Susser , Bernard , 1930-1997 , historian and rabbi

Bernard Susser was born in 1930 in London. He was educated in Islington, at Jews College (now the London School of Jewish Studies) and at Exeter University where he wrote a PhD thesis on the Jewish communities of South-West England. Rabbi Susser worked as a minister in England, Israel and South Africa. His interest in Anglo-Jewish history lasted his whole life and he published many articles and edited several books: his book Jews of South-West England was much acclaimed. Rabbi Susser died in London, his last home, in 1997.

In 1993 the Working Party on Jewish Monuments in the UK and Ireland started a survey of the Alderney Road Cemetery in Stepney with Rabbi Susser as one of the supervisors. Rabbi Susser's last published work Alderney Road Jewish Cemetery, London E1 1697-1853 reported on this survey as well as marking the tercentenary of what is the oldest Ashkenazi cemetery in England. Following the resettlement of Jews in 1656 Ashkenazi Jews at first used the Sephardi cemetery in Mile End (opened 1657). The Alderney Road (previously known as Colt Yard and Three Colt Yard) site was acquired in 1696/97 by a prominent Jewish broker Benjamin Levy. Famous members of the Jewish community who were buried here include: the first Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, Aaron Hart; the Baal Shem of London, Rabbi Hayim Samuel Jacob de Falk; and Judith Levy, sometimes known as the "Duchess of Richmond Green".

Rabbi Susser's "Alderney Road" was published in the summer of 1997, just after his death in April 1997. As he had planned a tercentenary service was held at the Cemetery in the June; the ceremony was conducted by the Chief Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks and the book was launched as part of the day's events.