Britain’s oldest synagogue founded

The Holy Congregation Gate of Heaven synagogue opened in Bevis Marks in 1701.

The expansion of London’s Spanish and Portuguese Jewish community left them needing a permanent place of worship. This demand was met by a new synagogue, opened in Bevis Marks in the City of London under Rabbi David Nieto.

The synagogue was built by a Quaker, Joseph Avis, who declined to take his full fee because he believed that it would be wrong to profit from building a house of God.

Jewish leaders were conscious that their community had only recently been allowed to settle in England, and fined members of their congregation whose conduct brought Jews into disrepute.