Jewish London

by Rachel Kolsky and Roslyn Rawson

Jewish London is the only travel guidebook available that focuses on the sights, heritage and culture of London's historic and present Jewish community. Packed with fascinating and practical information, Jewish London features everything for the visitor to London, from walking tours of historic areas such as the old Jewish East End to listings of kosher restaurants and shops, and information on important Jewish Londoners and where they lived, complete with plenty of specially commissioned maps.

It is also an extremely useful compendium of information for the Jewish resident in London, listing Jewish cultural and heritage organisations, synagogues, ritual baths and other important Jewish centres, and a calendar of Jewish festivals and events in London.  One of the extremely knowledgeable authors is a Jewish historian and tour guide and  and their lively, interesting text is illustrated with brand-new full-colour photography of the most important Jewish sights.

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"London has had a strong Jewish presence since the 11th century. In this evocative and richly illustrated guide to Jewish London, authors Rachel Kolsky and Roslyn Rawson offer a fascinating look at Jewish London today. The Jewish population hovers around 196,000; by contrast, the Jewish population of the entire United Kingdom is slightly less than 300,000. Whether visiting the bagel and falafel bars of Golders Green or the Orthodox community of Stamford Hill, Kolsky and Rawson offer smart and thoughtful observations. The illustrations are especially noteworthy. The wonderful mural "Story of East End" by Beverley-Jane Stewart is a marvel in its own right, while the contemporary photographs place Jewish London in a historical context. All chronicle the changes that have occurred over the centuries. The historic community of Brick Lane, for example, has been transformed from a 20th-century Jewish neighborhood into the well-known center of London's Bangladeshi neighborhood. The guide features a series of walking tours based on Kolsky's experience as a Blue Badge London Tourist Guide with an emphasis on the East End (the Jewish Whitechapel Walk contains everything from historic murals to the site of former settlement houses), Central London and Hampstead. The authors describe synagogues; Jewish or Jewish-themed museums (from the Freud Museum to the Jewish Museum); and kosher cafes, restaurants and shops. In addition, wonderful sections explore aspects of Jewish London in more detail, including a portrait of Disraeli's London (Benjamin Disraeli, the noted 19th-century British prime minister), Holocaust memorials (such as the Holocaust Exhibition at the Imperial War Museum and the Holocaust Memorial Garden in Hyde Park) and Jewish cemeteries. The guide concludes with a glossary of Jewish terms. The book is a must for anyone interested in exploring Jewish life in London past and present. "

This review was posted: 10/04/2012 10:02:50 by Special to Tribune Newspapers