Oxford from its monastic origins dating back to the medieval period. His reforms resulted in the ... more Oxford from its monastic origins dating back to the medieval period. His reforms resulted in the establishment of Christ Church College, originally called Cardinal College after Thomas Wolsey, before he fell out of favour with Henry, as Lord Chancellor of England and Cardinal Archbishop of York, followed by being called King Henry VIII College, that eventually led to its refounding as Christ Church in 1546, after his break with Rome. Christ Church is one of the wealthiest and largest colleges in Oxford, with also the largest quadrangle. Around the same time, Henry abolished the study of canon law, and instituted chairs for Medicine, Civil Law, Greek, Theology, and Hebrew,1 resulting in 1546 with the establishment of the Regius Professorship of Hebrew in the University of Oxford.2
The Domesday Book is a census that was commissioned in December 1085 by William the Conqueror, wh... more The Domesday Book is a census that was commissioned in December 1085 by William the Conqueror, who invaded England twenty years earlier in 1066. The book contains records of 13,418 settlements in the English counties south of the border with Scotland at the time. The first Jew recorded living in England is recorded as living in a village in Oxfordshire. This does not mean no other Jews lived in England at the time, as major cities like London and Winchester were not included in the book, thus leaving out a substantial number of possible Jews who might have lived in the larger cities. This essay will look at the history of an ancient village that appears in the Domesday Book, called Gamlingay. Its name comes from the Old English Gamelingei, meaning "an enclosure of Gamela's people", according to A.D. Mills in his A Dictionary of English Place-names (OUP). A settlement has apparently been on the site since the middle Bronze Age and there are signs of occupation from the middle Stone Age.
David of Oxford, formerly known as David of Lincoln, was one of the most prominent English Jews o... more David of Oxford, formerly known as David of Lincoln, was one of the most prominent English Jews of the 13th century. His father was Asher and it is not clear when he would have moved to Oxford. However, in 1219 he was one of the six representatives of the wealthy class selected from all English Jewry to apportion tallage. He had dealings all over the country, including Warwick, Berkshire, Buckingham and Northampton and his clients included many of the aristocracy. In addition, he frequently transacted business with other prominent Anglo Jewish financiers, like Aaron of York, Hamo of Hereford, one of the wealthiest Jews of the day, Benedict of Crispin of London and his broth Jaqcob, and especially his fellow townsman, Copin of Oxford. He also played an important role in communal life, though not always by choice. The king used David's influence to ensure other Jews were paying the tallages (taxes) that were imposed upon them. He was also one of the commission of eight Anglo-Jewish magnates who were appointed at the request of the communities in 1938 to collaborate with Justices of the Jews in an enquiry 'touching Jews who are clippers of coin, thieves, and receivers', so as to root out the abuse if it existed, and thus rid the community of this perpetual opportunity for blackmail.
this essay, we will outline details about this manuscript, including its proposed date of origin ... more this essay, we will outline details about this manuscript, including its proposed date of origin and present an introduction to the liturgy through an indepth comparative analysis of the distinct text of the Passover Haggadah as found in this manuscript. The analysis will lead us to suggest that the liturgy of the prayers in England in the medieval period was the result of a mixture of influences from Northern France and Germany-the place of origin of the leading rabbinic figures in medieval England, while at the same time there was movement towards what seems to be the emergence of a distinct set of customs for English Jews, as indicated by the major legal work Etz Chaim by Rabbi Jacob ben Judah Chazzan of London, in which major rabbinic figures of 13th century England are quoted.
