Finally arrived in London and already got to check out Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the changing of the horse’s guard. This weekend I went to the closest Jewish establishment near my student dorm to celebrate Shabbat. I live in the Borough of Islington, which is one of the smallest boroughs of London situated in Inner London.
As a Jewish student, it is important for me while living abroad to find a Jewish community to celebrate festivals and perform rituals. There aren’t many Jews in Islington, most live in suburbs of London like Golders Green and Hendon. The twenty Jews that I met when I went to synagogue were mostly elderly and lived outside of the area. The small turnout was surprising considering there are over 300 members of the synagogue paying dues. These few people come back to the synagogue every Shabbat (Saturday) because they had a deep familial connection to the location: some had grandparents who got married there.
Cheers!
