‘Fight hatred to honour victims’
THE JEWISH community must “redouble efforts to defend our community” and unite against hatred, UK religious and political leaders said at a vigil on Monday night for those killed in Pittsburgh.
In a service held at the JW3 Jewish community centre in North West London, the President of the Board of Deputies, the Chief Rabbi, the Mayor of London and the Home Secretary addressed a crowd of more than 200, with many more watching on a livestream video broadcast.
Board President Marie van der Zyl said that the fact the suspect shouted “all these Jews have to die” as he entered the synagogue “chilled me to the bone”.
“What has become clear is that this was not just an attack on Pittsburgh’s Jews, but on all of us,” she said.
“This weekend, I encourage all of you to show up for Shabbat and attend synagogues to show our defiance and pride.
“We cannot take away the pain of this attack, but we can honour the memories of those who have had their lives so brutally taken, by fighting for a better future.”
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis spoke of the “eleven precious lives that were brutally taken from us… as two twin boys were about to enter the covenant of Abraham.”
He added: “It has been recognised that when Jewish blood is spilt in Pittsburgh, a shiver goes down the spine of every Jew around the world, not just every Jew, but every caring person around the world.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan described how “history is a guide to the dangers of allowing this hatred and prejudice towards the Jewish people to fester. It teaches us that whenever and wherever it rears its ugly head, it must be Part of the memorial outside the Tree of Life synagogue in
confronted, tackled and defeated. Because the consequences of indifference have been, and always will be, devastating.”
Home Secretary Sajid Javid sought to reassure the audience that police believed the attack “did not change the nature of the threat picture” in the UK.
But he added: “It is deeply shocking to me that there is so much anxiety from a longstanding and valued community in the UK. We are listening, we hear your concerns. We are proud to
support the CST in protecting Jewish schools and synagogues.”
Jonathan Wittenberg, senior rabbi of Masorti Judaism, described the Tree Of Life synagogue as “a sister community, a Masorti conservative community. Like them, my synagogue has a sign: ‘refugees welcome’.”
In a paid tribute to the victims, he continued: “These people, none of them under fifty, are the kind of group which makes any service in a synagogue happen. The elders of the community, those who are always there. The faithful.”