Jewish Genealogy
The labyrinthine task of tracing Jewish family history was the subject of a talk at Ruislip Synagogue, Shenley Avenue. Jewish genealogy - the study of ancestors - presents special problems for a number of historical, cultural and religious reasons.
These include the fact there were no Jews in England between 1290 and 1656, following their expulsion by King Edward 1 in 1290. Jewish families were also traditionally large, with many members sharing the same first names, and nobody having surnames.
Further problems came with Jews changing their names. Many who fled foreign countries to escape persecution chose new names easier to understand in Britain. There were also those from countries which, during wartime, became British enemies, and they took different names to protect themselves.
In their talk, George Anticoni of the Jewish Genealogy Society of Great Britain and Sidney Moss, chairman of Hillingdon CCJ, explained the expert techniques and methods used to overcome the problems. These included referring to marriage certificates and other historic documents.
- Taken from a report published in the Uxbridge Gazette, 5th September 2001
Bernard Tiley
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