Jewish holidays

• The event was led by Rabbi Elisheva Salamo, the first rabbi to live in York for over 700 years.
• In the history of England’s Jewish communities, York is forever linked with this period of murderous antisemitism.
• Historians have long examined how the Christian and Jewish communities co-existed in York both before and, crucially, after 1190.

York’s early Jewish community

• The first references to a Jewish community in York date back to the 1170s.
• Property deeds held in York City Archives and Durham Cathedral Archives refer to two very substantial properties, occupied by two prominent Jewish figures, Josce and Benedict.
• At some point in the 1180s, he wrote to the Jewish community in Joigny, just south-east of Paris, asking for a scholar to be sent to York to teach the community.

A centre of Jewish scholarship and poetry

• Research suggests York was a centre
  of Jewish scholarship and poetry.
• Specifically, Yom Tov said that it was acceptable to allow a gentile into a Jewish household on Chabbad (the Sabbath) for the purposes of the lighting a fire.
• As Rabbi Edward Feld notes, the poem is favoured for its insistence that only God can rescue humanity, through his forgiveness.

• Historical chroniclers do not agree on whether Yom Tov lived permanently in York, as the city’s rabbi, or whether he was simply a frequent visitor.
• This strongly suggests Yom Tov was, in fact, established in York.

Jews were absent from York for 600 years

• The 12th-century English chronicler, William of Newburgh, describes Josce and Benedict’s “stone palaces” as “[attracting] the attention of their Christian neighbours”.
• In an antisemitic attempt at justification, he implies that their lavishness inspired envy and contributed to the “cause” of the pogrom.

• Charter evidence suggests around 150 people died – likely, the entirety of the York community.
• Following the expulsion of the Jews from England, by King Edward I, in 1290, there would be no Jewish presence in York for 600 years.
• The return of a resident rabbi in York, in 2023, comes amid plans to build a new synagogue.

Louise Hampson works for The University of York. She receives funding from the AHRC and this work on which this articlke is based arose from a government-funded project. John Jenkins does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.