Preface Vol 24

<plain_text><page sequence="1">Preface So much has occurred in the Society's history in the relatively short time since the last volume was published, in 1971, that it is difficult to compress into small compass this Preface to Transactions XXIV and Miscellanies Part IX. Mixed with the pleasure the Publications Committee of the Jewish Historical Society of England now has in presenting this new volume is regret that unexpected circumstances have prevented the fulfilment on this occasion of their hope that annual publication might be achieved. We apologise to our members and other readers, especially those, both individual and institutional, who have anxiously inquired over the past year or so whether their copy of the volume had miscarried in the mail; their inquiries are in themselves also a tribute and encouragement to the Society and those who contribute the papers to its proceedings. A new feature makes its appearance in the present Miscellanies: Book Notes. Under this heading it is hoped to publish notes on current books and journals containing matter of special interest, historically, to Anglo-Jewry. Dr. Aubrey Newman, Reader in History at Leicester University, has been appointed Review Editor, and members of the Society who notice publications which they think might merit mention are invited to draw attention to them. Factors impossible to foresee have affected our work. Externally, there were the great disturbances to normal life represented in 1973 and early 1974 by, among other things, the miners' strike and the oil and power crises, which led to the Government's imposition of the restricting three-day working week. This last affected most industries, not least printing and bookbinding, so that several of our publica? tions, as well as those of others, have suffered long delays. Another matter restricting Transactions ex? ceptionally was the fact that eight papers delivered during the session 1970-71 were devoted to the centenary of the United Syna? gogue, London, in collaboration with that body, and those papers were diverted to a separate volume, published by the United Synagogue and noted below. Internally, it was found necessary for tech? nical reasons to defer Transactions for a time, giving precedence to some other books already promised in the preface to Volume XXIII, as they were almost ready for press. Late queries, for example, held up the book Sir Solomon de Medina, whose author, Oskar K. Rabinowicz, had died, as recorded in our last volume, and further searches to resolve them had to be made among his papers and else? where. An unusual number of deeply regretted deaths occurred affecting the work of other authors and contributors, and we append an obituary list detailing several of them: Professor Norman Bentwich, O.B.E., M.G., a Vice-President and former President. It was decided to publish a tribute to his memory in this volume, and his wife, Mrs. Helen Bent? wich, it was felt, was the best person to write it. Not long after she sent it in, she also unhappily died and she did not even see a proof of her article. Mr. Harry Sacher, member of the Council since 1939. He contributed generously to the Pub? lications Fund and a Prize Fund bore his name. Dr. Phyllis Abrahams, a long-standing member of the Council. Her paper in this volume, on the letters of her father, Israel Abrahams, was delivered many years ago, but was held back for revision. The Publications Committee asked that the letters, from which she had quoted extracts, should for historical reasons be quoted in extenso. The paper was therefore re-edited with this in mind, but Dr. Abrahams died suddenly before she too had an opportunity to see proofs. Mr. Geoffrey Whitehill, Director of Anglo-Jewish Archives, an offspring of this Society. He spent several years compiling the third volume of Bevis Marks records and producing an Introduction and Index, but died as he was finalising the work. It was taken over for eventual publication by this Society in conjunction with the Spanish and Portu? guese