Chief Rabbi praises Justin Welby’s ‘courageous’ in support for Jews, Israel
EXCLUSIVE: Archbishop of Canterbury thanked for his backing during the Corbyn years, but said 'true friends will not always agree' and that disagreements are 'constructively and respectfully' made
Jenni Frazer is a freelance journalist
The Chief Rabbi has hailed the Archbishop of Canterbury’s “sometimes courageous” support for British Jews including during the Jeremy Corbyn era — while acknowledging that he “disagreed” with elements of a recent article on the plight of Christians in the Middle East.
“True friends will not always agree”, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis reminded the archbishop’s critics, adding: “When we do differ, we must endeavour to do so constructively and respectfully. It is essential that we recognise and cherish who our real friends are, and Archbishop Welby is most certainly one of those.”
Speaking exclusively to Jewish News as part of a wide-ranging interview this week. the Chief Rabbi said he had come to know Archbishop Justin Welby “exceptionally well”.
Describing him as “a long-standing, genuine friend of the Jewish community and the state of Israel”, the Chief Rabbi hailed the archbishop’s “significant and sometimes courageous support for Jews, Judaism and Israel”. He did note, however, that he disagreed with some of the content of Archbishop Welby’s recent Sunday Times article, which he co-wrote with the Archbishop of Jerusalem, about Palestinian Christians.
Nevertheless, the Chief Rabbi said, the archbishop had “of his own volition, consistently spoken out against the evils of antisemitism, notably ahead of the last General Election, and by being amongst the earliest public leaders to endorse the IHRA definition. He has been outspoken about the vital importance of Holocaust education and has given his passionate support for the future Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre beside Parliament”.
He said that he and Archbishop Welby had been “privileged” to establish the impactful ‘In Good Faith’ initiative for rabbis, rebbetzens and priests, and to make a joint visit to Jerusalem. And, he added: “Significantly, the Archbishop has publicly recognised the deeply painful history of the Church’s relationship with the Jewish people, not least through the Church of England’s brave publication, ‘God’s Unfailing Word’”.
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.
