order to discover and learn. To quote one of our London walk guides, “We treated ourselves to a day out on the 13th (September) and visited Chatham shul – what a gem!………..Our day continued with another hit, visiting the Salomons Museum….  Without the EDJCH we would never have got to either.”

Report by Valerie Bello, Joint B’nai B’rith UK  National Coordinator of the EDJCH