Great Synagogue of Sydney

The history of Jews in Australia began with the first ships the British sent there to establish a penal colony. Aboard the British First Fleet ships comprising were 8 to 14 Jewish convicts. Jews remained amongst the criminals Britain consigned to Australia until 1857 when penal transportation became uncommon (though the practice was rarely used it wasn’t formally abolished until 1868). Many of the Jewish convicts served their time and remained in Australia as free citizens.

Amongst the early Jewish convicts brought to Australia there were a few particularly notable ones. John Harris, after serving his sentence, became the first policeman in the Australian colony. Esther Abrahams, convicted for?, married the Australian Lieutenant Governor George Johnson becoming the unofficial first lady of the colony. Edward Davis became a famous bushranger, a type of Australian outlaw known for armed robbery — using the wilderness as his base of operations.

Despite their criminal origins, Jews never faced large-scale or institutionalized anti-Semitism. Since Jews arrived alongside other white European settlers they were not widely seen as alien or other. This meant Jews in Australia enjoyed a normalcy in their lives not seen in most of Europe at the time. In Australia, there were never laws or formal policies targeting Jews. They were free to participate at all levels in social, civil, and economic society. The general acceptance of Australian Jews was further bolstered by the fact that the first 150 convicts sent there were predominately English speaking and loyal to Britain. They viewed themselves as proud Anglo-Australians and dedicated Britishers who were of the Jewish faith. Anti-Semitic stereotypes and sentiments did exist in Australia, however no mainstream movement against them ever emerged.

When the Australian colony was first settled, the Church of England was the religious authority. All convicts were required to attend Sunday services. In 1817, a Jewish Burial Society was formed in Sydney, the first piece of organized Jewish life in Australia.

In 1821, the first free Jewish settlers arrived. By the mid-1820s there were around 100 Jews living in Australia. The first regular Jewish services were held in 1828 out of the house of business man Philip Joseph Cohen. This congregation outgrew Cohen’s home and in 1831, they rented out a building. Australia’s Jewish population was growing and by 1841 there were over a thousand Jews living on the continent. The first synagogue built explicitly for Jewish worship was opened in 1844 on Sydney’s York Street. Sydney wasn’t the only city with a large Jewish population, Melbourne and Perth had established populations of Jews as well.

In 1851, prospectors discovered gold near Bathurst and Victoria, spurring one of the world’s largest gold rushes. Hundreds of thousands from Britain and around the world came to Australia seeking fortune. Many Jews were amongst them, often finding success in opening community stores around the goldfields. By 1861, the Jewish population in the country had grown to approximately 5,500. While many of these newcomers lived throughout many of Australia’s smaller towns, they soon began moving to cities with larger Jewish populations. The Jewish population in Sydney grew so much that, in 1878, the Great Synagogue was constructed to accommodate an increasingly large congregation. The Great Synagogue still stands today and is a Sydney landmark.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Jews from Russia and Poland began coming to Australia fleeing the pogroms of their native countries. Many of these newcomers spoke Yiddish and brought with them their own traditions and customs. The Anglo-Australian Jews feared that their perceived otherness would negatively affect their societal standings. As a result, they adopted a policy of playing down any customs or behaviors that could seem odd to non-Jews whileplaying up their Australian patriotism. This lead to a rise in interfaith marriages and an overall decline in Jews actively practicing the religion. There were fears that the Jews would fully integrate and assimilate into the general Australian population.

During the 1930s, major changes to the Jewish population began.Australia had a strict immigration policy designed to keep non-British immigrants out. As word of the horrors of Nazism in Europe reached Australia, government members worked to alter immigration quotas to allow more European refugees entry. At first such measures failed but in 1938, after Kristallnacht (a pogrom against Jews carried out in Nazi Germany), the Australian government agreed to accept thousands of Jewish refugees. Before the outbreak of World War II, more than 7,000 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazism immigrated to Australia. In 1940, 2,000 additional Jews arrived after being deported from Britain aboard the HMT Dunera.

After World War II, between 1946-1954, more than 17,000 Jews arrived in Australia from Europe and China, most of them holocaust survivors. By 1961, another 10,000 Jews had come to Australia, many of them fleeing the Hungarian uprising or coming from the Middle East. In the 1970s and 1980s waves of Jewish immigrants came to Australia from the USSR and South Africa. The Jewish population continued growing and there are now over 110,000 Jews living in the country.

