The first Jews settled in Golders Green just before the First World War, and by 1930 the suburb had been recognised for its significant Jewish community. By 1960 the Jewish population of Golders Green had tripled. A century after the arrival of the first Jewish families, the community remains very diverse and is growing rapidly. Golders Green is now the most Jewishly populous neighbourhood in the country. Despite its prominence and its vibrancy, the Jewish Community of Golders Green have not been the subject of a detailed historical study. This book addresses this oversight and – based to a significant extent on the memories and knowledge of the community – fills an important gap in Anglo-Jewish history.

This book focuses on the strict orthodox Jewish (Haredi) community, which comprises many sects whose communal identity plays a central role in everyday life and spatial organization. The research reveals and analyses powerful mechanisms of residential segregation acting at the apartment-, building- and near-neighbourhood levels. Identifying the main engines of spontaneous and organised neighbourhood change and evaluating the difficulties of liberalism dealing with non-autonomous individuals in the housing market sheds light on similar processes occurring in other city centres with diverse population groups. Highlighting the impact of various organisational levels on the spatial structure of the urban enclave, the book focuses on the internal dynamics of ethno-religious enclaves that emerge from three levels of action: (1) individuals' relationships with their own and other groups; (2) the community leadership's powers within the group and in respect of other groups; and (3) government directives and tools (e.g planning). The study examines how different levels of communal organisation are reflected in the residential patterns of four British communities: the Litvish communities of Golders Green and Gateshead, and the Hassidic communities of Stamford Hill and Canvey Island.

This is a fully illustrated history of the Golders Green Synagogue which was founded in 1915 during the First World War. At the turn of the 20th century, Golders Green comprised mainly open fields but the coming of the underground precipitated rapid development. Jews began to move into the area from places like Kilburn and Cricklewood. Most of the land was owned by Church Commissioners from whom the congregation eventually purchased its plot in Dunstan Road to erect the first purpose-built synagogue in Golders Green, consecrated in 1922. From small beginnings of circa. 20 members, it soon became a thriving congregation with over 1,500 members at its peak. Its members made their own contribution to the Armed Forces in both world wars and their sacrifice is commemorated on the shul¿s War Memorial. Amongst the ministers and rabbis in its hundred year history have been Rev Isaac Livingstone, Rabbi Eugene Newman, Dayan Swift and Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks; the latter went on to become the Chief Rabbi of Great Britain and the Commonwealth. In recent times, the Grade II Listed synagogue underwent refurbishment and was transformed from a tired, dilapidated building to a modern, regenerated place of prayer. Today, it enjoys religious revival with young families and a very successful Primary Free School. This books charts and celebrates its first remarkable hundred years.

A “stunning” portrait of life and love inside an insular Jewish community that “reads like an Orthodox Pride and Prejudice . . . Rewardingly delightful” (Bust). London, 2008. Nineteen-year-old Chani Kaufman is betrothed to Baruch Levy, a young man she’s seen only four times before their wedding day. All the cups of cold coffee and small talk with suitors have led up to this moment. But the happiness Chani and Baruch feel is outweighed by their anxiety about the realities of married life; about whether they will be able to have fewer children than Chani’s mother, who has eight daughters; and about the frightening, unspeakable secrets of the wedding night. Through the story of Chani and Baruch’s unusual courtship, we meet a very different couple: Rabbi Chaim Zilberman and his wife, Rebbetzin Rivka Zilberman. As Chani and Baruch prepare to share a lifetime, Chaim and Rivka struggle to keep their marriage alive—and all four, together with the rest of the community, face difficult decisions about the place of faith and family in the contemporary world. Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and selected as an Amazon Best Book of the Month, The Marrying of Chani Kaufman is a “deeply melodic and exciting” story that “will resonate with readers from all backgrounds” and “linger after the last page” (Publishers Weekly).

Looks at how contemporary Jewish neighborhoods interact with both local and transnational influences.

This book describes the rise and decline of Bournemouth's Jewish hotels and guest houses within the context of Anglo-Jewish history, the growth of Bournemouth as a premier resort and the evolution of its Jewish community. It explores the decline and changing nature of Bournemouth's Jewish holiday trade before examining different aspects of hotel and guest house life - the food, religious activities and entertainment. It concludes with a detailed analysis of the historical significance and many legacies of the kosher establishments, illuminating the hopes, achievements and sorrows of generations of British Jews as they attempted to balance the goal of assimilation with the desire for a world of their own. Throughout the book, the focus is on those who ran, staffed and stayed in the kosher establishments, shedding light on the dynamics of the mainly family-run businesses. Based largely on interviews, the text is replete with humorous and poignant memories and stories that enliven the text.