History of the Jews in Northern Ireland
Encyclopedia
The Jews of Northern Ireland have lived primarily in Belfast
, where the Belfast Hebrew Congregation
, an Ashkanasi orthodox community, was established in 1870. In addition, former communities were located in Derry
and Lurgan
.
, who served at the synagogue which was located at Great Victoria Street from 1870–1880 and 1892–1897. Among later spiritual leaders at the synagogue may be counted Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog
(1916–1919), who later become Chief Rabbi of Israel. His son Chaim Herzog
, who became the 6th President of Israel
, was born in Belfast. Rabbi John Ross, Rabbi Jacob Schachter and Rabbi Alexander Carlebach followed in this esteemed rabbinic lineage.
, most of which is now known as Northern Ireland. A few records also note a Jewish presence during the 18th and early 19th century. In the 19th century as the pogroms in Russia and Poland increased, the Belfast Jewish population increased from 52 in the 1861 census, to 78 in 1881, to 273 in 1891. There was very little religious conversion, an interesting noble exception was the Countess of Charlemont. The Hon. Elizabeth Jane Somerville, born on 21 June 1834, was the daughter of William Meredyth Somerville, 1st Baron Meredyth and first Lord Athlumney and Lady Maria Harriet Conyngham. She married James Molyneux Caulfeild, 3rd Earl of Charlemont, son of Hon. Henry Caulfeild and Elizabeth Margaret Browne, on 18 December 1856. Her Mother-in-law was a favorite in Queen Victoria's court. As a result of her marriage, Hon. Elizabeth Jane Somerville was styled as Countess of Charlemont on 26 December 1863. Soon thereafter she attended synagogue services in Belfast and became a convert to Judaism. She died on 31 May 1882 at age 47 at Roxborough Castle
, Moy, County Tyrone, Ireland, without issue. There were no Jews in Moy, so her initial exposure to Judaism is worthy of research.
Due to the influx of Russian and Polish Jews near the turn of the century, the Jewish community set up "a board of guardians (1893), a Hebrew ladies' foreign benevolent society (1896), and a "Hebrew national
school" (1898) For a short time, there was a second Jewish synagogue, the Regent Street Congregation.
Otto Jaffe
, Lord Mayor of Belfast
, was life-president of the Belfast Hebrew Congregation and he helped build the city's second synagogue in 1904, paying most of the £4,000 cost. He was a German linen importer who visited Belfast several times a year to buy linen, he prospered and decided to live in Belfast. The synagogue he founded was located at Annesley Street, off Carlisle Circus in the north of the city where most Jews then lived.subsequently Barney Hurwitz, a prominent businessman in Belfast, was the president of the congregation for at least two decades
During World War II
, a number of Jewish children escaping from the Nazis, via the Kindertransport
, reached and were housed in Millisle
. The Millisle Refugee Farm (Magill’s farm, on the Woburn Road) and was founded by teenage pioneers from the Bachad movement. It took refugee
s from May 1938 until its closure in 1948.
In 1901, the Jewish population was reported to be 763 people. In 1929, records show that 519 Jews had emigrated from Northern Ireland to the U.S. In 1967, the population was estimated at 1,350; by 2004 this number had fallen to 130. It is now estimated to be around 500, but could be as low as 100. The current membership of the Belfast Hebrew Congregation is believed to be as low as 80.
Well known Belfast Jews include Gustav Wilhelm Wolff
, a partner in Harland and Wolff (H&W). Harland and Wolff was the largest single shipyard in the British Isles. Edward Harland bought the shipyard for $5,000 from Hickson and Co in 1860/61 with funds from a Liverpool Jewish investor, G.C. Schwabe. Schwabe sent his nephew Gustave Wilhelm Wolff to Belfast to oversee the investment, the company assumed the name Harland and Wolff the following year, 1862. H&W built many large ships including the Titanic and the Queen Mary. Ronald Appleton Q.C., is a well known barrister and Crown Prosecutor during the 'troubles" in the 1976–1996 era. He was elected President of the Belfast Hebrew Congregation until he retired in 2008. Belfast Actors include Harold Goldblatt and Harry Towb
, pioneer of modern dance in Northern Ireland Helen Lewis
and jazz commentator Solly Lipschitz.
