Spitalfields - Jewish Spitalfields Flashcards
When did the Jewish community start settling in Spitalfields?
Since the 1650s, they began settling in Spitalfields after being invited back to England for the first time since Jews were expelled in 1290.
What were some challenges faced by the Jewish community in England?
Jews experienced anti-Judaism and state discrimination, but by the mid-nineteenth century, they had achieved civil and political rights equal to the wider population.
What was the demographic makeup of the Jewish community in Spitalfields by the mid-nineteenth century?
Most Jews in Spitalfields originated from Spain and Portugal, were mainly middle-class, and lived just west of Spitalfields.
What factors attracted increasing numbers of German Jews to Britain?
Relative freedoms, economic opportunities, and lack of immigration controls attracted increasing numbers of German Jews to Britain.
What educational institutions were established to cater to immigrant children in Spitalfields?
The Jews’ Free School moved to Bell Lane in Spitalfields in 1822, and a Jews’ Infant School opened on Commercial Street in 1841.
When was the first synagogue established in Spitalfields, and who established it?
The first synagogue in Spitalfields was established by Dutch Jews in 1874, taking over a former Huguenot church in Sandys Row.
What event in the Russian Empire led to significant migration to Spitalfields?
Pogroms and the 1882 May Laws in the Russian Empire led to significant migration of Jews from Russia, Poland, and other Eastern European countries to Spitalfields.
How did the influx of Jewish immigrants affect the population of Spitalfields?
By 1899, a quarter of the population of Spitalfields was Jewish due to the significant influx of Jewish immigrants.
What were some reactions within the settled Jewish community to the arrival of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe?
Some were worried about their own status being threatened, while others organized charities to support the refugees and help them settle.
What were some consequences of the increasing Jewish population in Spitalfields?
Some areas became predominantly Jewish, leading to a decrease in crime rates but also tensions over housing, jobs, and wages.
