ENGLAND’S JEWISH HERITAGE
England’s Jewish Heritage goes back hundreds of years. In the Middle Ages, England’s Kings were frequently funded by Jewish bankers and Jewish merchants were highly regarded. An example of this period is the House of Aaron the Jew in Lincoln. At other times they were persecuted, as the horrific story of Clifford’s Tower in York testifies. In more recent times the influx of Jews fleeing from persecution in Continental Europe lead to the creation of Jewish communities like that in Shude Hill ( a corruption of Jehudi) in Manchester.
THE HOLIDAY
This holiday takes you through Jewish London, past & present and then on to Manchester, York and Lincoln before flying out of London. You will visit some of Britain’s finest and most historic Synagogues, Jewish Museums and cemeteries as well as historic sites with Jewish connections. You will of course also see some of England’s most beautiful country side and most famous monuments.
ITINERARY
Day 1 : Friday : Arrive at London Airport and transfer to your London Hotel.
Day 2 : Saturday : Today you have the option of taking a guided coach tour of London, seeing most of the main tourist sites. In the evening have dinner at the famous Bloom’s Kosher Restaurant in Golders Green, East London. Alternatively you may stay in your hotel and walk to a local Synagogue.
Day 03 : Sunday : Take a guided walking tour of the Old Jewish East End of London including Sandys Synagogue in Spitalfields. Visit Bevis Marks Synagogue, Britain’s oldest and the Velho Spanish & Portuguese Cemetery, Mile End.
Day 04 : Monday : Today is spent in the west and north of London. Visit the New West End Synagogue in Bayswater, which has London’s most splendid synagogue interior, The Jewish Museum at the Sternberg Centre for Judaism in Finchley (with an introductory talk by the Curator) and The Jewish Museum, Camden Town, NW1.
Day 05 : Tuesday : Transfer by coach to Manchester. Stay for 2 nights
Day 06 : Wednesday : Visit Manchester’s main Jewish Heritage sites including Shude Hill, the Manchester Reform Synagogue, and the Manchester Jewish Museum, formerly the Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue. Other visits are possible including Higher Crumpsall Synagogue and Prestwich Village Cemetery. It is hope d to arrange a talk about the Jewish Heritage of Manchester at the Centre for Jewish Studies, at Manchester University
Day 07 : Thursday : Head south by coach to York, stay 2 nights.
Day 08 : Friday : Guided walking tour of York, featuring some of the Jewish Heritage sites, including the infamous Clifford’s Tower.
Day 09 : Saturday : Continue south to Lincoln. Stay 2 nights.
Day 10 : Guided tour of Lincoln including The Jews’ House, Jews Court and Aaron the Jews House.
Day 11 : Finally head south to London, calling en route at Carmel College, in Wallingford, Oxfordshire. Spend your last night in London.
Day 12 : Transfer to London Airport for you flight out.
Travel within England will be by deluxe coach or by comfortable passenger vans, depending on the size of the party.