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, where the Belfast Hebrew Congregation
Belfast Hebrew Congregation
The Belfast Hebrew Congregation is the Jewish community in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The community follows the Ashkenazi Orthodox ritual. Membership has fluctuated from 78 in 1900, approximately 1500 during World War II ,about 375 after World War II, and 200 in 1999.-History:Established in 1870,...
, an Ashkanasi orthodox community, was established in 1870. In addition, former communities were located in Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
and Lurgan
Lurgan
Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town is near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and in the north-eastern corner of the county. Part of the Craigavon Borough Council area, Lurgan is about 18 miles south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway...
.
Belfast Rabbinic Lineage
The first minister of the congregation was Reverend Joseph ChotznerJoseph Chotzner
Reverend Joseph Chotzner was the first rabbi of the Jewish community in Belfast, Ireland. Rev. Chotzner served from 1870-1880 at the helm of the Belfast Synagogue....
, who served at the synagogue which was located at Great Victoria Street from 1870–1880 and 1892–1897. Among later spiritual leaders at the synagogue may be counted Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog
Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog
Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog , also known as Isaac Herzog, was the first Chief Rabbi of Ireland, his term lasting from 1921 to 1936...
(1916–1919), who later become Chief Rabbi of Israel. His son Chaim Herzog
Chaim Herzog
Chaim Herzog served as the sixth President of Israel , following a distinguished career in both the British Army and the Israel Defense Forces .-Early life:...
, who became the 6th President of Israel
President of Israel
The President of the State of Israel is the head of state of Israel. The position is largely an apolitical ceremonial figurehead role, with the real executive power lying in the hands of the Prime Minister. The current president is Shimon Peres who took office on 15 July 2007...
, was born in Belfast. Rabbi John Ross, Rabbi Jacob Schachter and Rabbi Alexander Carlebach followed in this esteemed rabbinic lineage.
The Belfast Hebrew Congregation
In the 17th century, Jews reportedly lived in Ulster, the northern province of IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, most of which is now known as Northern Ireland. A few records also note a Jewish presence during the 18th and early 19th century. In the 19th century as the pogroms in Russia and Poland increased, the Belfast Jewish population increased from 52 in the 1861 census, to 78 in 1881, to 273 in 1891. There was very little religious conversion, an interesting noble exception was the Countess of Charlemont. The Hon. Elizabeth Jane Somerville, born on 21 June 1834, was the daughter of William Meredyth Somerville, 1st Baron Meredyth and first Lord Athlumney and Lady Maria Harriet Conyngham. She married James Molyneux Caulfeild, 3rd Earl of Charlemont, son of Hon. Henry Caulfeild and Elizabeth Margaret Browne, on 18 December 1856. Her Mother-in-law was a favorite in Queen Victoria's court. As a result of her marriage, Hon. Elizabeth Jane Somerville was styled as Countess of Charlemont on 26 December 1863. Soon thereafter she attended synagogue services in Belfast and became a convert to Judaism. She died on 31 May 1882 at age 47 at Roxborough Castle
Roxborough Castle
Roxborough Castle was a castle in Moy, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland originally built in 1738. It was the seat of the Earls of Charlemont, along with Charlemont Fort, and was burned out by a gang of Irish republicans in 1922....
, Moy, County Tyrone, Ireland, without issue. There were no Jews in Moy, so her initial exposure to Judaism is worthy of research.
