As Liverpool finishes celebrating Jewish New Year, two history enthusiasts are working on a project to highlight the story of Jewish immigration to Liverpool, and the community’s role in creating the successful city we know today.


Although the majority of Jews arrived in Liverpool around 1900 to escape the Pogroms and persecution in places such as Russia and Poland, the Jewish community in Liverpool stretches way back to the 1700s. One of the most apparent things that Film Maker Micheal Swerdlow and brother in law and historian Arnold Lewis became aware of when they began researching for the project they’ve named ‘Chicken Soup and Scouse’, was the level of acceptance the people of Liverpool had for the new settlers, welcoming them into the city with same Liverpool hospitality that we still see from people in the city today.

The Jewish Community has helped to shape the future of Liverpool, and played a large part in its success building libraries and businesses, taking several of the Lord Mayor positions throughout the years - and even helping to develop Liverpool’s renowned musical heritage with Brian Epstein managing the Beatles amongst others!

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