President's Letter June 2022

Dear members,

As events are increasingly conducted in person I am increasingly invited to attend our next event related to Jewish history and heritage. I wrote to you in May about the Richard Barnett Memorial Lecture on 'Herod the Great: King of Judaea and King of the Jews' delivered by Professor Martin Goodman FBA and am now able to share with you a link to a recording of that event: https://aias.org.uk/diamond-jubilee-event/

Next month I shall attend the unveiling of a plaque to commemorate the lives of Jews in medieval Worcester, an initiative on which I had the pleasure to advise. There is clearly an interest in acknowledging the presence of Jews in medieval England, a presence that is well documented and which some of the JHSE’s most distinguished past and present historians have researched. It forms part of the fascination with the medieval centuries as central to understanding English/British history.

A very good piece of news is that we will be able to meet in person in just a few weeks’ time. On 3 July 2022 at 2pm, at the London Jewish Museum, Daniel Snowman, broadcaster and writer, a person of great insight and charm, will speak to us about his recent book: Just Passing Through - Interactions with the World 1938 – 2021 (2021). You will have an opportunity to ask him questions and buy his book. Tea will be served, with cakes baked by members of the Board of Trustees (!). Just sign up here: https://www.jhse.org/event-details/just-passing-through-interactions-with-the-world. This will be a hybrid event which you will also be able to join remotely.

This event is co-organised with the Jewish Museum and with our partner organisation, the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain (JGSGB). It reflects the work the trustees have been promoting on your behalf: partnerships and collaborations with leading societies, museums and heritage organisations for the joint promotion of the understanding of Jewish history and culture.

Another such partner is the British and Irish Association of Jewish Studies (BIAJS), an academic professional association. This year we have contributed to BIAJS conference in July by encouraging members of our New Generation Group to present papers on their research, by chairing a round table, and in co-hosting a reception.

I am also delighted to announce the next two President Lectures before we break for the summer:

• Caroline Gurney, 23 June 2022, 8pm (on Zoom) Mapping Bristol's Jewish Community, 1720-1881

• Jeremy Smilg, 21 July 2022, 8pm (on Zoom) The Jews of England and the Revolutionary Era, 1789-1815

Wishing you all a very good summer, and looking forward to seeing many of you in person on 3 July 2022 in Camden.

Miri Rubin, President of the JHSE