A menorah, the holy candelabrum that is seen as a symbol of
Judaism Jewish communities across the UK are holding a year of
commemorations to mark the 350th anniversary of the
"readmission" of Jews to England. The events of 1656 are
popularly regarded as a watershed and, more widely, an important
step in the development of a multicultural nation. How did the
history of Jews in Britain start? It is a very long history. The
first substantial Jewish community arrived in England after the
Norman Conquest of 1066, although some historians suggest there
was a presence in even earlier times. The Jews who arrived with
William the Conqueror were merchants and bankers - they became
an integral part of the early Norman period because Christians
(much like Muslims today) were forbidden from lending money at
interest. By the middle of the 13th century, there were
substantial Jewish communities in London, Lincoln and York. So
what caused the expulsion? Resentment of their perceived wealth,
exacerbated by the popular belief