A London tour guide who popularized “The Jews of London” walking tour has transitioned during the coronavirus pandemic to the online world. Ian Fagelson, 68, a retired lawyer, has been offering his popular tour online since October, with all proceeds going to Jewish charities.
Fagelson’s in-person tours used to attract 25-35 tourists, but his first virtual tour clocked some 130 participants, and his second “outing” drew 430 visitors from around the world, including Israel, and raised more than $15,000 for UK Jewish charities.
The tour takes in the history of the Jews in London from the arrival of a small community from Normandy in 1066 to the history of World War II’s Kindertransport and a statue which commemorates that remarkable rescue effort which stands on the forecourt of London’s Liverpool Street Station.
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Fagelson is already planning his next virtual adventures: Shakespeare’s London (November 22 and December 6) and The Jews in London (November 28). For more information and to sign up for the tours, go to eventbrite.co.uk/o/ian-fagelson-31339883203.