Jews’ Free School (JFS) was first started in 1732 as the ‘Talmud Torah of the Great Synagogue of London’.  In 1822, the school became ‘The Jews’ Free School’ and relocated to the centre of the East End, Bell Lane in Whitechapel. It shortly became the largest Jewish school in the whole of Europe and still is to this day!

During the 1800s, girls and boys were separated and had different curriculum. Girls had to attend laundry class which taught them how best to wash different types of materials and fabrics.  Like students today, the children at JFS went on school trips and often had to write about them for their homework. Watch the video as our Learning Officer explores our collections to find out more about what JFS school life and homework looked like.