Faith & ethics

David Israel is a busy man and talks like it! His rapid-fire delivery and no-nonsense, non-mystical approach is a breath of fresh air for those who seek clarity in faith matters. We asked him about the history of the Jewish faith in Leeds:

"The Jews in Leeds first settled in houses around the Leopold St area (close to the old ABC cinema) and Chapeltown as the majority worked in workshops there. The first major Synagogue was built on Chapeltown Rd (now the Northern School of Contemporary Dance). An infrastructure of community groups, shops and businesses developed which moved with the community on its journey through the north of Leeds.

The textile and clothing businesses were big news in Leeds in those years and provided plenty of employment for any immigrant needing to put food on the table. Pretty soon Jewish businesses began to spring up and in some cases like Burton's Tailors or Barrett's shoes, became household names.

Jewish business in North Leeds

Such business success led Jewish businessmen to become involved in local politics as one of the central tenets of Jewish law is that wherever you settle, the onus is on being a good and active citizen of that community. Indeed, every Saturday a prayer is said in Synagogue for the Queen, her advisers, the Royal Family, the Government and its advisers. The Jewish tradition is to make sure that they fit comfortably within the state infrastructure and do not clash with the laws of the land."

David splits Judaism into four main strands: Orthodox, Reform, Masorti, Liberal; but whatever branch you follow, the devotion to the state takes precedence. Something that has become a talking point since the Archbishop of Canterbury's comments on Sharia Law – is not a problem within the Jewish community. E.g. A Jewish divorce is only seen as correctly carried out if a legal UK divorce has been granted as well as the divorce under Jewish law. It is incumbent on the community to maintain this separation of state and religion.

"Faith schools have become a big political football in modern society but in Leeds there is only one Jewish-maintained school: Brodetsky Primary School. While currently its pupils are all Jewish, there is no bar on anyone applying to send their children there. Limit is on space more than anything. There is a belief that the moral code handed down, based like Christianity on 10 Commandments, is a general code that fits any society."

Judaism not a religion that actively seeks to recruit new blood. Indeed, a desire for conversion to the Jewish faith is usually rebuffed more than once. Jews believe that it is no small commitment to follow the religion and only those dedicated to following the faith should consider conversion. Marriage is seen almost as the “worst” reason to convert. You need to take on board not just the tenets of the faith, but its laws, culture etc.

David laughs when asked about complying with certain parts of the faith like observance of the rules of the Sabbath or dietary requirements. He reckons that like any religion there are different levels of piety and observance.

"Judaism is not a uniform religion – try asking a Rabbi a question and you'll get a debate rather than a stock answer. There's an old saying: talk to three Jews and you'll get four opinions! It's more of a religion designed to get you to ask questions of yourself, your community and your faith rather than a provision of easy answers. The philosophy is that it prepares you with the materials to find the answers yourself.

Also, individual interpretation is the key and quite often a subtle rephrasing of a question is necessary to get a Jew to commit themselves on an issue. No great value is put on hierarchies – the Torah is for the individual, and there are as many versions of Jewish texts are there are of the Bible.

Revising and updating means that it is not a static faith. For example, there is a prayer to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob which now includes references to their wives. A 21st century approach based on ideas of equality promoted by the Reform branch of the faith."

"Leeds' Jewish population hit a height of around 30,000 in WW2, but now is around 10,000 at any one time. A core population of 8,000 with the rest being made up of those living short-term in the city such as students and other transitory Jews who aren't members of one of the four main synagogues in Leeds.

Arnold & Marjorie Ziff Centre

Jewish patrons similar to fellow Yorkshiremen like Joseph Rowntree and Titus Salt, were driven by a sense of civic duty and that means that we have people like Arnold Ziff (responsible for Roundhay Park, Merrion Centre etc.) who was willing to fund non-Jewish instutions including restoration of the Parish Church, as well as the Jewish community centre that now bears the name of Ziff and his wife. That sense of duty can still be seen in a number of city councillors today.

Jews in Leeds are active in faith forums. David believes that you can never have enough interfaith contact: "'More jaw jaw, less war war!!' is an old cliché, but like most clichés there's an element of truth in it. Leeds Jewish Welfare Board meet up regularly with colleagues from Hamara Muslim Centre in South Leeds, Christian colleagues and others from a myriad of faiths. After all, Christianity, Judaism and Islam have the same root and communities have to be on their guard against divisions sown by unhelpful media and other elements who may want to divide us."

Obviously the impact of international politics can affect these relationships but he believes there is more that binds than separates. While he believes that Jews should be accepting that they live in a modern, western country that is Christian at its core he still has time for the more traditional aspects like Friday night dinners - Friday evening after sundown is considered part of the Sabbath.

"All over North Leeds, Friday evening is a time to get together with family and friends from the city and around the country - it's part of who we are."