Australian Jews have long placed a huge emphasis on education and schooling. The first Jewish day school opened in 1885 in Melbourne. Today there are 19 such institutions. Over 70% of Australian Jews spend at least part of their education attending nongovernment Jewish schools. Due to the rising costs of these private schools, there has been an increase of Jews attending government/state schools. Groups like the United Jewish Education Board help ensure these students still receive an adequate Jewish education.

Jews have held some of the highest positions in the Australian government. Namely the Governor General (the representative of Australian Monarch) whose duties include serving as President of the Executive Council and Commander and Chief of the armed forces. There have been two Jewish Governor Generals: Sir Isaac Isaacs (1931-1936) and Sir Zelman Cowen (1977-1982). Many other Jews have held other positions in Australian national and local governments.

Australian Jews don’t have much in the way of unique traditional fare. The Anglo-Jewish Australian’s policy of active assimilation meant they didn’t actively seek to create their own cuisine outside of mainstream Australian food. As Jewish immigrants and refugees came to Australia from all around the world, they brought their traditional foods with them and shared them with the community. Currently the Australian Jewish cuisine is a tapestry of different cultures and influences from across the Jewish Diaspora.

The Australian Jewish community is vibrant and diverse. The fear of Australian Jewry being lost to assimilation has dissipated. There are Jews from all over the world living there and congregations of a variety of denominations have formed.

Fun Fact: Jews have served with distinction in the armed services from the Sudan Offensive of 1885 onwards. During World War I 13% of Australia’s Jewish population voluntarily enlisted. Amongst them was General Sir John Monash: Commander of the Australia Corps during WW1. He is considered one of the greatest generals of the allied forces during the war.

Fun Fact: Melbourne’s Jewish community has the highest percentage of holocaust survivors of any Jewish community in the world.

Peak Population of Jews in Australia: Today! There are at least 113,000, though many believe that number is higher.
Population of Jews in Australia Today: 113,000 at a minimum. Since the question about being Jewish on the census is optional and many groups of Jews prefer not to answer, it is possible the number of Jews has been undercounted. Depending on the exact count Australia has either the 9th or 10th largest Jewish population in the world.
Population of Australian Jews in Israel: Approximately 7,000

Jewish Refugees Arriving in England

The history of Jews in England began in 1066 with an invitation. William the Conqueror had just won the Battle of Hastings and the Normans lay claim to England. The new king wanted the skills and capital of the Jewish people to benefit his fledgling kingdom. He invited a group of Jews living in Rouen, Normandy (modern day France) to come to England. William saw the Jewish people only as an economic boon that could be leveraged in his country’s favor.

Jew’s primary role in England was to act as moneylenders. It was forbidden for Christians to loan money with interest (the sin of usury), so they relied on Jews to do so. Their moneylending became crucial to the functioning of England’s economy. Many nobles, barons, and other members of the royal court relied on loans from Jews in order to purchase castles and pay dues to the crown. Furthermore, wars and journeys of exploration were similarly funded.

The unique and precarious situation of medieval Jews in England was codified under the rule of King Henry I. They weren’t true English citizens, instead functioning as royal serfs, a sort of servant/property of the king. Their position came with benefits such as free use of all the royal roads, special legal status, the right to use royal castles and tunnels for protection, and more. In return they paid higher taxes, gave what they earned through usury back to the crown when they died. Their lives and status were at the current king’s whims. For a while the Jews prospered under this system. They built communities in towns across England and by 1168 it was estimated that the Jewish community possessed a quarter of the wealth of the entire country.

The Bodleian Bowl, an Artifact of Medieval Jews Living in England

The late 1100s saw the rise of increasingly violent anti-Semitism. Much of this bigotry had rooted a few decades earlier in 1144 when the mutilated body of a young boy named William was found. Though there was no evidence pointing to whom specifically committed the heinous act, the Jews were blamed. Little came of the tragedy until 5 years later, when in 1149, a knight was tried for killing a Jewish banker to whom he owed money. In court, the knight’s defense was that since the Jews as a collective were never punished for William’s murder, no Christian should be punished for killing Jews. No verdict was reached and the knight walked free. A year later, in 1150, a monk named Thomas of Monmouth wrote a book further highlighting how the Jews had killed young William. Thomas took things a step further saying that Jews had an insatiable need for the blood of Christians. From his writing the false myth of blood libel was born, these hateful lies spread like wildfire across Europe. Anytime a child disappeared or died under mysterious or accidental circumstances the Jews were blamed. This led to many riots and massacres against the Jewish people.

