London’s Jewish community - A culture among cultures

Ruth Fulton Benedict: “In world history, those who have helped to build the same culture are not necessarily of one race, and those of the same race have not all participated in one culture.”

London is renowned for being a huge melting pot of cultures, religions and communities that live side by side. In fact some of these communities have been around for so long that parts of their culture have integrated into English culture. ‘Englishness’ is a far cry from what it used to be and curry is now just as English as fish and chips. However it is not only Asian migrants that have enriched England’s culture and economy. Migrants have been part of England for centuries, and since the European Enlargement there has been a huge influx of people from Eastern Europe, adding yet another flavour to the huge mix of colours and cultures. Immigrants have a hard task adjusting to life in another country. Moving is tough enough as it is without having to learn a new language and adapt to a whole new culture. Many immigrants not only have to endure these obstacles, but also face the challenge of being accepted for their religious beliefs and creating a community that suits their needs. The Jewish and Muslim communities specifically have a very established presence in Britain and have a long and rich history in London.

Long history

In Medieval times there was a strong Jewish presence in London, with references to a Jewish quarter in the city dating back to the 12th century. However, in 1290 the Jewish community was expelled from England following years of persecution. Not only were Jews blamed and hated for the business that had been imposed upon them by the civic authorities, but they also were unjustly segregated and condemned for their activities and customs. In the 20th century, a Jewish community congregated in east London. Settlers came over for many reasons, such as migration to escape persecution or expulsion from countries like Russia and Germany. Today, most of the Jewish community can be found around Golders Green in north London, but there are still traces left of Jewish life in the east of the city, such as old synagogues, Hebrew writing on the walls and two bagel shops found in Brick Lane. There are nearly 300,000 Jews living in the UK, mostly living in London. More recently, the community has been joined by Jews arriving from a number of countries, including South Africa, India and Iraq. Today, Jewish life is enjoying a renaissance boosted by a steady trickle of young Israelis who have added a Middle Eastern flavour to London’s Jewish cultural brew.

Modern times

Having just moved to Golders Green myself, I find it fascinating how such a close-knit community have maybe not completely integrated, but at least assimilated culturally and economically. ‘Integration’ has always been a topic of debate for Londoners of every ethnicity, but particularly in recent years. Since the European enlargement, England has seen a huge influx of eastern Europeans, inciting more debate as to what the implications might be for the rest of the nation. Britain’s fear of migration stems from the fear that communities will segregate themselves (and therefore be isolated) from the rest of society. When communities are isolated they are more suspicious of one another and therefore become less enthusiastic about racial and cultural diversity. At a glance (which will take in the likes of long black coats, tall black hats and beards for men), it seems Golders Green is doing exactly this – segregating itself from the rest of society. However, after looking around Golders Green properly, one cannot say that this community are isolated. The area benefits from restaurants exhibiting cuisines from all over the world, from the obvious choice of kosher restaurants to Indian, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Italian eateries. It also has a sizeable Japanese and Korean population as can be seen by the cuisine and estate agents. Going into the centre of London, the same Orthodox Jews can be seen discussing business outside with Indians and Sikhs, or doing their shopping in the kosher section of the nearest Tesco supermarket.

Tradition vs. integration?

The difficulty that the Jewish community face, like other immigrants face today, is how to uphold tradition whilst simultaneously trying to fit in with another culture’s expectations and to make it their own. What is equally important is the way in which the host country reacts to this new culture. In a country where chicken tikka masala is the national dish, London’s Jewish community is a good example of how immigrants have introduced yet another way to be British.

NATALIA MAUS