Books shine light on Jewish youth
Two rare books compiled by Jewish children during the First World War have been made publicly available for the first time.
Discovered in the archives of the Liberal Jewish Synagogue (LJS) in London, the books – now online at jewsfww.london – contain an array of essays, poems and drawings created by young people who attended the synagogue’s religious school between 1915 and 1916.
As well as offering a general insight into the lives of children during the period, the content also provides a unique Jewish perspective on the conflict. This ranges from a cartoon promoting scripture classes at the LJS, to a startling essay written by Nina Goldstein, revealing her unease about “members of the Jewish faith fighting against each other”.
The volumes were digitised as part of the We Were There Too community project, which is examining the lives of London’s Jewish population during the First World War.
Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the project website (see link, above) also offers free access to historic documents such as photographs and trade directories, as well as case studies for individual British Jewish soldiers.