Description
Join Rabbi Walter Rothschild and local historian, Nigel Grizzard, for a warm and reflective conversation exploring Bradford’s rich Jewish heritage. Raised in the heart of the city’s once-thriving Jewish Quarter, Rabbi Rothschild shares vivid memories of growing up in a community whose roots stretch back over two centuries.
The discussion will weave together personal stories, historical insight, and reflections on Rothschild’s life as a rabbi, alongside readings from his book Tales from the Rabbi’s Desk.
This is a rare opportunity to hear lived history brought to life with humour, warmth, and deep cultural memory.
About the Speakers
Nigel Grizzard
Nigel Grizzard is the West Yorkshire Jewish Heritage Guide. He enjoys taking people round towns and cities and discovering hidden histories. Much of Nigel’s work is in Bradford and in recent years he has undertaken many tours for the descendants of German Jewish immigrants who came to Bradford in the nineteenth century to build the Wool Capital of the World.
Rabbi Dr. Walter L. Rothschild
Rabbi Dr. Walter L. Rothschild, born on March 20, 1954, in Bradford, UK, is a British-born liberal rabbi, theologian, author, and railway historian. Ordained at Leo Baeck College in 1984, he has served Jewish communities across the UK, Austria, Germany, Poland, and the Caribbean.
A passionate advocate for interfaith dialogue, he was awarded Poland’s Knight’s Cross in 2005 for his contributions to Jewish-Christian and Jewish-Polish relations. He earned a PhD from King’s College London with a thesis on Palestine Railways.
Beyond his rabbinical duties, Rothschild is a storyteller, cabaret performer, and editor of HaRakevet, a journal on Middle Eastern railways. He currently resides in Berlin.
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