The Plymouth Jewish Community Interest Group, led by director Tom Godwin, has been established to bring together members of the local Jewish community, supporters and those interested in learning more about Jewish life and culture in the city.

The initiative aims to provide a welcoming space for engagement, discussion and education, reflecting a long history of Jewish presence in Plymouth.

Jewish life in Plymouth is believed to date back to at least the 1740s.

Historical accounts also note figures such as Moses the Jew, said to have been associated with Sir Francis Drake's navigator in the 1500s.

Director Louise Clements explained how it operates: “We're not associated with the synagogue.

“This is a community where anybody can come along who's interested in Jewish life and culture.

“We're really keen that people should understand what it means to be Jewish, and we've started doing some awareness sessions with various organisations in Plymouth and Devon to talk about what, what it is to be Jewish.”

According to the latest census, the Plymouth Jewish community numbers about 170 and there is a smaller, community in Totnes as well as a larger one in Exeter at around 200 people.

Louise added: “Lots of people don't say they're Jewish, for obvious reasons and so we don't know the true number for sure.

“There's a Plymouth Jewish Facebook page and we've got over 150 people on that now.

“People are interested in what's going on and discuss things.

“You don't have to be Jewish, but actually people who want to be, want to understand more and want to come to events find it useful.”

Since they’ve launched the CIC, they’ve had lots of people saying, they don't go to the synagogue, but are keen to do things that are of Jewish interest.

They are talking to various organizations, like the NHS about going in and doing awareness sessions.

Members of the group have also spoken about the challenges faced locally, including experiences of antisemitism.

Louise said: “You walk into Plymouth and it's offensive, it's frightening.

“There was somebody who came out of a shop with two young children.

“One, a young boy, was wearing his, his kippah (skullcap) and he was accused of killing babies.

“It's dreadful.

“Just because you're Jewish, you don't necessarily agree with what is going on in the Middle East and neither are we responsible.

“We don't have a vote in Israel.

“It's like saying to people who, who are French and live in England, so what are you going to do about Macron?

“I think lots of people won't wear the Star of David.

“I wear mine.

“I'm not giving up on that.”

The group organises events such as the menorah for ‘Hannucha in Plymouth’ which is booked in for the next three years with sponsorship.

Rabbi Mendy from the Bristol Shabbat Shul has also committed to coming down to officiate.

The group organised the recent sell out ‘Klezmer By The Sea’ event with the highly talented Klezmer Village Band at the Theatre Royal which was a toe-tapping musical journey to Eastern Europe.