Did you know England expelled its entire Jewish population in 1290? For nearly 200 years, Jews had lived in England, building communities, raising families, practicing Judaism and contributing to the economy. But by 1275, Jewish children as young as seven were required to wear identifying badges. Jews faced restrictions on where they could live, couldn’t join trade guilds and were prohibited from owning farmland. Then, on July 18, 1290, King Edward I ordered every Jew out of England. Approximately 3,000 Jews were forced to leave. Their homes were largely confiscated by the Crown. Jews weren’t permitted to openly reestablish a community in England until 1656, more than 360 years later. Imagine being told that the country your parents, grandparents and great-grandparents called home was no longer yours. Yet through centuries of exile, persecution and displacement, Jewish communities continued preserving their faith, traditions and identity. The diaspora scattered us across the world. It never erased who we were. ✡️