Reflections on the History of the Oxford Mikvah in the 19 th century In celebration of ten years ... more Reflections on the History of the Oxford Mikvah in the 19 th century In celebration of ten years since planning approval was granted for the building of the first Mikvah (Jewish ritual pool) in Oxford in over 800 years The modern established Oxford Jewish community dates back to 1842. In 1845, an Anglo-Jewish provincial survey by Chief Rabbi Nathan Adler (1803-1891) documents a community in Oxford that includes a paid shochet (ritual slaughterer), 4 families and 20 individuals. The synagogue was in a private room in a house. As Jewish tradition stipulates that an important feature of a Jewish community is the building of a Mikvah-taking precedence even over the building of a synagogue1-a further point in the survey requests the status of a Mikvah in Oxford. It is most interesting that in the survey, the question regarding a Mikvah elicited a response from the community 'not yet'. Professor David Lewis (1928-1994) notes in Jews of Oxford that other similar size provincial Jewish communities responded to the Mikvah question with a simple 'no'. He gives credit to the founders of the modern Oxford Jewish community for having the vision, desire and hope that one day a Mikvah in Oxford would in fact be built.
The leafy entrance to the Oxford University Botanical Garden, framed by the serene classical arch... more The leafy entrance to the Oxford University Botanical Garden, framed by the serene classical architecture of the Danby Gate, fronted by ornate rose gardens, marks the gateway to an escape from Oxford's busy High Street, where buses and cyclists jostle to make their way through the city. This tranquil spot remarkably also hosts one of three Jewish heritage plaques in Oxford, commemorating the existence of a Jewish cemetery in medieval times and can be found on the right hand wall behind the Danby Gate, the main entrance, to the Gardens. The Jews arrived in England with the Norman Conquest in 1066, and the Domesday Book that was completed in 1086 recorded a Jew living in Oxfordshire. We don't know exactly when the Oxford Jewry was founded but at some point St. Aldate's become known as Great Jewry Street, and a nearby street was called Little Jewry Lane with many Jewish homes in close proximity, indicating a flourishing Jewish community. The presence of an established Jewish community is reflected in the existence of a synagogue on Great Jewry Street, founded by Copin of Worcester in 1228, currently the site of the Archdeacon's house in Christ Church College, and a cemetery on the site of what is now Botanic Garden. This essay will focus on the cemetery, its history and its status in Jewish law.
Oxford from its monastic origins dating back to the medieval period. His reforms resulted in the ... more Oxford from its monastic origins dating back to the medieval period. His reforms resulted in the establishment of Christ Church College, originally called Cardinal College after Thomas Wolsey, before he fell out of favour with Henry, as Lord Chancellor of England and Cardinal Archbishop of York, followed by being called King Henry VIII College, that eventually led to its refounding as Christ Church in 1546, after his break with Rome. Christ Church is one of the wealthiest and largest colleges in Oxford, with also the largest quadrangle. Around the same time, Henry abolished the study of canon law, and instituted chairs for Medicine, Civil Law, Greek, Theology, and Hebrew,1 resulting in 1546 with the establishment of the Regius Professorship of Hebrew in the University of Oxford.2
The Domesday Book is a census that was commissioned in December 1085 by William the Conqueror, wh... more The Domesday Book is a census that was commissioned in December 1085 by William the Conqueror, who invaded England twenty years earlier in 1066. The book contains records of 13,418 settlements in the English counties south of the border with Scotland at the time. The first Jew recorded living in England is recorded as living in a village in Oxfordshire. This does not mean no other Jews lived in England at the time, as major cities like London and Winchester were not included in the book, thus leaving out a substantial number of possible Jews who might have lived in the larger cities. This essay will look at the history of an ancient village that appears in the Domesday Book, called Gamlingay. Its name comes from the Old English Gamelingei, meaning "an enclosure of Gamela's people", according to A.D. Mills in his A Dictionary of English Place-names (OUP). A settlement has apparently been on the site since the middle Bronze Age and there are signs of occupation from the middle Stone Age.
