THERE will be a chance for people in Ludlow to discover more about the Jewish faith.

Questions such as the link between criticism of the state of Israel and anti-Semitism are amongst those that could be asked when the Marches Humanist Group meets in the town.

‘Judaism – everything you wanted to know but didn’t like to ask.’

This will be the theme of a talk that will be given by Rabbi Mark and Sue Michaels of the South Shropshire Interfaith Forum.

The role of the south Shropshire inter-faith forum is promote mutual learning, understanding, trust and respect between people of different faiths and cultures, interacting for the good of the whole community

Rabbi Mark and Sue Michaels are described as progressive Jews.

They will talk about Judaism and the issues that face Jews living in rural areas of Britain such as south Shropshire.

There will also be an opportunity to ask questions with nothing off limits.

British Jews are overwhelmingly descended from a wave of Ashkenazi Jewish immigration fleeing persecution in the Russian Empire and Central Europe between 1880 and the imposition of tighter immigration restrictions in 1905.

The wave, subsumed the tiny Sephardic community with origins in Spain and Portugal, which had established themselves in Britain following Oliver Cromwell’s act of resettlement.

A second wave of Ashkenazi immigration, mostly German and Polish Jews seeking to escape the Nazi Holocaust, arrived in Britain before and after the Second World War.

However, it would be a mistake to think of British Jews as being exclusively of European origin.

Following decolonisation, the late twentieth century saw Yemeni Jews, Iraqi Jews and Baghdadi Jews from Asia settle in the United Kingdom.

There is a relatively small population of Jewish people living in Great Britain, estimated at about 270,000 about a quarter over the age of 65 years

The meeting will be held at the Friends Meeting House in St Mary’s Lane in Ludlow on Tuesday, October 16 at 7.30pm.

Marches Humanist Group holds regular meetings in Ludlow.

It is open to all and for more information call 01584 770282 or email rocheforts@tiscali.co.uk