Layla Moran tells peace vigil of her ‘deep grief’ for Israelis and Palestinians
Louise Gordon, vice president of the Oxford Jewish Congregation, told city centre event: 'Here we stand. Each a world of our own. But not alone'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
A vigil held to maintain hopes of peace between Israel and the Palestinians, has succeeded in bringing local communities in Oxford together.
At a time of tensions, Sunday’s peace vigil in the city saw a local Jewish community leader and the MP Layla Moran among those to deliver moving speeches reflecting on the impact the Hamas terror attack of October 7th has had on so many of us.
A crowd of more than 500 attended the event, many of who brought along candles to be lit as the outdoor vigil progressed.
Jewish News understands that the organisers of the event had at one stage discussed whether or not to go ahead with the event with Oxford experiencing some of the tensions felt by many UK cities over the past month.
But there was immense pride at the end of the evening, as the event passed without issues, and served instead to strengthen local communal ties.
Bishop of Oxford Steven Croft had welcomed everyone attending the early evening vigil, saying: “We come here to pray and find peace. We are together as a community of communities.”
He stressed also that there must be no flag waving, chanting or hectoring.
Truly remarkable vigil taking place in Oxford right now for “people of all faiths” hoping for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Middle East. @LaylaMoran spoke movingly of the pain and suffering Israelis and Palestinians are going through. pic.twitter.com/KvPpLC9Osb
— lee harpin (@lmharpin) November 5, 2023
Significantly, it was Louise Gordon, vice president of the Oxford Jewish Congregation, who was invited to deliver the first speech to the multi-faith crowd from the small stage.
Gordon said:”My religious tradition is not alone in teaching that the loss of a single human life is as the loss of an entire world.
“We have all been witness to too much loss and our world can never be as it was before.
“We will never know what all those lost world-of-lives could have become. The grief of that is beyond measuring.”
Gordon later told Jewish News, that the small Jewish community, which is boosted by the sizable local student intake, had felt under much pressure in recent weeks.
But that coming together with other local faith groups and communities at events such as Sunday’s was proving to be a great source of strength.
In her speech, Gordon added:”Here we stand. Each a world of our own. But not alone.”
In an equally poignant address, Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesperson Moran spoke of the devastating impact of the past few weeks, telling the crowd she was talking not as an MP but as “someone whose mother comes from Jerusalem.”
“The last few weeks have been incredibly painful for all of us,” she said. “I was distraught when I saw the abhorrent atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7th.
“In that first week I felt deep grief for the dead and the kidnapped in Israel, and also for those innocent Palestinians as the bombs started to fall in Gaza.
“I have family in Palestine, my fear for them is indescribable. And that fear is matched by those who have connections in Israel.
“Grief, fear, what horrible, horrible things to have in common.”
Again, speaking with real conviction local Imam Monawar Hassain said: “We the citizens of Oxfordshire come together in the spirit of mutual love, pain and kindness.”
Asked by Jewish News later about the growing tensions in the UK between some in the Muslim and Jewish communities he said pointedly:”It is really important that there is so much that unites us.”
He said there was a need to remember the strong relationships, the trust and the importance of coming together, and that it was “essential” these were “maintained at difficult times.”
Leader of Oxford City Council Susan Brown said: “We are here today to support each other. People of all faiths and none.
“Too many people locally are experiencing fear in our city as a result of international events.
“Today, I am here as a local citizen. A daughter. A mother. The Leader of Oxford City Council. To stand shoulder to shoulder with people from all communities in our city and county.”
Anneliese Dodds, the MP for Oxford East, and Labour’s shadow equalities minister was also at the event alongside representatives from other faiths and local councillors.
The local Lib Dem councillor Alexandra Kantor, who was at the vigil with her partner, later said: “I have family in Tel Aviv. I have been in touch with them and they are OK as they are far away. It is a sad situation and I’m here because I care about Layla and want to support her.”
In a statement, the faith and community leaders said they were aware of the need “to draw together the diverse communities of Oxfordshire at this time and renew bonds of friendship and a common commitment to peace”.
“Together, we are horrified by the violence that we are seeing in Israel and Palestine, and the suffering of ordinary people who have lost loved ones and who fear for their own lives and for friends and family members,” the statement added.
The group will meet regularly in the coming months to give a collective voice in promoting understanding, peace, and strong community relations across the area.
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