ABSTRACT
King Edward I expelled the Jews from England in 1290, but in the sixteenth century some Jews entered England to escape dire situations, particularly the Inquisition on the Iberian Peninsula. Having to disguise their Jewish affiliation, they claimed to be Catholics, and after Henry VIII’s break with Rome, they passed as Protestants. While many were expelled fairly quickly by King Henry VIII, some flourishing but underground Jewish communities were established in both Bristol and London, and Jewish women often took leadership roles in keeping up religious and cultural traditions and in contributing to their families’ prosperous business enterprises. The Bristol community was thriving for about a decade between about 1545 and 1555. Under the reign of Mary I and England’s brief return to Catholicism, survival for the Jewish people was particularly dangerous. The London community lasted much longer, and Jewish women continued to play a central role in supporting their husbands, their families, and the communities, often taking on dangerous roles, often suffering tragedy.
