Jewish Migration To Britain,1881 - 1945

5229 Words21 Pages
To what extent did first and second generation Jewish migrants in Britain retain their cultural identity? The latter decades of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth saw Britain became the permanent home for thousands of Jewish immigrants hailing from Eastern Europe. Fleeing from religious persecution and economic hardship, Jews settled in a handful of locations throughout Britain creating their own neighbourhoods notably in the East End of London. This was a unique form of migration as Judaism was not just a religion but a distinctive way of life and these immigrants were united in their own cultural background which they brought over from the Pale of Settlement.[1] Their cultural identity was conspicuous in the form of religious practices, occupation, language, dress and education, all entirely different from Britain. This essay will discuss the extent to which the immigrant Jews and their children retained this identity. Primarily, the cultural identity which the first generation brought over from their homeland will be identified followed by the extent to which they retained this identity in their settling period through religion, occupation and their general daily life. This shall be contrasted with how the children of Jewish migrants responded to the pressures of Anglicisation through a platform of education and youth clubs which were set up for them. Ultimately, the result of the conditions which the Jews experienced over the first thirty years in Britain shall be analysed in exploring the renovation in cultural identity of the Jewish community over the interwar years. It is clear that this great migration was integral in the history of Britain and Jews alike. Prior to the mass immigration of Russian Jews from 1881, there was already an established Jewish community in Britain. In 1655 Jews were granted readmission following their
Open Document