Jews' Congregation. xi</page><page sequence="2">Xll Preface Lord Cohen, P.C., the eminent judge, a Vice-President and former President. Mr. Leonard Stein, O.B.E., also a Vice President and former President, and a con? tributor to the Society's literature. Mr. Felix J. N. Nabarro, Hon. Solicitor to the Society for many years and a member of the Council. He gave very valuable service to the Society in the resolving of legal problems connected especially with publishing. (We also record with appreciation the kindness of his firm, Messrs. Nabarro, Nathanson &amp; Co., in continuing to act as the Society's Hon. Solicitors.) Mr. A. R. Rollin, another old member of the Council. A number of his papers delivered to the Society have been published in Trans? actions. PUBLICATIONS Since Transactions XXIII the following volumes have been published by the Society: Migration and Settlement: Proceedings of the Anglo-American Jewish Historical Con? ference July 1970 (J.H.S.E. and Ameri? can J.H.S.; rapporteur, Dr. Aubrey Newman). The Jews of Ireland, by Louis Hyman (with the Israel Universities Press and a further edition with the Irish University Press). Exchequer of the Jews (Plea Rolls), Vol. IV (ed. H. G. Richardson). Anglo-Jewish Bibliography 1937-1970, by Ruth P. Lehmann (successor volume to Nova Bibliotheca Anglo-Judaica). Bevis Marks Records, Part III (Intro, by Geoffrey H. Whitehill; joint publisher Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Congrega? tion) . Sir Solomon de Medina, by Oskar K. Rabino wicz (contains also a short biography of the author). In addition, the following has been made available to members of the Society through the publisher, the United Synagogue (lectures in the J.H.S.E. syllabus): A Century of Anglo-Jewish Life 1870-1970 (ed. S. S. Levin). WORKS IN PREPARATION For administrative reasons, it was decided to confine material for Volume XXIV of Trans? actions to papers delivered up to the end of the 1972-73 session, but preparations are already being made for later papers to be included in Volume XXV. A decision was made some time ago to issue a Cumulative Index to Transactions I-XX. The typescript copy of this, by Mr. Philip Wright, has been received and is being edited. Further manuscripts in the Public Record Office of the Plea Rolls of the Exchequer of the Jews are in process of transcription and translation by Mr. P. Brand, and it is hoped that this task will shortly be completed for publication as Volume V of the series. The President of the Society, Judge Israel Finestein, Q.C., has in mind the collection of several of his papers, including his presidential address, into one volume under the title of Anglo- Victorian Jewry, and the Society has expressed its interest in the project. The first volume of a History of Manchester Jewry?up to 1870?by Mr. W. Williams, is nearing completion, sponsored by the Council of Manchester and Salford Jews (with the help of the Leonard Cohen Fund) and this Society. Through the good offices of Dr. A. Newman, the Leicester University Press has offered to consider the publication of Dr. Gedalia Yogev's Jews in English Trade in the 18th Century, and this Society would j oin as co-publisher. Discussions are taking place with an American publisher who wishes to print an anthology based on contributions to J.H.S.E. Transactions. Readers are reminded that the distributors of the Society's publications, William Dawson &amp; Sons Ltd. (Cannon House, Folkestone, Kent), hold a number of volumes in stock, for sale to members at 50% discount. Messrs. Dawson have also reprinted Volumes I to X of the Society's Transactions (most of which were either out of print or very scarce) and Volumes I and II of the Exchequer of the Jews. Details may be obtained from Messrs. Dawson.