Wednesday, July 21, 2021 at 8:04 pm | י"ב אב תשפ"א England, it isn’t often realized, was the birthplace of what we have come to know as “blood libels” — baseless canards accusing Jews of killing Christians to use their blood in imaginary ceremonies or as ingredients in matzos. The myths spread into other countries over centuries, and are still believed in one or another form by the ignorant or malevolent, or the ignorant and malevolent, in some Arab and Muslim countries today . Antisemitism was common in England since Jews first settled on the island in the time of William the Conqueror, who died in 1087. It grew in vehemence, though, over ensuing centuries, and massacres of Jews occurred in London and York during the 12th one. In 1275, Jews were accused of financial crimes and all of the country’s Jews were imprisoned and their homes ransacked. More than 300 were reported to have been executed in 1279.