York community to get first rabbi since Jews expelled from England in 1290
Hundreds of years after the worst antisemitic massacre in British history, the city's liberal community gets a spiritual leader after a fundraising campaign
The historic city of York is hoping to get its first rabbi since Jews were expelled from England 730 years ago, after a tiny but growing community there began raising money for the salary.
It will be a symbolic appointment because to many the city is synonymous with the massacre at Clifford’s Tower in 1190, which came about after rumours spread that Jews were murdering Christian children – the origin of the antisemitic blood libel.
The city’s 150-strong Jewish community sought refuge in York Castle, pursued by a baying mob, but when they locked the keeper out the king’s also troops turned on them. Trapped, many killed themselves rather than be murdered or forcibly baptised.
Hundreds of years after the worst antisemitic massacre in British history, York is once again to have a rabbi, after fundraising from the York Liberal Jewish Community, which was founded in 2013 by Ben Rich after he moved from London.
There are now more than 200 Jews in York, with the small community celebrating weddings, baby blessings and even the world’s first gender neutral bnei mitzvah service, as Rich said at least 100 members were active.
“We have a very different model than most synagogues in that our members actually come,” he said. “With fortnightly services and a full schedule of lifecycle events, the Jewish story of York is very much an ongoing tale.”
The community has had student rabbis support it but Rich said securing a permanent appointment would enable it to extend its offerings in terms of services, events and pastoral and educational support.
Fundraisers are aiming for £75,000 to pay the salary of a part-time rabbi on a three-year contract, and Rich said more than half that sum had already been pledged, with the hope of being able to recruit by next summer.
“It would be transformative,” he said. “There is now a very active community here, but it depends entirely on volunteers and that’s very hard work. The right rabbi I’m sure would act as a catalyst for a wide range of activities.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
