Symbiosis through time: Merton and its Jewish neighbours

Merton College and the Heritage Committee of the Oxford Jewish Congregation organised this joint event as part of Merton's 750th anniversary year.

The event celebrated Merton's special relationship with Jewish Oxford over the centuries with particular reference to the medieval period. The afternoon included a series of short talks, an exhibition of Merton's Judaica and Hebraica including Hebrew Latin starrs (contracts), tours of the College and the site of the nearby medieval Jewish cemetery, and tea.

See www.oxfordjewishheritage.co.uk for more detailed information.

• Listen to the talks:
  • Merton and Oxford's Medieval Jewry - Pam Manix (introduced by Professor Ulrike Tillmann) examines Merton's Jewish neighbours in Oxford at the time of its foundation, including the importance of Jewish financiers in establishing Merton in 1264
  • The Merton College Starrs - Professor Peter Pormann, Professor of Greek and Latin Studies at the University of Manchester, (introduced by Dr Evie Kemp) shares his research on two of the medieval Hebrew starrs held at Merton College
  • Bodley The Hebraist - Professor Anthony Grafton, Henry Putnam University Professor at Princeton University, discusses Thomas Bodley's scholarly interest in Hebrew and Hebraica in the 16th century
  • Merton's Jewish Historians - Dr Evie Kemp talks about two Merton historians: D' Blossiers Tovey (17th century) and Cecil Roth (early 20th century). Both Jewish, they were particularly interested in the history of the Jewish communities in England
• Online exhibition of Merton's Judaica and Hebraica