It was soon after 1704 in fact, that Jews started arriving on the Rock. A couple of hundred came, as did the Genoese, to service the Garrison with much needed supplies, like foodstuffs and textiles. Most arrived from Morocco after being kicked out of Spain and Portugal during the Inquisition of 1492. They had fled to far flung places like Turkey and Greece (where some Spanish — Latino, is still spoken) others to Italy, Algiers and Holland from where some came to Gibraltar, also wanting to prosper from the needs of a fortress that was to burst at the seams with many thousands of soldiers. Jews arrived from England to set up shop here too, and so by the mid 1700s, the Jewish community began to establish a significant presence on the Rock.

   Through the years trends have changed, and new generations have moved from being well established shop owners and renowned outfitters — many may remember Attias the Tailor, TEO and Hassan’s Outfitters — to the professions, especially lawyers. That is why I think so many of us have always thought that Jewish people here, are all well off and stinking rich!

   “That is a grave misconception,” says lawyer Levi J Attias. ”In fact, there are what we call, Civil Affairs committees, set up to look after the poor and in some cases destitute. There are other committees also, like the Watchers, who look after the weak and infirm twenty-four hours a day, and others who take care of things, when members of the community pass on. So you see it’s pretty much, a normal community like any other, and no, we’re not all rich Jews, far from it.”

   Another notable change has been how the community here has become tighter and more of a ‘closed shop,’ when it comes to mixing amongst the young especially. In my time, during the Sixties, it was not uncommon for us to meet and hang about with Jewish girls, there were even one or two inter marriages.

   “That is true,” Levi tells me. ”I remember the GDF (now Gib Regiment) pulled people together also. Now we even have our own senior schools and there is more polarization, maybe the community has become a little more orthodox.”

   All of this does not mean that they feel any less members of the wider Gibraltarian community. Levi says, “I consider myself Gibraltarian first and Jewish second, if you know what I mean.” In fact look at Gibraltar’s ‘daily diet’, politics — there have been a number of leading, local, Jewish politicians. Sir Joshua Hassan, Solomon Seruya, Abraham Serfaty and Isaac Abecasis to name a few. Street names also carry Jewish names like, Benzimra’s Alley, Abecasis’ Passage, Serfaty’s Passage and others.

   Since Spain became a democracy, Spanish Jews have come to see Gibraltar as the centre of Jewish life in the Iberian peninsular, where a more structured pattern is followed. There are many who come to study here, not just from Spain, but also from the UK, Israel and other places.

   ”Judaism is an ongoing set of studies, you have to delve deep,” Levi explains. On the Rock there are four synagogues, or ‘Houses of Congregation,’ which are more than a place of prayer, they are meeting places or community centres. A synagogue, in Hebrew Bet Keneset, is a meeting place ‘par excellence’. There is a fifth ‘closeted’ synagogue, which is the Hebrew school in Bomb House Lane. There, the young children of the Talmud Torah School (from the age of five or six) conduct their own services. This practice is particular to Gibraltar I am told.

   “Another little thing you may not know, is that our synagogues are open to visitors, even during services. The reason for the high walls and locked entrances is because of security reasons, especially in the light of recent events. The threat is real I’m afraid,” Levi tells me.

   The synagogues are scattered around town. There’s the Shaar Hashamayim “Gates of Heaven” in Engineer Lane, the Esnoga Chica in Irish Town, the Abudharam family synagogue in Parliament Lane and Esnoga Flamenga in Bomb House Lane.

   There is also a Jewish cemetery at North Front, where men and women do not attend funerals together, nor are they buried together. This practice is also particular to Gibraltar.

   The community here has another notable difference. Unlike Jewish communities elsewhere, Gibraltar’s is not ghettoed. In London for instance, Jews live in Golder’s Green or Hendon.

   On the question of peaceful coexistence, or religious tolerance, 4th generation Levi says, “Gibraltar has always been a shining example to the rest of the world on how Christians, Jews, Muslims and oth-ers can live, side by side without any problems. May this continue.”

   Jewish feasts like Passover and The Tabernacle (La Cabaña) are also very noticeable locally, when family members are to-ing and froing in town on their way to the synagogue, or visiting some relative. The Tabernacle is particularly evident, when families have their meals and congregate outdoors on their terraces and patios under a pergola or tent. During these festivities, we, the Gentiles, sometimes get a bit miffed because a certain shop or lawyer’s firm may be closed because of the holiday! Not so the other ‘Lucky Gentiles’ who enjoy the time off because they work for those businesses!

   Calling Jews Hebrews is also something of a misnomer. Hebrews were the ancient people living in what is now Israel and Palestine. And Hebrew refers to their language.

   So when you walk through John Mackintosh Square, look up at the City Hall and say, “that’s where Nelson’s friend, Aaron Cardozo lived. Another Gibraltarian Jew.” He was given that plot of land for services rendered during the Napoleonic Wars.

   I too have Jewish friends and acquaintances going back to my school days in the 50s and 60s and I’m sure you have too. They are one more community that make the Gibraltarian affair important, real and identifiable. “So listen out for ‘Ana Tsur Yishenu’ at the end of a Jewish festival. That’s ‘God Save Our Gracious Queen,’ in Jewish!!” Levi informs me... one more for the Melting Pot.