The congregation in Peterborough dates only from c1940. They met
in the church hall belonging to Westgate Congregational Church
until a purpose-built Synagogue in Cobden Avenue was opened in
1954.
Further information relating to the local Jewish Community can
be found in 'The presence of Jews in Northamptonshire' by Michael
Jollies, in, Northamptonshire Past & Present 57, 2004;
especially pp64-65.
Jewish archives (including personal papers) with a connection to
Peterborough are listed below:
Papers of Julius Jung
Julius Jung, 1894-1975, was secretary of the Federation of
Synagogues. He was active, with the assistance of B'nai B'rith, in
the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Memorial Council, Mizrachi and
the World Jewish Congress on behalf of the small Jewish communities
in the British Isles.
1955-1970: correspondence and papers relating to the communities
in general, correspondence with Colchester, Scottish communities
and with communities including Aberdeen, Amersham, Ayr,
Barrow-in-Furness, Basildon, Birkenhead, Blackburn, Bognor Regis,
Bolton, Northampton, Oxford, Peterborough, Plymouth and Portsmouth
(Ref: MS167).
Held at University of Southampton Libraries Special
Collections.
Papers of Harold Levy
Harold Levy was inspector of Hebrew Classes in London and the
provinces for the Central Council of Jewish Religious
Education.
1951-1976: Reports of visits across the country, annual and
conference reports, statistical information including
questionnaires on numbers of children attending classes, reports
for various communities including Peterborough (Ref MA 179).
Held at University of Southampton Libraries Special
Collections.
Papers of M. Weisman
Malcolm Weisman was visiting minister to the smaller Jewish
provincial communities, chaplain to several universities, and
Chaplain to the armed forces and to the prison service.
c1963-1974: Correspondence with circulars and magazines produced
by small communities, files of correspondence relating to
communities including Peterborough (Ref: MS 584).
Held at University of Southampton Libraries Special
Collections.
The second largest Jewish community in the United Kingdom is in
Manchester. Manchester Archives and Local Studies has excellent
holdings relating to the community and a guide to these records is
now available online at http://www.manchester.gov.uk/libraries/arls/pdf/jewishguide.pdf.
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