Welcome from the Honorary PrincipAL

It was in 1664, shortly after Jews resettled in England, that the Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Congregation opened its first school, called Shaare Tikvah - Gates of Hope.

They opened a school even before building their synagogue in Bevis Marks in 1701, thereby showing their priorities - a community needs a school more than it needs a Synagogue.

Sadly this and other Sephardi schools had all closed by the early 20th century.

In 1983 my community opened the Naima Jewish Preparatory School to educate children in the West End of London.

The school follows the ethos of our ancestors during the Golden Age of the Jews in Spain, a time of tolerance during which they managed to synthesise their religious beliefs with secular culture.

Much emphasis is placed on Yirat Shamayim and Ahavat Hashem so that the children are constantly aware of the presence of God in their daily lives. When this is instilled in a child's mind, everything else, including Jewish learning, can flourish.

Rabbi Dr Abraham Levy OBE Z'L
Honorary Principal of Naima JPS

1939 - 2022