Anti-Semitic sentiments were further stirred up by the crusades. Taking back the holy lands increased the population’s Christian zealotry and their dislike of those that didn’t share their faith
Jews, in particular,were seen as being responsible for Christ’s death. Throughout the years the papacy issued edicts calling for increasing restrictions on the rights of Jews. Furthermore, through their role as moneylenders earned the ire of those indebted to them. The nobles and barons of England owed the Jews the most and thus hated them the most and leveraged their political clout to hurt them in any way they could.

One of the worst anti-Semitic riots occurred in March of 1190. A massive and violent riot sprung up in York, spurred on by nobles who hoped to use it as a chance to wipe out their debts. The entire Jewish population of York (about 150) fled to the local royal castle. The castle was surrounded and besieged by the rioters. Ultimately, the Jews choose to kill themselves rather than be forcibly baptized and violently murdered by the mob.

In addition to violent anti-Semitism, Jews also faced economic pressures. The English monarchy levied increasingly high taxes on the Jews. When Jews couldn’t pay or objected to the disproportionate demands, they were subject to harsh punishments.

In 1253, King Henry III issued the first Statute of Jewery. This royal edict codified the anti-Semitic sentiment held in England at the time. Its biggest component was requiring that Jews always wear a clearly visible badge on their clothing so they could be identified as Jewish. The statute also said that no new synagogues could be built, barred most interactions between Jews and Christians, restricted the ability of Jews to live outside of Jewish communities, and even required Jewish services be held in whispers so that any passing Christians wouldn’t have to hear them.

In 1275, King Edward I issued the second Statute of Jewery which placed even more restrictions on the Jews of England. The biggest of which was outlawing Jews from practicing usury and forgiving many of the debts they were owed. By banning the Jews from money lending, Edward effectively cut them off from their livelihood with no reasonable means for them to earn enough money to support themselves and their families. Many Jews saw no choice but to turn to crimes like coin cutting and highway robbery. In 1278, there were more than 600 Jewish men arrested and imprisoned, many of them were hanged.

The anti-Semitism in England came to culmintated in 1290. On July 18th, King Edward issued the Edict of Expulsion. It stated that all the Jews living in England must leave by All Saint’s Day (November 1st) of that year. A small number of Jews stayed in England either converting to Christianity or keeping their faith a secret. The remaining 4,000-16,000 Jews living in England left, returning to the European mainland and settling in new countries. Jews would remain officially banned from England for over 350 years.

Menasseh Ben Israel

The movement to allow Jews to settle in England once more was led by Menasseh Ben Israel; a Rabbi, writer, and printer from Amsterdam. He wanted the Jews to be able to return to England because he believed it would hasten the arrival of the Messiah. In 1653, Israel and a few other rabbis visited England to rally support for the idea of Jews returning. They found an unexpected ally in Oliver Cromwell.

Cromwell had seen the economic benefits Jews living in Amsterdam had brought to the Netherlands and wanted the same for England. Britain’s economy had been devastated by civil war and the prospective commerce Jewish merchants could bring in was appealing. Furthermore, there was a popular belief that the second coming of Christ could not occur until Jews were living in all parts of the world.

In 1655, Israel petitioned the British Council of State that Jews be allowed to resettle in England. In response, Cromwell convened the Whitehall Conference; a gathering of merchants, lawyers, and clergyman, to discuss allowing Jews back into England. Though the conference did not reach a unified conclusion, the lawyers in attendance pointed out there was nothing illegal about allowing Jews to return. There was no official policy change or new law, just a verbal promise from Cromwell, and in 1656 Jews were allowed to settle in London once more.

Soon after Cromwell’s promise around 300 Sephardim (Spanish and Portuguese) Jewish merchants settled in London. Thus, began a new chapter for the Jews of England. There were attempts by businessmen, Christians, and aristocrats to re-expel them but the economic boons they brought were too good to refute and England’s new Jewish community was allowed to stay. However, antinti-Semitism persisted and there were laws branding Jews less than citizens and limiting their rights. However, their place in British society was far more stable, and slowly, through the centuries, they would gain more rights and opportunities.

Interior of Bevis Marks

In 1701, Bevis Marks, the first purpose-built synagogue in England was constructed. The synagogue still stands today and is the only building in Europe where Jewish worship has continued uninterrupted for over 300 years.

