The Jewish Conversion

The Context

Venetia Stanley’s conversion was driven by financial necessity rather than religious belief. Edwin Montagu’s father, the first Lord Swaythling, had stipulated in his will that any child who married outside the Jewish faith would be disinherited. Without the inheritance, Edwin’s income would have been modest; with it, it was substantial, and neither he nor Venetia felt they could live on the lower sum. Venetia was candid about her motives. She said she was converting for Edwin’s sake and because she believed one was “happier rich than poor,” adding that she did not feel she was changing her identity and cared little for religion. Edwin, who had already rejected religious observance, treated the conversion as a formality and was largely indifferent to religious outcomes, asking only that Venetia stand with Jews if they were ever persecuted.

Chapter Timeline

Key events in chronological order

January 12, 1911

Samuel Montagu dies; his will stipulates that children marrying outside the Jewish faith or ceasing to profess it lose their inheritance [naomi_levine-full.txt, 3329, 3335].

April 28, 1915

Edwin Montagu and Venetia Stanley make a firm commitment to marry [naomi_levine-full.txt, 3666].

May 12, 1915

Asquith receives word of Venetia's engagement and writes to her saying it breaks his heart [naomi_levine-full.txt, 3673; asquith_letters_full.txt, 2971].

May 24, 1915

Venetia leaves for Wimereux, France, to work in a hospital [naomi_levine-full.txt, 3687].

May 28, 1915

Venetia writes to Edwin complaining that the religious instruction book sent by the Rev. Morris Joseph ('Old Joseph') is 'too boring' [naomi_levine-full.txt, 3741].

June 9, 1915

Edwin writes that his sister Lily urges speed to 'cut the cable,' advising that Venetia need only avow she has 'adopted citizenship' of the faith [naomi_levine-full.txt, 3742].

June 14, 1915

Venetia writes regarding her religious instruction, suggesting she might 'flatter the old boy by some verbatim quotations' rather than deep study [naomi_levine-full.txt, 3741, 3742].

July 10, 1915

Venetia returns to London from France [naomi_levine-full.txt, 3729].

July 12, 1915

Venetia is tested by Rabbi Morris Joseph and formally received into the Jewish faith [naomi_levine-full.txt, 3742].

July 26, 1915

Venetia and Edwin are married at Lord Swaythling's house with Jewish rites; Asquith does not attend [naomi_levine-full.txt, 3749, 3753].