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For the general tourist visiting London, the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and "Changing of the Guards" are almost required sites. A boat ride on the Thames and a night at the theater can also be very pleasant experiences. Jewish tourists, however, should not overlook their own heritage.

Jewish presence in England is an interrupted melange of centuries-old settlement, clandestine commerce, and renewed legalization, not different from many other parts of Europe. Virtually nothing remains earlier than the 17th century Resettlement that followed the Expulsion Edict of 1279.

Two figures are often considered to have had critical influence on the renewal of the Jewish community in England: Menashe ben Israel (1604-1657), a Portuguese rabbi living in Amsterdam, and Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658), the Lord Protector of England. It was these two personages who together negotiated the return of Jews to England.

Perhaps the word, "return," is not exact. There seems to be evidence that "converso" Jews lived in England as outward Christians, associating themselves with "foreign" churches. It also seems plausible that Cromwell was acquainted with some of these clandestine Jews.

Initial negotiations between ben Israel and Cromwell fell through, but in 1656 an understanding was reached that Jews could live openly and legally in England. The basis of the permission was that the earlier expulsion was a royal edict and not a law that could be abrogated only by Parliament. Wording is key. This was an "understanding" reached by Cromwell; it was never put into writing to avoid public outcry. In the following year the Creechurch Lane Synagogue was established.

The congregation was Sephardic, specifically of the Portuguese rite, and a sizeable segment of the original membership came from the Sephardic community in Amsterdam. In 1664, the board of the synagogue passed a resolution that no other Sephardic synagogue be built in London under penalty of excommunication. Again wording is key -- no other "Sephardic" synagogue. The qualification reinforces a fact known from other sources that there were Ashkenazi Jews in the community at this time.

Jewish life in the latter half of 17th century London was turbulent, but Jews were there to stay.

One incident of historical importance occurred after the passing of the Conventicle Act of July 1664, which required that all prayer of more than five people be according to the Book of Common Prayer. The act was designed against the Puritans; Jews were eventually exempted from the law only by royal intervention. A crisis was averted.

The issue of religion came to a head again in the 1680s after King Charles II (1630-1685) passed away and was succeeded by James II (1633-1701), the last Roman Catholic monarch to rule England. His reign was a period of strong religious ferment. A complaint was lodged by several people that Jews were in violation of an Elizabethan ruling requiring all people to attend church. This time it was James II who intervened and stopped all prosecution of Jews.

Times were rough, but the Jewish community continued to thrive. Despite the occasional anti-Jewish outbursts in London, the community grew quickly. A cemetery was opened. In 1664 Jacob Sasportas (1610-1698) was hired as rabbi; he took a very vehement stand against Shabtai Tzvi (1626-1676), the false messiah prominent at the time with supporters in London. Then in 1674 the Creechurch Synagogue was enlarged. More conversos arrived. The Ashkenazim started their own synagogue in 1690, but Creechurch continued to expand. By 1694, it was clear that even the enlarged synagogue was too small, however negotiations to again expand failed. The synagogue was caught in a bind and had to sign a new multi-year lease in 1698, though it was realized that a new building had to be constructed.

In 1699, Jews signed a 61-year lease with a 38-year renewal clause for a plot of land at today's Heneage Street, where a new synagogue would be constructed. The street was named after Sir Thomas Heneage (1533-1594), who had served as the Keeper of the Tower Records, then vice-chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603). The land itself belonged to the Pointz Family. Before the leases expired the land became a freehold due to the generosity of Benjamin Mendes da Costa, who purchased the lease of the real estate, and donated it to the congregation in 1747.

Construction soon began. The architect was Joseph Avis, apparently a Quaker, and his model was the Spanish-Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam. Benches were brought from the former synagogue (some are still there today), and Princess Anne (1665-1714), later to become queen for an eight-year reign, donated an oak beam from a royal ship for the roof. Just before Rosh Hashanah 1701, what is known today as the Bevis Marks synagogue opened its doors to replace Creechurch.

The name Bevis Marks apparently is derived from the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds who owned the land until 1156. The 1701 synagogue kept its Portuguese rite, but times were changing. The 18th century was to be different from the 17th century. The immigrant generation passed on, and Portuguese ceased to be the mother tongue of the synagogue members. In 1760 a change took place -- the synagogue's records began to be kept in English.

For many years, Bevis Marks was the "flagship" synagogue of London Jewry, but during the 18th century the Sephardic community in London ceased to grow. There were no new immigrants. First had come wealthy businessmen fleeing the restrictions of the Inquisition. Then the poor followed. By the middle of the 18th century, no one else arrived. As historian Todd Endelman contends, assimilation also took a very strong toll. The synagogue continued to exist. In 1876 a new ner tamid was installed, and 10 years later, an effort to raise the building was thwarted. In 1929, electricity was put into the building. But, by the mid-19th century, the focus of the Sephardic community had moved to the West End.

Despite these changes, the synagogue still functions with daily prayers and uses the Portuguese rite (Book of Prayer of the Spanish & Portuguese Jews, ed. Solomon Gaon, London: 5751-1991).

Although the Sephardic community in London did not grow during the 18th and 19th centuries, Ashkenazi immigrants arrived in larger and larger numbers. The orientation of London Jewry changed accordingly.

For those visiting London, today a ceramic plaque marking the site of the synagogue can be seen on a wall of the Cunard House at corner of Creechurch Lane and Bury Street. The plaque cites the dates 1657-1701, yet the synagogue was used as a religious school and rabbinical residence until 1723 when the lease expired. The building was demolished in 1857.

Offices of the 300-year-old Bevis Marks Synagogue are located at 4 Heneage Lane, London EC3A. Tel.: (020) 7621 1188. In addition to prayer times the synagogue is open for visits on Sunday 1030-1230; Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 1030-1400; Tuesday, Friday 1030-1300. Closed bank holidays. Tours by prior arrangement. A donation is requested. There are showcases with old Torah mantels displayed.

Dr. Jay Levinson is an adjunct professor at John Jay College of criminal justice, New York.