During the Jacobite uprising of 1745, the Jews provided both volunteers and financial aid to the defense of London. In 1753, as a reward for their loyalty, the Jewish Naturalization law was passed by parliament, allowing Jews to become naturalized. Public outrage to the law was so immense that it was repealed in 1754.

Over the course of several decades Jews would rise to new ranks in British society and the laws restricting them were abolished. In 1837, Queen Victoria knighted Jewish banker and philanthropist Moses Haim Montefiore, the first Jew to be knighted in hundreds of years. In 1841,Isaac Lyon Goldsmid became the first Jew to hold a heredity title when he was given the title of baronet. In 1846, laws that limited Jews’ ability to enter churches and required them to adhere to a specialized dress code were repealed.

Lionel de Rothschild

In 1847, Lionel de Rothschild was the first Jew to be elected to the British House of Commons. However, all members of parliament were required to take a Christian oath in order to be seated and Rothschild refused. It would take more than10 years and 2 re-elections before he could take his rightfully earned seat in 1858. In 1855, Sir David Salomons was the first Jew to become Lord Mayor of London. And, in1876, Benjamin Disraeli became what many consider to be the first Jewish Prime Minister. Disraeli was born a Jew, however his father had him baptized into the Anglican church at age 13. While he was a practicing Christian, Disraeli was open about his Jewish roots. By 1882 all restrictions on the Jewish people of England had been lifted and the Jewish community had grown to around 46,000.

The period between 1880 and 1920 saw a huge influx of Jews into England. Jews from Germany, Poland, and Russia came to England fleeing the pogroms that had overtaken their homes. By 1919 the Jewish population of England had grown to 250,000. Generally speaking, the modern English were accepting of Jews and their culture. In turn, Jews often anglicized their names and cultures. They mimicked English traditions like the British Scouts with their own Jewish Lads Brigade. In 1936, when pro-fascist anti-Semitic group decided to march through a Jewish neighborhood, anti-fascist demonstrators defended the Jewish residents and drove off the marchers.

Soldiers in the Jewish Brigade Group

During World War I, there were 50,000 Jews who fought in the British army. There was even an all Jewish regiment called the Jewish Legion. In the 1930s, the British did not fully open their arms to Jewish refugees of Nazism, but they did permit around 100,000 settle in England. When World War II began tens of thousands of British Jews volunteered for the war effort. Britain also recruited Jews from Mandatory Palestine to form the Jewish Brigade Group. Many Polish Jews ended up fighting alongside the allies under British military command, these soldiers were all eligible to settle in the United Kingdom after the war.

While Great Britain presently has the 6th largest Jewish population in the world, the current numbers are a substantial decline from their peak in the 1950s. Since its founding many British Jews have left to live in Israel. The Jewish population of England has further declined from intermarriage. Anti-Semitism and violence against Jews beganising in the early 2000s and remains a pressing issue today, driving fears that it will push even more of the country’s Jewish population to move elsewhere.

Further Reading:

In 2021 archaeologists found evidence that Jews living in medieval England kept kosher. You can read about it here.

Fun Fact: Other famous British Jews include:

• Harold Abrahams: a gold medal Olympiad in the 100-meter sprint whose life was dramatized in the academy award winning film Chariots of Fire.
• Daniel Mendoza: a boxer in the late 1700s who became the boxing champion of England and revolutionized boxing with his scientific fighting style and book The Art of Boxing.
  Ernst B Chain: a biochemist who won the Nobel prize alongside Howard Florey and
• Alexander Fleming for their work on discovering penicillin’s therapeutic properties, its chemical structure, and how to isolate and produce it.

Fish and Chips

Fun Fact: A surprising fact about British fare is that fish and chips had Jewish origins, well at least the fish part. Sephardic Jews from Spain and Portugal had long eaten a dish consisting of white fish fried in a thin layer of batter. It was specifically made for Shabbat as they felt the frying process preserved the fish just long enough that it could be cooked beforehand and eaten when work was prohibited. When these Jews came to England, they brought their fish recipe with them. It was a big hit amongst British Catholics who ate fish on Fridays. From there “Fish in the Jewish Manner” became a mainstream delicacy.

Peak Population of Jews in England: 1951 when there were approximately 420,000.

Population of Jews in England Today: There are between 269,000 and 290,000 Jews living in the Great Britain today.

Population of English Jews in Israel: Approximately 41,000