New immersive walking app uncovers Sheffield’s hidden Jewish heritage
Tech recovers untold stories of the northern city's Jewish community
A new interactive walking app is transforming the streets of Sheffield into a digital heritage trail to recover the untold stories of the city’s Jewish community.
The project seeks to uncover and celebrate the remarkable stories and music of Sheffield’s Jewish communities whose contributions have left a lasting mark on the social, economic and cultural life of the south Yorkshire city.
Through creative walking, musical interpretations, archival research, and community storytelling, the Sheffield Jewish Heritage Walking Trail brings to life how Jewish residents shaped the city from the 18th century to the First World War, including the impact of the 1890s pogroms in Russia and its last Jewish grocery shop.
Developed by Dr Carmen Levick from the University of Sheffield’s School of English, in collaboration with Sheffield-based Llama Digital, the app uses GPS technology to guide users through locations connected to the city’s Jewish heritage.
Working with members of the Jewish community and the Sheffield Archives, Dr Levick mapped the historical presences of Jewish life across the city, identifying key sites that reflect the community’s influence in Sheffield.
The walking trail, which takes around 30 minutes, begins behind Sheffield Cathedral and weaves through the city centre, covering key areas including Figtree Lane, West Bar Green, Campo Lane, North Church Street, Silver Street, and Lee Croft.
Dr Levick said: “I wanted something that makes people look up, take in the buildings, and think about the past of an area. To imagine what kind of people lived there, and where they lived. I found that the best way of doing this in places where you don’t actually have a lot of original sites is by using immersive technologies to almost recreate an area of a city through stories and music.
“My vision was to create an app that allows for direct engagement with both the physical public space of the city and the more intimate narratives of the local Jewish communities. I wanted to increase awareness and understanding of Sheffield’s layered histories and the people who helped shape them.”
The idea emerged from a chance meeting between Dr. Levick and members of the local Jewish community, including Professor Judy Simons, an established local historian and author whose knowledge and networks helped shape the project from the very beginning.
The Sheffield Jewish Heritage Walking Trail App and its accompanying website were launched at Sheffield’s City Library and since then, hundreds of people have downloaded the app, helping to deepen the awareness of the city’s Jewish heritage, and its contribution to Sheffield’s growth as a multi-cultural city.
John Blaskey, a collaborator and member of Sheffield’s Jewish community, said: “As a professional performer, a member of Sheffield’s Jewish community, a friend of the benefactor and as a concerned human being, my participation in this project was a joy, an inspiration to me, and a whole new learning experience.
“When you add to these ingredients the professionalism with which each stage was developed, edited and recorded the outcome was a life affirming engagement with my past, and the unknown future.”
Future plans include expanding the trail to cover the period after WW1 or developing similar projects to explore the heritage of other Sheffield communities, such as the Bangladeshi community.
- To explore the trail or download the app, click here.
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