Two rabbis attend ‘moving’ Grenfell Tower vigil
Moshe Freedman and Abraham Lavi pay respects alongside survivors, relatives, friends, volunteers and community leaders linked to the disaster
Two rabbis helped comprise the multi-ethnic make-up of a “moving” community vigil held for the victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster on Thursday.
One month after the tragedy, hundreds of people gathered in front of the building’s charred shell, gathering to pay their respects alongside survivors, relatives, friends, volunteers and community leaders.
Representing the Jewish community were Rabbi Dr. Moshe Freedman of New West End Synagogue in Bayswater and Rabbi Abraham Lavi of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in Holland Park. Christian bishops and Sunni Muslim imams were also present, as were the religious leaders of Catholic and other communities.
After readings by community members, including young Muslim girls, candles were lit by the audience, as a local Gospel choir sang and people left messages in a glass bowl.
The event was organised by the Department of Communities and Local Government, and described as “incredibly moving” by Laurence Julius, treasurer of Holland Park Synagogue.
“Every times I see that tower it sends a chill right through me, when you think how people suffered there, and all the issues,” he said. “However, it has also brought people together, and the barriers between communities seem to have come down. The West Indian community in particular has been tremendous, but little-reported.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
