Resettlement of the Jews in England facts for kids

The resettlement of Jews in England was a special agreement in the 1650s. It allowed Jewish people to openly practice their religion in England. This was a big moment in the history of the Jews in England.

It happened after two main things. First, a famous rabbi named Menasseh ben Israel came from the Netherlands. He wanted to convince England to let Jews live there again. Second, a Spanish merchant named Antonio Robles asked to be seen as Jewish, not Spanish. This happened during a war between England and Spain.

Historians have different ideas about why this happened. They especially wonder about Oliver Cromwell's reasons. But most agree it was part of a new idea about religious freedom. This idea included being friendly to Jews and studying Hebrew. It also involved political and trade reasons that favored Jews being in England.

Why Jews Returned to England

In 1290, King Edward I of England had ordered all Jews to leave England. This was called the Edict of Expulsion. But the English Reformation in the 1530s brought changes that helped Jews later on.

Changes in Religious Views

Many old ideas and church practices that were mean to Jews were removed. Especially those that blamed Jews for the death of Jesus. Also, being against the Pope and Catholics became more common than being against Jews.

The time of the English Civil Wars and the Interregnum (when England had no king) saw big changes. People started to believe in millennial ideas, which meant they thought the end of the world was near. They also started to accept more religious differences.

Studying Hebrew and Jewish Culture

During this time, many English people became interested in Hebraism. This meant studying Hebrew and Jewish ideas. Some even thought the English people were related to the Ten lost tribes of Israel. Oliver Cromwell himself was one of the people who believed this.

After Jews were forced out of Spain in 1492 and Portugal in 1496, some Jewish traders who had converted to Christianity (called conversos or New Christians) settled in London. They often practiced Judaism secretly. This small group was mostly connected to trade with Antwerp. They were expelled in 1609.

As London became a more important trading city, Jews from the Netherlands started to settle there again in the 1630s. The Jewish population in the UK today grew from these first settlers.

Religious Freedom Debates

The 1640s and 1650s in England were full of strong debates about religious tolerance. Many radical Puritans and other groups called for liberty of conscience. This meant people should be free to believe what they wanted.

Scholars like John Selden studied Jewish writings to discuss political issues. He thought the government should not get too involved in religion. This idea was based on the ancient Hebrew Commonwealth. Selden influenced other thinkers like John Milton and Thomas Hobbes.

Even though many Puritans were against full tolerance, some religious freedom did appear. This was partly because it was hard to stop people from expressing their beliefs. It also became a goal for the New Model Army.

Cromwell's religious ideas aimed for unity among believers. He saw religious persecution as a big problem for this unity. However, this freedom usually only extended to certain Christian groups, not to all "heretics" like Quakers.

There was a big increase in religious freedom during Cromwell's rule. This was a revolutionary change. It led to more tolerance in the years after the Interregnum. Cromwell allowed some punishments for certain beliefs. But his close friends included people who wanted even more freedom of belief. These "merciful men" wanted to understand and tolerate different ideas.

Millenarian 'Admissionists'

Many people who supported Jews returning hoped to convert them to Christianity. Leonard Busher was one of the first to ask for Jews to be allowed back in England in 1616. Others, like Henry Finch and Joseph Mede, wrote about the benefits of converting Jews in the 1620s.

By the 1640s, many Puritans believed that Jews would soon convert. The Christians who were most open to Jews were also those most committed to their conversion. Many of these "admissionists" were close to Cromwell. These included John Sadler and Hugh Peter.

The Fifth Monarchy Men were another group of Puritans. They believed that allowing Jews back would speed up the coming of Christ's kingdom. Some people who were against Jews returning thought it would be hard to convert them.

Many people at the time believed England had a special role in God's plan. They often saw Jews as the "true Israel" from the Bible. They thought Jews were a special group, like the English. This meant that if God favored Jews, the English should listen to their requests for help.

First Steps to Resettlement (1649-1654)

The first request for Jews to return came from Johanna and Ebenezer Cartwright. They were English Baptists living in Amsterdam. They sent their petition in January 1649. They asked for Jews to live in England and to be sent to the "Land promised to their fore-fathers."

This request showed the strong interest in Jewish ideas among Puritans. However, the petition was sent right before King Charles I was put on trial. So, the Cartwrights never got an answer.

The next year, Rabbi Menasseh Ben Israel wrote a book called Hope of Israel. He said that Jews needed to be "spread out to the ends of the earth" before they could be saved. The book was published in Dutch and Latin in 1650. It came out in English in 1652, dedicated to Parliament.

In 1651, Ben Israel met Oliver St John from England. The English were impressed by Ben Israel's knowledge. They told him to formally ask for Jews to be allowed back into England.

In 1653, Cromwell officially invited Menasseh ben Israel to England. But Ben Israel did not come right away. He was worried about anti-English feelings after a recent war.

By the mid-1650s, Cromwell was getting advice from a Jewish trader named Simon de Caceres. Cromwell sent a Jewish doctor, Abraham de Mercado, and his son to Barbados. There, he looked into the idea of Jews settling in Jamaica. They were offered full rights and even land there.

Cromwell's Views on Jewish Return

Historians have different ideas about Cromwell's thoughts on Jews returning. Some say he shared the same hopes as the millenarians about converting Jews.

Paul Rycaut, a diplomat, remembered a meeting where Cromwell asked if it was a Christian's duty to help Jews settle where they could learn the truth.

Others say Cromwell had more practical reasons. He believed Jews could be good at gathering foreign information. This would help his plans for England. Also, allowing different Protestant groups made political sense. It helped prevent disorder and promoted peace. He used the same idea to justify allowing Jews back. He also thought it would help trade. He saw how important Jews were to Amsterdam's financial success.

