JEWISH EAST END CELEBRATION SOCIETY
P.O. Box 57317, London E1 3WG
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Gallery of recent Jeecs events (click photos to enlarge):
 
 
The highlight was a talk by renowned historian Martin Sugarman on the march of the 38th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers through the East EndIn December 2011 we helped organize an exhibition at the Royal Fusiliers museum in the Tower of London on the Jewish contribution to the regiment in World War One.  The highlight was a talk by renowned historian Martin Sugarman on the march of the 38th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers through the East End.
 
 
Jeecs contingent at the Royal Court theatreChicken Soup with Barley at the Royal CourtIn June 2011 Jeecs organised visit to the Royal Court theatre to see a revival of Arnold Wesker's Chicken Soup with Barley.  This stunning performance was enjoyed by a large group of Jeecs members who managed to fill nearly three rows of seats.  After the show we met the cast in the bar (a very good place to meet!).
 
 
 
 
Our exhibition of East End photos came in Bancroft Road library Mile End came to an end in May 2011.  The exhibition was very successful and the photos displayed can be seen here: photo exhibition  Jeecs are very grateful to South London Liberal synagogue for their assistance in providing storage for these photos and a sample of them are currently on display there.
 
Jeecs organised Tower Hamlets' annual Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration in January 2011, which took place in Nelson Street synagogue on 30th January.  This year's theme was 'Untold Stories'. The commemoration was preceded by one of our Chairman's famous walking tours of the East End, the subject of which was Jews in wartime.  The walk ended at Hughes Mansions, near Vallance Road.  Hughes Mansions was struck by a V2 rocket in 1945 and many Jewish residents were amongst the dead and injured. Later, Nelson Street Synagogue was crowded to hear speakers representing faiths and organisations from across the borough explain what H.M.D. meant for them.  It was especially moving to hear Aushwitz survivor Vera Forster describe in plain matter of fact tones her dreadful experiences in Nazi Germany.  The afternoon ended with the singing of Die Partizaner, the recitation of the prayer El Maleh Rachamim (God full of mercy), the blowing of the shofar and the lighting of the memorial candles.  Some scenes from the day are below:
 
(click photos to enlarge)

Jeecs Chairman Clive Bettington describes the events of 27th March 1945 when a V2 rocket destroyed the original Hughes Mansions

The plaque in the grounds of the rebuilt Hughes Mansions - a memorial to the dead of 27th March 1945

Aushwitz survivor Vera Forster tells a crowded Nelson Street synagogue about her life

Hilda Bronstein sings the heartbreaking 'A Vogn Shikh' - A Wagon load of shoes

Councillor Anna Lynch, Deputy Chairman of Tower Hamlets Council addressing the Nelson Street crowd

Henry Glanz blows the shofar as Barry Davis looks on, having just recited the prayer El Maleh Rachamin - God full of mercy

Lighting the memorial candles

The memorial candles, fully lit, in front of Nelson Street synagogue's ark

 
 
Jeecs was represented at the 6th January unveiling of the plaque to fireman Charles Pearson who died of injuries sustained on 3rd January 1911 at 100 Sidney Street, following the Siege of Sidney Street.
 

Plaque to Fireman Charles Pearson at Wexford House, Sidney Street

Serving firemen remembering their colleague Charles Pearson

Fireman dressed in the uniform of 1911 standing in front of the Charles Pearson plaque

The crowd standing in front of Wexford House

Another view of the crowd standing in front of Wexford House

 

Watch this space for photos of more events!