Guildford Jewish Community Weblog

The Jewish Community is looking towards its future as it commemorates 350 years since the readmission under Cromwell.

The Jewish Community in Guildford goes back over 800 years…

It would be interesting to think what would have been discussed at the Synagogue AGM of 1255 . No doubt the conversations in the community would be much the same as today.

What does the future hold for us?

I am sure that had their been a shul AGM in 1255 that the committee members (I cannot imagine a Jewish community without committees) would have no idea of the fate that would befall them and that within 20 years the current Queen would inherit Guildford after her husband’s death, persecute its Jews and expel them… or that within less than 40 years that there would her son would follow this example leaving no Jews left in England. The community would be looking towards providing a Jewish life in a small community with a small but beautiful synagogue.

The Medieval Jewish Community was certainly very small and the population was much less than the Jewish population of Guildford today. Today Guildford and the neighbouring Boroughs have over a 1000 Jewish people. This would have been a community that the Isaac of Southwark could only have dreamt about who would have been lucky to have a community more than 2% of this. Nonetheless this community hoped for the future. This is the Jewish way to trust and not be afraid.

Today, we have every reason to look forward and plan for the future. We have a growing student and campus community and many families move into the future… The question that we have to ask is the same as Isaac of Southwark and his friends… How do we best build our community for the future?…

Lets start the debate… Look forward to hearing from our community and other small communities… Please post your thoughts…

Please click on the link to see the times of services in the Guildford Jewish Community over the Tishri Holiday period. In addition there is going to be a student supper at Wates House, University of Surrey for Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) on Monday 3rd October at 19.00 - see here for more details. All students and young people in Guildford are very welcome.

We are coming to the end of Ellul and Rosh Hashanah is nearly upon us. I am interested to learning about the different New Year traditions from around the world. Please feel free to post your Rosh Hashanah traditions.

Rosh Hashanah is a week away. This weblog is designed to show the life and times of a small community in England. We hope this is both informative, educational and fun. I hope you enjoy this project.