The Sephardim of England
- Subtitle: A History of the Spanish and Portuguese Community, 1492-1951
- Author: Albert Montefiore Hyamson
- Publisher: Methuen, 1951 – 468 pp.
- LOC Permalink: http://lccn.loc.gov/52001423
- Availability: out of print, but reprints are available from the Society of Heshaim
Review
This book is bursting with information on the Western Sephardic experience in England since the late 16th century. Over nearly 500 pages of florid prose and notes, it recounts the successes, failures, and key personalities of the Sephardim in England from their first arrival down to the mid-20th century. In a break from congregational norms of filiopietism, Hyamson includes many salacious scandals in his account, which sheds new light on areas of communal life that had been swept under the rug. Following the main text is a section of very useful appendices, including one that lists every lay leader recorded to have served on the Mahamad during the preceding three centuries.
In spite of the many strengths of Hyamson's presentation, for which he deserves everlasting credit, the book is weakened by its outdated methodology and by limits of focus that do not live up to the promises of the title. The glory days of the Bevis Marks' early years consume the lion's share of the text, to the visible detriment of West London and Manchester. Meanwhile, the final century under study takes up a scant 10% of the narrative section, with regrettable results. Haham Moses Gaster and Ab Bet Din Shemtob Gaguine are hardly mentioned, although the former had been dead for thirteen years by the time of publication, and the latter had faithfully served the community for the preceding three decades. While no other synthetic history of England's Sephardim has eclipsed Hyamson's foundational work, the time is ripe for a second attempt.
In spite of the many strengths of Hyamson's presentation, for which he deserves everlasting credit, the book is weakened by its outdated methodology and by limits of focus that do not live up to the promises of the title. The glory days of the Bevis Marks' early years consume the lion's share of the text, to the visible detriment of West London and Manchester. Meanwhile, the final century under study takes up a scant 10% of the narrative section, with regrettable results. Haham Moses Gaster and Ab Bet Din Shemtob Gaguine are hardly mentioned, although the former had been dead for thirteen years by the time of publication, and the latter had faithfully served the community for the preceding three decades. While no other synthetic history of England's Sephardim has eclipsed Hyamson's foundational work, the time is ripe for a second attempt.
Contents
|
The Earliest Sephardim in England
The origins of the present community The organization of the community Set-backs and advances The enlargement of the synagogue A new Haham and a new synagogue Some 18th century personalities External affairs The Sephardim beyond the seas The great period in Sephardi history The internal life of the Sephardim More personalities The turn of the century The first decades of the 19th century |
1
10 24 36 53 74 98 123 145 163 182 199 220 240 |
The great secession
The Sephardim and the Ashkenazim Sir Moses Montefiore A threat to Bevis Marks The penultimate half-century The last fifty years Appendices: Changes in the synagogue service (1664-1950) The founders of the congregation Seatholders in 1682 The earliest list of elders The members of the Mahamad (1663-1951) Glossary Index |
269
296 332 357 378 403 416 422 423 425 426 455 459 |