Establishing the Community

Pupils exercising at the Jews’ Free School. Courtesy of the London Metropolitan Archives.

Over time, the Jewish community grew.  New organisations were set up, providing education, news, and support for Jews around the country.

In 1822, the Jews’ Free School opened its doors in Aldgate, London, with the main aim of turning these foreigners into English men and women. The children were not allowed to speak Yiddish (their mother tongue) – only English. This school later moved to north-west London, and is now the largest Jewish school in Europe.

In 1841, the Jewish Chronicle newspaper was founded, which is still widely read by the Jewish community today. To help poorer members of the Jewish community, especially in London where immigrants were arriving in large numbers, the community created welfare organisations like the Jewish Board of Guardians to provide food and help to those that needed it.

The Jewish community in the mid-19th century was still relatively small: around 30–35,000 people. It begun to really spread out from London into the rest of the United Kingdom and communities were established in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

TO FIND OUT

Do any British Jews still speak Yiddish today as their mother tongue (first language)?

CRITICAL THINKING

If you were a new immigrant, think of 5 types of support you want or need most from your new local community.

Can you put these 5 things in order of importance?

CHECK YOUR KNOWLEDGE

1. What did the Jews’ Free School want for its pupils?

2. What is the Jewish Chronicle?

3. How did the Jewish community support its poor members?

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