Kindertransport b’nai mitzvah

london (jta) | Eighteen former child refugees who escaped from the Nazis celebrated their bar and bat mitzvahs in London.

The mother of one — 99-year-old Irma Faith, whose son Sigi, 76, was among the b’nai mitzvah — told London’s Jewish Chronicle that the event was “wonderful.”

Otto Deutsch, also 76, said he had “at last achieved what I’ve always wanted.’

The special service at London’s Stanmore Synagogue was arranged by the Kindertransport branch of the Association of Jewish Refugees.

Historic wedding in English city

london (jta) | The English city of Lincoln celebrated its first Jewish wedding in nearly 730 years. The city’s bishop was among the guests when Bernie and Diane Adler were married by Rabbi Amanda Golby of London.

Lincoln had a thriving Jewish community in the Middle Ages until Jews were accused of the murder of a Christian boy in 1255. About 100 members of the community were rounded up and tried; 18 who requested all-Jewish juries were hanged on the spot.

The last known Jewish wedding in the city took place in 1275. Jews were expelled from England in 1290 and did not return until the 17th century.