Due to the influx of Russian and Polish Jews near the turn of the century, the Jewish community set up "a board of guardians (1893), a Hebrew ladies' foreign benevolent society (1896), and a "Hebrew national
Hebrew National
Hebrew National is a brand of kosher hot dogs and sausages made by ConAgra Foods, Inc.-History:The Hebrew National Kosher Sausage Factory, Inc. was founded on East Broadway, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1905...
school" (1898) For a short time, there was a second Jewish synagogue, the Regent Street Congregation.
Otto Jaffe
Otto Jaffe
Sir Otto Jaffe, JP was a German-born British Jewish businessman and twice elected Lord Mayor of Belfast.-Family:...
, Lord Mayor of Belfast
Lord Mayor of Belfast
The Lord Mayor of Belfast is the leader and chairman of Belfast City Council, elected annually from and by the City's 51 councillors.The Lord Mayor is Niall Ó Donnghaile of Sinn Féin, while the Deputy Lord Mayor is Ruth Patterson of the Democratic Unionist Party, who were elected in May 2011.The...
, was life-president of the Belfast Hebrew Congregation and he helped build the city's second synagogue in 1904, paying most of the £4,000 cost. He was a German linen importer who visited Belfast several times a year to buy linen, he prospered and decided to live in Belfast. The synagogue he founded was located at Annesley Street, off Carlisle Circus in the north of the city where most Jews then lived.subsequently Barney Hurwitz, a prominent businessman in Belfast, was the president of the congregation for at least two decades
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a number of Jewish children escaping from the Nazis, via the Kindertransport
Kindertransport
Kindertransport is the name given to the rescue mission that took place nine months prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. The United Kingdom took in nearly 10,000 predominantly Jewish children from Nazi Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and the Free City of Danzig...
, reached and were housed in Millisle
Millisle
Millisle or Mill Isle is a village on the Ards Peninsula in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is mostly within the townland of Ballymacruise, about south of Donaghadee. It had a population of 1,800 in the 2001 Census...
. The Millisle Refugee Farm (Magill’s farm, on the Woburn Road) and was founded by teenage pioneers from the Bachad movement. It took refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s from May 1938 until its closure in 1948.
In 1901, the Jewish population was reported to be 763 people. In 1929, records show that 519 Jews had emigrated from Northern Ireland to the U.S. In 1967, the population was estimated at 1,350; by 2004 this number had fallen to 130. It is now estimated to be around 500, but could be as low as 100. The current membership of the Belfast Hebrew Congregation is believed to be as low as 80.
Well known Belfast Jews include Gustav Wilhelm Wolff
Gustav Wilhelm Wolff
Gustav Wilhelm Wolff was a British shipbuilder and politician. Born in Hamburg, he moved to Liverpool in 1849 to live with his uncle, Gustav Christian Schwabe...
, a partner in Harland and Wolff (H&W). Harland and Wolff was the largest single shipyard in the British Isles. Edward Harland bought the shipyard for $5,000 from Hickson and Co in 1860/61 with funds from a Liverpool Jewish investor, G.C. Schwabe. Schwabe sent his nephew Gustave Wilhelm Wolff to Belfast to oversee the investment, the company assumed the name Harland and Wolff the following year, 1862. H&W built many large ships including the Titanic and the Queen Mary. Ronald Appleton Q.C., is a well known barrister and Crown Prosecutor during the 'troubles" in the 1976–1996 era. He was elected President of the Belfast Hebrew Congregation until he retired in 2008. Belfast Actors include Harold Goldblatt and Harry Towb
Harry Towb
Harry Towb was a Northern Irish actor.-Early life and career:Towb's father was Russian and his mother was Irish. He attended the Finiston School and Technical College, Belfast...
, pioneer of modern dance in Northern Ireland Helen Lewis
Helen Lewis
Helen Lewis MBE was a pioneer of modern dance in Northern Ireland, and made her name as a dance teacher and choreographer.She was born in Trutnov, Czechoslovakia, in 1916, and attended Milča Mayerová’s School of Dance in Prague after leaving school. In 1942 she was deported to the Jewish Ghetto in...
and jazz commentator Solly Lipschitz.