Martinson, Neil — Once Every 28 Years Hackney Hasidim Welcome the Sun 1981

Photographer Neil Martinson was working on a book about

Jewish life in Britain in 1981 when a rabbi told him about the

Jewish blessing of the sun festival, Birkat Hachama.

“The rabbi mentioned it in passing,” said Neil. “He just said,

“You might find this interesting tomorrow. We’ve got this ceremony.

Why don’t you go along and have a look?”.”

Not knowing what to expect, Neil went along to the

school playground the next morning before sunrise.

He can’t now remember at which school it took place.

“I got there a bit early. You tend to if you are taking pictures

and you want to see what’s going on,” he said.

“It was all a bit empty. I thought, “This is a waste of time”.”

But suddenly hundreds of ultra-orthodox Hasidic men

and boys converged on the playground.