Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein

The Jewish Community of Golders Green by Pam Fox (ISBN: 9780750965873)

Pam Fox – who has previously written books on Rabbi Dr Israel Mattuck and The Liberal Jewish Synagogue – has published an incredibly well-researched account of the history of Jewish settlement in Golders Green. It is easy to read and filled with anecdotes.

Pam starts by revealing that its name came from an early family called Godyere, though I was pleased that some later knew it as ‘Goldstein’s Green’. The book – available via www.thehistorypress.co.uk – then takes us through its development and the growth of its Jewish community.

First were East End Jews seeking a more pleasant environment, middle class pretensions with maids being an early status symbol. They didn’t find it hard to ‘fit in’, as it was not such a well-established suburb as those they had previously moved to.

Then, over the decades, other Jewish populations followed. German refugees gave Golders Green a very continental character and, after the War, more ‘exotic’ families from former British colonies in India, Iraq and, in time, South Africa followed. Most recent has been an influx of Israelis and French Jews. All ensured that the Jewish community may have changed, but that only increased the area’s cosmopolitan Jewish character.

A chapter on shopping records the range of Jewish shops and pictures the Jewish shoppers. Zionist, youth and social clubs and care organisations are covered, and there is a justified emphasis on religious aspects of the community.

The more I read of the incredible Jewish atmosphere of the district, its Orthodox and Reform synagogues and large Jewish population, I thought: “Why was there never a Liberal community?” It seems that attempts were made in 1915, but they came to nothing despite the fact that our founding rabbi, Rabbi Dr Israel Mattuck, had a house in the area.

Pam Fox – assisted by the research and proof-reading of former Liberal Judaism chief executive Rosita Rosenberg – has written a substantial, fascinating book. I can thoroughly recommend it to Jews of all affiliations and, indeed, anyone trying to understand this very Jewish suburb.