What has been the impact of Jewish Migration to Golders Green?

When people migrate some things stay the same and some things change. Jewish migration to Golders Green is no different. When Jews arrived they did not suddenly forget their language, customs and history; instead they celebrated them in a new location, north London and with new neighbours. In this section you will be learning about how the Jewish presence has changed Golders Green.

Before you begin your enquiry it is important for you to recognise that the phrase ‘Jewish migration’ does not just refer to one group of people who all think the same way and believe in the same values. Jews, like other groups, are diverse and very mixed. For example, many have come to Britain from Eastern Europe; these are called Ashkenazi Jews. Others have come from the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Asia; these are called Sephardic Jews; and those from Ethiopia are called Falasha.

This rich diversity of Jewish people is reflected in the wide ranging cultural impact on Golders Green. Take language as one example: today, within the Jewish community you can hear Ivrit (modern Hebrew), Yiddish, Pharsi, Arabic and other languages spoken, written and read.

The key focus in this section of the local study has three main enquiries:

• What has been the impact of Jewish customs and diet on shops and services in Golders Green?

• What is the economic impact of Jewish migration into Golders Green?

• What has been the political impact of Jewish migration to Golders Green?