</page><page sequence="3">Preface xiii PUBLICATION FUNDS The publication funds of the Society have benefited specially by the generosity of a number of people. Grateful acknowledgments in this respect must be made to the late Mrs. Vera Bryce-Salomons, who added to previous benefactions by leaving a substantial legacy to the Society; to Mrs. Rose Rabinowicz and her family; to Mr. Alfred Rubens; to Mrs. Violet Whitehill and family; and to Dr. Anthony P. Joseph. OFFICERS Succeeding Sir Alan Mocatta, O.B.E., as President of the Society, Mr. Robert N. Carvalho was elected for the session 1971-72 and re-elected for 1972-73. On retiring, he was elected a Vice-President. For the session 1973- 74 Judge Israel Finestein, Q..C, was elected President, and he was re-elected for 1974- 75. As a tribute to his services as Editor of publications of the Society, Mr. John M. Shaftesley, O.B.E., was elected a Vice-President of the Society. The sincerest congratulations are offered to Dr. Richard Barnett, Chairman of the Publica? tions Committee and a Vice-President and former President of the Society, on his appoint? ment as a C.B.E. in the 1974 Birthday Honours List. Further, we warmly congratulate another former President of the Society, now a Vice President, Sir Isaiah Berlin, O.M., C.B.E., who has been elected President of the British Academy. MEETINGS The following is a list of meetings held by the Society since those detailed in Volume XXIII: 1971 17 March. John M. Shaftesley, O.B.E., B.A. ?Religious controversies (jointly with the United Synagogue). 7 April. S. S. Levin, LL.B.? The changing pattern of Jewish education (jointly with the United Synagogue). 9 June. Maurice A. Woolf?Foreign trade of the London Jews in the 17th century. 10 November (Annual general meeting). Robert N. Carvalho, M.A., B.G.L.?The birth of the Anglo-Jewish Association (Presidential address). 8 December. Israel Finestein, M.A., Q.C.: The movement for the abolition of religious disabili? ties at Oxford and Cambridge. 1972 19 January. J. M. Ross, G.B.E., M.A.? Naturalisation of Jews in England. 22 March. Richard D. Barnett, M.A., Litt.D., F.S.A., F.B.A.?Richard Barnett, sailor, and other Jewish diarists. 19 April. Professor A. Heertje?David Ricardo (200th anniversary of his birth). 17 May. Vivian I. Gaster, O.B.E., B.A., and Josef Fraenkel?Haham Moses Caster. 14 June. Rabbi Sydney B. Leperer?Abraham Tang, precursor of the Anglo-Jewish Haskalah. 12 July (Lucien Wolf Memorial Lecture). Professor A. D. Momigliano, M.A., D.Litt., F.B.A.?The Hellenistic discovery of Judaism. 22 November (Annual general meeting). Dr. Benjamin Jaffe, M.A., M.Jur.?Herzl and the British press. 13 December. Aron Owen, B.A., Ph.D.? Some Anglo-Jewish law cases. 1973 10 January. Brian E. Maidment, M.A., Ph.D.? The literary career of Joseph Jacobs (1876-1900). 7 March. Charles Rubens, M.A., LL.B.? Joseph Cortissos, army contractor, and the War of the Spanish Succession. 11 April. Arthur S. Diamond, M.A., LL.D. ?The community of the Resettlement (1656-1684) ?a social survey. 16 May. H. M. Nahmad, B.Litt.?New light on the Damascus Affair of 1840. 13 June. Alfred Rubens, F.S.A., F.R.I.C.S., F.R.FIist.S.?Jews and the English stage 1667 1850. 4 July. Ghimen Abramsky, B.A., M.A.? Pioneers of the Jewish Labour movement. 24 October (Annual general meeting).</page><page sequence="4">xiv Preface Judge Israel Fines tein, Q.C.?Early Victorian Anglo-Jewry (Presidential address). 21 November. Miss Freema Gottlieb, M.A.? Leonard Woolf's Jewish origins and his attitude to Judaism. 12 December. Edgar R. Samuel, F.R.Hist.S. ?Was Moyse's Hall, Bury St. Edmunds, a medieval Jew's house? and David Gabay's 1660 letter from London. 1974 9 January. Professor Haim Beinart?The Jews in the Canary Islands, a re-evaluation. 6 February. Harvey W. Meirovich?Ash kenazi reactions to the conversionists: 1800-1850. 13 March. Mrs. Beth-Zion Lask Abrahams? James Joseph Sylvester, 1814-1897: poet and mathematician. 3 April. Alex M. Jacob, J.?.?The Rev. Aaron Levy Green ('Nemo* of the Jewish Chronicle). 8 May. Paul Hyams, M.A., D.Phil.?Edward I and the Jews under two laws. 12 June. Raphael Loewe, M.C., M.A.? The first century of Cambridge Jewish graduates. 17 July. Judge Israel Finestein, Q.C.? Sir John Simon, Q.C., M.P., 1818-1897: Emancipation and after. July 1974 John M. Shaftesley, Editor.</page></plain_text>