Chief Rabbi praises Justin Welby’s ‘courageous’ in support for Jews, Israel

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’”.