We can see a sepia-tone photograph of young boys in uniform. We can also see ‘RAW MATERIAL’ written in bold, capital letters above this image.

Look closely, what can you see?

When this photograph was taken the majority of the children attending the Jews Free School (JFS) in Bell Lane Whitechapel were mostly new immigrants from Eastern Europe. The ‘Raw Material’ (the boys on arrival at the school) probably didn’t speak English at home, preferring to speak Yiddish. JFS was very proud of developing their students’ English identity to ensure that they were then able to integrate well into the broader British community.

After six or seven years, JFS took a photograph of the same boys, now fluent in English, and named it the ‘Finished Product’.

We might wonder why there are no girls in this photograph? We might also wonder why these boys are not smiling?

What do you wonder?

Object name: JFS The Raw Material

Date: 1908

Catalogue number: E 1991.96

Material(s): Photograph

Taken by: Unknown

On display in the Jewish Museum? Yes

JFS was founded in 1732 and opened its doors in Spitalfields in 1817.  JFS expanded as the Jewish population of East London grew. By 1900, it was known as the largest school in the Europe.

The school played a key role in anglicising the young immigrants of the East End.
It encouraged its pupils to identify with their new country, its traditions and history. Hebrew and religious studies were part of the curriculum, but speaking Yiddish was strongly discouraged. Children were not to forget that they were Jews, but they were now English Jews.

JFS is now a mixed comprehensive catering for 2000 pupils aged eleven to eighteen.  The current school was built in 2002  and is based in Kenton.

In the past JFS was set up to Anglicise the immigrant community.   Now that the majority of British Jewish teenagers are 3^rd or even 4^th generation immigrants this is not a high priority.