This two-day event aims to bring together, and carve the future of, the field of medieval Anglo-Jewish History. 

About this Event

Day I: New Directions, New Approaches

13:30-13:40 Welcome / Introduction (Dr Rebecca Searby & Dean Irwin)

13:40-14:00 “Why Medieval Anglo-Jewish History?” (Prof. Miri Rubin, Queen Mary)

14:00-14:10 Break

14:10-15:10 Panel 1: Jews and the Law - A Tale of Two Perspectives

Paper I: Dr Rebecca Searby (York), ‘England’s Jewish Community and the Systematisation of the Common Law’

Paper II: Dr Pinchas Roth (Bar Ilan), ‘England’s Jewish Community and Medieval Rabbinic Law’ 

Q&A

15:10-15:20 Break 

15:20-16:20 Panel 2: Charters without Borders – Physical and Temporal 

Paper I: Dean Irwin (Canterbury), ‘Stray survivals best left to others: The Charters, Chirographs and Writs of Medieval Anglo-Jewry’

Paper II: Hope Doherty (Durham), ‘The Virgin Mary’s Chirograph and Fictions of Jews’. 

Q&A

16:20-16:30 Break

16:30-17:50 Panel 3: Beyond the Written Word

Paper I: ‘Jews and the Tower of London’, Dr Sally Dixon-Smith (Historic Royal Palaces)

Paper II: ‘Currency Crimes and Persecution of Thirteenth-Century English Jews: A Social Archaeology of the Coin Clipping Crisis’, Jodie Lopez (Independent) 

Q&A

17:50-18:00 Break

18:00-18:45 The Future of the Field: A Roundtable Discussion 

With Prof. Robert C. Stacey (Washington), Prof. Anna Sapir Abulafia (Oxford) and Prof. Judith Olszowy-Schlanger (Oxford)

18:45 onwards Virtual Drinks

Day II: Teaching Medieval Jewish History 

13:30-13:40 Welcome / Introduction to Aims of Event (Dr Rebecca Searby, York) 

13:40-14:00 The History of England’s Medieval Communities: An Overview (Dr Richard Huscroft, Westminster)

14:00-14:10 Break

14:10-15:10 Panel 1: Teaching Key Events

Workshop I: The Massacre at York, c. 1190 (Dr Rebecca Searby, York)

Workshop II: The Expulsion of Jews, c. 1290 (Dean Irwin)

Q&A

15:10-15:20 Break 

15:20-16:20 Panel 2: Working with Medieval Sources

Workshop I: Literary Accounts (Prof. Miri Rubin, Queen Mary)

Workshop II: Administrative Records (Dr Sean Cunningham, The National Archives)

Q&A

16:20-16:30 Break

16:30-17:50 Panel 3: Local Studies

Workshop I: Walking Tours (Dr Toni Griffiths, Southampton)

Workshop II: Synagogues and Sites (Esther Robinson Wild, York)

Q&A

17:50-18:00 Break

18:00-18:30 The Future of the Teaching Medieval Jewish History: Final Remarks and Questions (Led by Dr Rebecca Searby and Dean Irwin)

18:30 End of Event