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Marion Hartog (nee Moss), born in Portsea in 1821, was another well-known Jewish woman writer. She composed poetry and also wrote on Jewish history in collaboration with her sister Celia Levetus. Their works included a volume of poems, Early Efforts; Romance of Jewish History; Tales of Jewish History. They were contributors and editors of the Jewish Sabbath Journal and various magazines and journals of the day.

Another notable literary individual, born in Portsea 1828, was George Lewis Lyon. Lyon was a journalist and communal worker. He was educated at Esplanade House Academy in Portsea and was to become the founder and Editor of the Jewish World. In his social work he Secretary of the Jew's and General Literary and Scientific Institution at Sussex Hall, Leadenhall Street. Later he was the honorary secretary of the Jew's Emigration Society.

Finally among the numerous literary figures linked to Portsmouth was Sydney Solomon Lorie (b.1860), a journalist and special correspondent of the Daily Messenger, Paris. His father S.H.Lorie was of Portsea though Sydney was born in London. Sydney Lorie married Jennie one of the daughters of Alderman Hart of Canterbury in 1887 and resided at Hove.

Among the foremost men of the community, was Emanuel Emanuel of London (1807-1888) who was trained a silver smith. Emanuel was both a leader of the Jewish community and a notable civic figure. He was elected a town councillor in 1841 and risked ruinous financial penalties when he refused to take the Christian oath. However no one wished to challenge him. He was re-elected in 1848 to the same position. Emanuel became Warden in 1850 of the Portsmouth congregation. In 1863 he was created Alderman and became mayor of Portsmouth in 1866. In 1880 he was elected to the Portsmouth School Board. His educational concerns were in fact just part of a number of his concerns in the social and economic welfare of the town. When he died in 1888 he was remembered as an honorable and charitable man. The alderman is still commemorated by a memorial in the town presented by his son and daughter.

Another Emanuel (but not related) was Abraham Leon Emanuel, K.C.L.O.H., J.P. He was one of the most distinguished figures of the community. Born in 1848 he was also educated at Esplanade House Academy, Portsmouth. He was elected to the town council in 1883 and twice became Mayor of Portsmouth (1894 and 1901)) as well as J.P. in 1889 and consul for Liberia in 1886. He was also a Trustee of Aria College, and Honorary Jewish Prison Visitor (1868) and an Honorary Visitor to the Ventnor Consumption Hospital on the Isle of Wight. Emanuel was also a leading local Free Mason and became Grandmaster of the Portsmouth Odd Fellows in 1875. In later life he resided at Goodwood House in Southsea. Several of his sons reached high civic office. He died in 1909.

In modern times Harry Sotnick (1906) was a notable Portsmouth Jew. Sotnick was a solicitor but eventually became a councilor in 1952 and Mayor in 1963. In his council work he had a special concern in provision for the elderly. He also worked as a magistrate and was the Chair of the local Conservatives. Sotnick was influential in Portmouth and Haifa becoming twin towns in 1963. He died in 1970 and is buried at Fawcett Road. Harry Sotnick's son, Richard was to follow in his father's foot-steps and became mayor in 1978.

The Sotnicks were in fact just two among a much larger number of Jews who gained civic distinction this century in Portsmouth. This civic involvement has been a distinctive aspect of 20th century Jewish life in Portsmouth.

The community today is still viable and large provincial community though one where many members live in a far wider catchment area. It has, like so many others, an increasingly older congregation which is not renewing itself a trend which started as early as 1920. There has also been a decline in Jewish marriages, there were only five in the period, 1970-80, as compared to a peak of 46 in the decade 1920-30. Aubrey Weinberg's figures also show that as in many other provincial communities the young Jews are moving away to larger cities and greater opportunities. As can be seen elsewhere the complete freedom of Jews in the modern day to pursue any occupation they wish means also that they are not tied to a family business or Jewish trade that would otherwise reduce their mobility. Also in the 20th Century, the Portsmouth community has largely moved into middle-class professional occupations and the middle-class itself.