David of Oxford, formerly known as David of Lincoln, was one of the most prominent English Jews o... more David of Oxford, formerly known as David of Lincoln, was one of the most prominent English Jews of the 13th century. His father was Asher and it is not clear when he would have moved to Oxford. However, in 1219 he was one of the six representatives of the wealthy class selected from all English Jewry to apportion tallage. He had dealings all over the country, including Warwick, Berkshire, Buckingham and Northampton and his clients included many of the aristocracy. In addition, he frequently transacted business with other prominent Anglo Jewish financiers, like Aaron of York, Hamo of Hereford, one of the wealthiest Jews of the day, Benedict of Crispin of London and his broth Jaqcob, and especially his fellow townsman, Copin of Oxford. He also played an important role in communal life, though not always by choice. The king used David's influence to ensure other Jews were paying the tallages (taxes) that were imposed upon them. He was also one of the commission of eight Anglo-Jewish magnates who were appointed at the request of the communities in 1938 to collaborate with Justices of the Jews in an enquiry 'touching Jews who are clippers of coin, thieves, and receivers', so as to root out the abuse if it existed, and thus rid the community of this perpetual opportunity for blackmail.
this essay, we will outline details about this manuscript, including its proposed date of origin ... more this essay, we will outline details about this manuscript, including its proposed date of origin and present an introduction to the liturgy through an indepth comparative analysis of the distinct text of the Passover Haggadah as found in this manuscript. The analysis will lead us to suggest that the liturgy of the prayers in England in the medieval period was the result of a mixture of influences from Northern France and Germany-the place of origin of the leading rabbinic figures in medieval England, while at the same time there was movement towards what seems to be the emergence of a distinct set of customs for English Jews, as indicated by the major legal work Etz Chaim by Rabbi Jacob ben Judah Chazzan of London, in which major rabbinic figures of 13th century England are quoted.
Reflections on the History of the Oxford Mikvah in the 19 th century In celebration of ten years ... more Reflections on the History of the Oxford Mikvah in the 19 th century In celebration of ten years since planning approval was granted for the building of the first Mikvah (Jewish ritual pool) in Oxford in over 800 years The modern established Oxford Jewish community dates back to 1842. In 1845, an Anglo-Jewish provincial survey by Chief Rabbi Nathan Adler (1803-1891) documents a community in Oxford that includes a paid shochet (ritual slaughterer), 4 families and 20 individuals. The synagogue was in a private room in a house. As Jewish tradition stipulates that an important feature of a Jewish community is the building of a Mikvah-taking precedence even over the building of a synagogue1-a further point in the survey requests the status of a Mikvah in Oxford. It is most interesting that in the survey, the question regarding a Mikvah elicited a response from the community 'not yet'. Professor David Lewis (1928-1994) notes in Jews of Oxford that other similar size provincial Jewish communities responded to the Mikvah question with a simple 'no'. He gives credit to the founders of the modern Oxford Jewish community for having the vision, desire and hope that one day a Mikvah in Oxford would in fact be built.
The leafy entrance to the Oxford University Botanical Garden, framed by the serene classical arch... more The leafy entrance to the Oxford University Botanical Garden, framed by the serene classical architecture of the Danby Gate, fronted by ornate rose gardens, marks the gateway to an escape from Oxford's busy High Street, where buses and cyclists jostle to make their way through the city. This tranquil spot remarkably also hosts one of three Jewish heritage plaques in Oxford, commemorating the existence of a Jewish cemetery in medieval times and can be found on the right hand wall behind the Danby Gate, the main entrance, to the Gardens. The Jews arrived in England with the Norman Conquest in 1066, and the Domesday Book that was completed in 1086 recorded a Jew living in Oxfordshire. We don't know exactly when the Oxford Jewry was founded but at some point St. Aldate's become known as Great Jewry Street, and a nearby street was called Little Jewry Lane with many Jewish homes in close proximity, indicating a flourishing Jewish community. The presence of an established Jewish community is reflected in the existence of a synagogue on Great Jewry Street, founded by Copin of Worcester in 1228, currently the site of the Archdeacon's house in Christ Church College, and a cemetery on the site of what is now Botanic Garden. This essay will focus on the cemetery, its history and its status in Jewish law.
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