England was competing with the Dutch for trade. The Navigation Act of 1651 aimed to protect English trade. This made Cromwell want to attract rich Jews from Amsterdam to London. He hoped they would move their important trade with the Spanish colonies from the Netherlands to England.

Oliver St John's trip to Amsterdam failed to create a trade alliance. But he did talk with Menasseh Ben Israel and the Jewish community there. Menasseh was given a pass to enter England. But he could not use it because of the First Anglo-Dutch War (1652-1654).

Informal Resettlement (1655-1656)

The years 1655 and 1656 were very important for the resettlement of Jews in England. First, Menasseh ben Israel visited. Second, there was the case of the Jewish trader Antonio Rodrigues Robles.

Menasseh Ben Israel's Visit

Menasseh ben Israel's son, Samuel, came to England in 1653. He came with a trader named David Dormido to see if Jews could resettle. In May 1655, Samuel was sent back to Amsterdam. He was to convince his father to visit England.

The rabbi came to England in September 1655 with three other rabbis. Cromwell hosted them. Ben Israel then published his "humble address" to Cromwell. At this time, about 20 Jewish families were living in London.

A national meeting was called at Whitehall in December. It included important lawyers, church leaders, and merchants. The lawyers said they had no problem with Jews living in England. But the church leaders and merchants were against it. Cromwell stopped the discussion to prevent a bad decision.

Still, something must have changed. The diarist John Evelyn wrote in his diary on December 14, "Now were the Jews admitted." Ben Israel stayed in England until September 1657. He met many important people. Even though he did not get a formal law passed, his presence gave English people a good impression of Jewish learning and goodness.

The Robles Case

Early in 1656, the question of Jewish status became very real. England declared war against Spain. This led to the arrest of Antonio Rodrigues Robles. He was a Jewish trader who worked between London and the Canary Islands.

Robles asked for his seized property back. He said he was "of the Hebrew nation" (Jewish), not Spanish. At the same time, six important members of the Jewish community asked Cromwell for permission to worship together. They also asked for a burial ground.

No formal permission was given. But some promises must have been made. In the summer, Menasseh asked for a Torah scroll to be sent from Amsterdam. In the autumn, Moses Athias moved from Hamburg to be a religious teacher. By December 1656, they had rented a house for a synagogue. Services began in January 1657.

In February 1657, the new community bought land near Mile End for a synagogue. Historian Todd Endelman says this likely would not have happened without Cromwell's permission. The informal way the resettlement happened also meant that those against it had no clear target. This stopped them from forming strong opposition. Later, it also meant there were no restrictive laws to remove when Jews wanted more citizenship rights.

By the end of the 1650s, the number of Jewish families had grown to thirty-five. In 1657, Solomon Dormido, Menasseh Ben Israel's nephew, was allowed to work at the Royal Exchange, London. He became a licensed broker without taking the usual oath that mentioned Christianity. When he was sworn in later, the oath was changed for him.

Antonio Fernandez Carvajal had already been granted special papers. These papers gave him and his son certain citizenship rights.

Debating the Return of Jews

From 1655 to 1656, the question of Jews returning to England was debated in many pamphlets. Opponents like William Prynne were against it. But supporters like the Quaker Margaret Fell were in favor. Christian supporters believed that converting Jews was a sign of the end times. They saw allowing Jews back into England as a step toward this goal.

This way of debating helped keep anti-Jewish feelings from getting too strong. It also helped Charles II when he became king again in 1660. He avoided taking action on a petition from London merchants who wanted him to undo Cromwell's decision.

Charles II had been helped during his time in exile by several Jews who supported the king. These included Andrea Mendes da Costa and Antonio Mendes. In 1664, there was another attempt to expel Jews. But the King and his Council said that Jews would continue to be favored.

Similar attempts to stir up prejudice happened in 1673 and 1685. But the government stopped these actions. The status of Jews was still uncertain. The Attorney-General said they lived in England only with an unspoken permission. Most Jews were still legally considered foreigners. This meant they faced many restrictions.

Help from and to Jews Abroad

William III reportedly received a large loan from Francisco Lopes Suasso to help him become King of England. William did not interfere when some Jewish merchants had to pay a special tax on goods for foreigners in 1689. But he refused a request from Jamaica to expel Jews.

William's rule brought London and Amsterdam's Jewish communities closer. This helped move the center of European finance from Amsterdam to London. During this time, a small Ashkenazi Jewish community from Germany arrived. They set up their own synagogue in 1692. But they were not as important in trade.

In the early 1700s, London's Jewish community included important Jewish financiers from northern Europe. These included the Mendez da Costa and Salvador families. The usefulness of these Jewish merchants and financiers was widely recognized. Marlborough especially used the services of Sir Solomon de Medina.

The first merchants of the resettlement are thought to have brought about £1,500,000 into England. This amount grew to an estimated £5,000,000 by the mid-1700s.

As early as 1723, a law allowed Jews who owned land to skip the words "on the true faith of a Christian" when registering their ownership. This was allowed again in the Plantation Act 1740. More importantly, this act allowed Jews who had lived in British America for seven years to become British subjects.

Later, a similar bill was introduced in the Irish Parliament. It passed the Commons in 1745 and 1746. But it failed to pass the Lords in 1747 and was dropped.

During the Jacobite uprising of 1745, Jews showed great loyalty to the government. Their main financier, Samson Gideon, helped strengthen the stock market. Several younger Jewish men volunteered to defend London.

See also

• History of the Jews in England
• History of the Jews in England (1066–1200)
• History of the Marranos in England
• Jewish Naturalization Act 1753
• Influences on the standing of the Jews in England
• Emancipation of the Jews in England
• Early English Jewish literature
• History of the Jews in Scotland