Preface Vol 23

<plain_text><page sequence="1">Preface In accordance with the more regular pro? gramme explained in the last volume of Transactions of the Jewish Historical Society of England?annual publication if at all prac? ticable?the Publications Committee of the Society has pleasure in presenting Volume XXIII one year after Volume XXII. With it, following the precedent set in the previous volume, is included Miscellanies, Part VIII. Members of the Society would have received their copies even earlier if the postal strike of early 1971 had not inevitably held up progress just at the time when proofs were to have been corrected (some of our contributors on this occasion live abroad, in Canada and the U.S.A., which added to the difficulties). This same reason is partly responsible for delays in completing and distributing other works which were approaching completion. Two in particular are now in page-proof form, awaiting final details: an important addition (No. 4) to the Plea Rolls of the Exchequer of the Jews and the History of the Jews of Ireland, by Louis Hyman. As soon as No. 4 of the Plea Rolls is finished, it is hoped to start work on volume 5?perhaps the final one?in that series, significant for the light it sheds on the life of Jews in medieval England, about which more and more is gradually coming to be known. Special circumstances will control the publication of two series of papers which were delivered to the Society in conjunction with other bodies. These papers were given in the two sessions 1970 and 1971. In July 1970 the first joint Conference was held by the American Jewish Historical Society and the Jewish Historical Society of England in London, to mark the 75th birthdays, which came close to each other, of the two institutions. A repre? sentative delegation from the U.S.A. Society was welcomed, and members of both Societies delivered papers, followed by discussions and working sessions. The proceedings at this Conference are to be published in a separate volume, to be issued to both Societies. The year 1970 also marked the Centenary of the foundation of the United Synagogue in London in 1870. The 1970-71 session of the Jewish Historical Society was, by joint arrange? ment with the United Synagogue, devoted, in honour of the event, to a series of papers bearing largely on aspects of the last century in the life of the Anglo-Jewish community, with special reference to events connected with the United Synagogue. This series of papers will also, it is hoped, be published at an early date as a separate volume. The Publications Committee feel that a new edition of the Nova Bibliotheca, up to the end of 1970, should be published. Miss Ruth Leh? mann compiled the first, which was issued in 1961, and she has prepared fresh material for a new cumulative edition, for sale to members at a reduced price in due course. Another book now being prepared is one on Solomon de Medina by the late Dr. Oskar K. Rabinowicz, a valued member and generous benefactor of the Society, whose death the previous year is very deeply regretted. DR. CECIL ROTH Also very deeply regretted is the death, on 21 June 1970, of Professor Cecil Roth. He was nine times President of the Jewish Historical Society, being elected the last time, as recorded in Volume XXII of the Transactions, in honour of his 70th birthday. This was only in 1968. In his Presidential address, which was on 'Why Anglo-Jewish history?', delivered on 17 September 1968 and published in Trans? actions XXII (of which see page 24), he spoke of, among other things, his 'untiring search for picturesque scallywags', his attention being 'engaged particularly by the Buzaglo family'. This was obviously a further reference to his continuing interest in the Buzaglos, a family with more than its fair share of eccentrics in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, whose adventures he had briefly described in a lecture to the Society given on 5 February 1964. The paper was intended, according to custom, for xi</page><page sequence="2">xii Preface publication in Transactions, but Dr. Roth was fascinated by new items of interest that his searches had turned up, and his final prepara? tion of it was postponed until his death ended the possibility of its formal re-presentation. The MS. was found among his effects and is now printed in this volume, by kind permis? sion of his wife, Mrs. Irene Roth. Moving tributes were paid to Dr. Roth's memory at the Anglo-American Jewish histori? cal conference in London in July 1970, shortly after his death. These tributes are printed else? where in this volume. A service in memory of Dr. Roth was held at the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, Bevis Marks, on 27 July 1970. The Haham, Dr. Solomon Gaon, delivered the memorial address. OFFICERS To succeed Dr. Roth, Sir Alan Mocatta, O.B.E., was elected as President of the Society for 1969-70 (his Presidential address, on 'Frederic David Mocatta', is included in this volume), and he was re-elected for the session 1970-71. Rabbi Dr. Hugo Gryn was elected a Vice President of the Society in December 1970. Dr. A. S. Diamond was elected Chairman of the Executive to succeed Mr. Alfred Rubens, resigned. MEETINGS The following is a list of meetings held by the Society since those detailed in the last volume, XXII: 1970 January 7. Mrs. Beth-Zion Lask Abrahams? Emanuel Deutsch of The Talmud fame. March 4. Edgar R. Samuel, F.R.Hist.S.?New Light on the selection of Jewish children's names. April 8. Mrs. Patricia Allin?Medieval Southampton and its Jews. May 13. (Annual general meeting) Alfred Reubens, F.S.A., F.R.Hist.S.?Anglo-Jewry in caricature, 1780-1830. July 12 and 13. Joint Conference with American Jewish Historical Society. September 16. Aubrey Newman, M.A., D.Phil.?Setting the Scene: Anglo-Jewry in 1870 (jointly with the United Synagogue, London). October 7. The Rev. Raymond Apple, B.A., LL.B.?Religiousfounders and leaders (jointly with the United Synagogue). November 4. Israel Finestein, M.A., Q.C.? The lay leadership since 1870 (jointly with the United Synagogue). November 18. Dr. A. P. Joseph?West Country Jewry and its Australian connections. December 2. Vivian D. Lipman, M.A., D.Phil., F.R.Hist.S.?The expansion of London Jewry (jointly with the United Synagogue). 1971 January 6, Aubrey Newman, M.A., D.Phil.? The United Synagogue?growth and change (jointly with the United Synagogue). February 3. Edward H.Jamilly, F.R.I.B.A.? Synagogue art and architecture (jointly with the United Synagogue). John M. Shaftesley, February 1971. Editor.</page></plain_text>