When you look at the Synagogue in St James’s Gardens, you are looking at the culmination of a battle for survival for over 600 years, of people who have brought their learning, ideas and industry to communities across North Africa and Europe.
The story of Sephardic Jews is one punctuated by prejudice and persecution. It is also woven-through with examples of resilience, community, intellectual enquiry and enterprise. The story provides great inspiration for many, and not least the Notting Dale community of which it is part.
The travels of the Sephardic Jews span several centuries and continents. Originating in Spain, they have faced numerous hardships, including massacres and expulsions, which forced them to migrate to various regions, including North Africa, the Ottoman Empire, and Western Europe. This journey ultimately led some to settle in London, forming communities that continue to thrive today.
Persecution and Expulsion from Spain
Sephardic Jews, or Jews of Spanish and Portuguese descent, have a history in the Iberian Peninsula that dates back to Roman times. Their presence in Spain was significant, contributing greatly to the cultural, economic, and intellectual life of the region. However, their fortunes changed dramatically in the late Middle Ages.
Massacres and Persecution
The late 14th and early 15th centuries saw increasing hostility towards Jews in Spain. Anti-Semitic riots in 1391, particularly the massacres in Seville and other cities, marked the beginning of severe persecution. These attacks, often incited by religious fervour and economic jealousy, led to the forced conversion of many Jews to Christianity. These converts, known as Conversos or Marranos, were often still suspected of practicing Judaism in secret.
The Spanish Inquisition
Established in 1478, the Spanish Inquisition sought to root out heresy, focusing particularly on Conversos suspected of secretly maintaining Jewish practices. The Inquisition used torture and execution, creating an atmosphere of fear and oppression. Thousands of Jews were tortured, executed, or forced to flee.
The Alhambra Decree and Expulsion
The culmination of this persecution came with the Alhambra Decree issued by Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492. This edict ordered the expulsion of all Jews who refused to convert to Christianity. Facing the choice between conversion and exile, approximately 200,000 Jews chose to leave Spain, marking the beginning of a diaspora that would scatter Sephardic Jews across the globe.
Migration to North Africa and the Ottoman Empire
Many Sephardic Jews fled to nearby North Africa, finding refuge in Muslim-majority countries such as Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Here, they established vibrant communities, contributing to local economies and cultural life. Despite facing some restrictions and periodic persecution, they generally enjoyed a greater degree of religious freedom under Muslim rule compared to Christian Europe.
Ottoman Empire
A significant number of Sephardic Jews also migrated to the Ottoman Empire, where Sultan Bayezid II welcomed them. The Ottomans recognized the economic and intellectual contributions Jews could bring to their empire. Cities like Constantinople (Istanbul), Thessaloniki, and Izmir became major centres of Sephardic life. In these cities, Jews established schools, synagogues, and printing presses, preserving their distinct cultural and religious traditions.
Migration to Western Europe and Amsterdam
By the early 17th century, some Sephardic Jews began moving westward to Amsterdam. The Dutch Republic, known for its relative religious tolerance, became a haven for Jews fleeing the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal.
Amsterdam's Jewish community thrived, establishing synagogues and schools, and contributing to the city's economic and cultural life.Menasseh ben Israel
People like the philosopher Baruch Spinoza emerged from this community, influencing European thought.
He was living in dangerous times and his writings perhaps reflect his sense of both how precarious his community’s existence was, as well as its remarkable resilience.
I want to share ten of his most memorable quotes with you :
1. The highest activity a human being can attain is learning for understanding because to understand is to be free.
2. The more you struggle to live, the less you live. Give up the notion that you must be sure of what you are doing. Instead, surrender to what is real within you, for that alone is sure....you are above everything distressing.
3. On disputes, he wrote: No matter how thin you slice it, there will always be two sides.
4. Peace is not the absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition of benevolence, confidence, justice.
5. There is no hope unmingled with fear, and no fear unmingled with hope.
6. A free man thinks of nothing less than of death, and his wisdom is a meditation, not on death, but on life.
7. If you want the present to be different from the past, study the past.
8. I have made a ceaseless effort not to ridicule, not to bewail, not to scorn human actions, but to understand them
9. Do not weep. Do not wax indignant. Understand.
10. What Paul says about Peter tells us more about Paul than about Peter
His ‘monist’ philosophy become known as Spinozism. However the controversy of his ideas led to his excommunication from the Jewish community of his native Amsterdam.
He was named Baruch ("blessed" in Hebrew) Spinoza by his synagogue elders and known as Bento de Spinoza or Bento d'Espiñoza, but afterwards used the name Benedictus ("blessed" in Latin) de Spinoza.
London and Oliver Cromwell
The migration of Sephardic Jews to England was facilitated by the relatively tolerant policies of Oliver Cromwell. In 1656, Cromwell allowed Jews to return to England, ending their expulsion since 1290. Sephardic Jews, primarily from Amsterdam and the Iberian Peninsula, took advantage of this opportunity.
The arrivals established a community in London, creating synagogues and integrating into the commercial life of the city. There are about 10 Sephardic synagogues in Britain, mostly in London, but Bevis Marks continues to dominate Sephardic society in the British Isles.
The Bevis Marks Synagogue
Built in 1701The Bevis Marks Synagogue in London is celebrated for having held regular services continuously for more than 300 years – unique in Europe.
The synagogues in Venice also have a long and significant history of continuous services, albeit with some interruptions. The synagogues in Venice, particularly those in the Ghetto such as the German Synagogue (Scuola Grande Tedesca), the Italian Synagogue (Scuola Italiana), and the Spanish Synagogue (Scuola Spagnola), have an extensive history dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries.
Unlike Bevis Marks, the Venetian synagogues experienced interruptions, particularly during the upheavals of the Napoleonic era and the Holocaust. For example, the ghetto's gates were torn down in 1797 when Napoleon conquered Venice, and during World War II, the Jewish community faced severe persecution, leading to disruptions.
While the Venetian synagogues have a rich history and have continuously served their communities for many centuries, Bevis Marks' distinction lies in its unbroken record of services. This continuous operation over more than three centuries underscores its unique place in Jewish and European history.
Holland Park and Shepherds Bush
Over time, the Sephardic community in London expanded and dispersed across various parts of the city. By the 19th and 20th centuries, many Jews, including Sephardic Jews, began relocating to West London areas such as Shepherd’s Bush. This migration was influenced by several factors. West London presented new commercial opportunities and residential areas conducive to community life, particularly in industries such as tailoring. This drew not only Jewish migrants but also subsequent waves of Sikh migrants with expertise in textiles. Additionally, the presence of existing Jewish communities provided essential support networks, facilitating the integration of new arrivals. Establishing synagogues, schools, and community centers allowed Sephardic Jews to preserve their cultural and religious traditions. For example, one synagogue even included an attached nursery school.
By the onset of World War I, about 700 families had settled in the Shepherd’s Bush area. With assistance from Bevis Marks and the David Sassoon Foundation, this Eastern community built its own synagogue in Holland Park, London, in 1928. The design of this synagogue was inspired by the renowned Bevis Marks Synagogue in the City of London.
The community that gathers in the synagogue in St James’s Gardens is a continuation of this legacy, reflecting both the challenges they have faced and the enduring strength of their faith, heritage and sense of community.
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