Lincolnshire Jewish communities help dedicate memorial stone
Progressive group commemorate Jews who served and died in the RAF during the Second World War and pay homage to the medieval Jewish history of Lincoln
Members of the Lincolnshire Progressive Jewish Communities took part in a heartfelt dedication service of the Lincoln Jewish Memorial Stone (LJMS) at the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) just outside the city.
This significant memorial commemorates the Jews who served and died in the RAF during the Second World War and pays homage to the medieval Jewish history of Lincoln.
The Stone, hand-carved and modelled on the 2,000-year-old Magdala Stone discovered near the Sea of Galilee in Israel in 2009, stands as testament to the enduring legacy of Jewish history and sacrifice.
The RAF’s only Rabbi Samuel de Beck Spitzer led the dedication ceremony. Other dignitaries paying their respects included representatives from local Jewish communities, the Jewish Ex-Servicemen’s Legion (AJEX), the Mayor of Lincoln, Councillor Alan Briggs, local MP Dr Caroline Johnson, and the highest-ranked Jewish RAF officer, Air Vice Marshall Phil Lester.
They were surrounded by the names of more than 600 Jewish fallen aircrew of Bomber Command, among the 58,000 commemorated at the site.
Tim Collis, the project co-leader said: “It is our prayer that the Memorial will be a cornerstone of remembrance in the city of Lincoln and beyond. I believe it will cry out its message of remembrance, reconciliation, and hope for generations to come.”
Paul Hyams, on the planning committee and a member of Lincolnshire’s Progressive Jewish Community added: “We are indebted to the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem, who have been the driving force of the project, and to Phil Kerry, owner of Goldstone Quarry, who donated the stone from its carving in Jaipur, India, to its installation at the Bomber Command Centre.”
The dedication of the LJMS marks a significant moment for Lincolnshire’s Jewish Communities, ensuring that the contributions and sacrifices of Jewish servicemen and women are remembered and honoured for generations to come.
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