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Norwich honours victims of blood libel

February 19, 2015 11:59

By

Josh Jackman,

Josh Jackman

1 min read

A plaque to commemorate 17 Norwich Jews killed during 12th century blood libel riots was unveiled on Monday.

The Lord Mayor, Councillor Judith Lubbock, led the memorial for the six adults and 11 children, who are believed to have come from the same family. Their remains - discovered in a well shaft during construction of a shopping centre in 2004 - were buried in the local Jewish cemetery in 2013 in five boxes covered by a tallit.

In 1144, Norwich Jews were blamed for the death of a 13-year-old boy - the first blood libel case in Britain. As well as honouring victims of the subsequent massacre, the plaque at the shopping centre site also serves as "an act of reconciliation for the persecution of the Jewish community in medieval Norwich".

Clive Roffe, who represents Norwich on the Board of Deputies, said the ceremony was "very moving", with 150 Christians and Jews coming together to honour the dead.