Bar and batmitzvah kids support local Christian congregation after church fire
Kind offer from youngsters at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in St John's Wood came after St Mark's church was gutted in blaze
Jewish children from the bar and batmitzvah class at a London synagogue have made cards for the young members of a Christian congregation whose nearby church was destroyed by fire last week.
The kindly act of solidarity came from the Liberal Jewish Synagogue (LJS) on St Johns Wood Road, not far from the 170-year-old St. Mark’s Church, which was engulfed by fire late last week.
In addition, LJS Rabbi Igor Zinkov visited the Church the morning after the fire and extended an offer of support and help, should the congregation need anything.
The shul said: “We took our bar and bat mitzvah class to the church to say a prayer of healing for the community and our young people made cards to be shared with the young members of St. Mark’s offering support and words of warmth.”
A team of 80 firefighters were deployed to the Grade II-listed church at 11.30pm on Thursday but could not save the building, which has been described by the National Churches Trust as “an architectural and historical treasure”.
The church has links to author Lewis Carroll as well as Queen Victoria’s son, who laid the foundation stone was it was built. It also had several ornate mosaics.
Among the Jewish children’s words of comfort were offers for churchgoers to “come and pray at our synagogue if you want”, while the church is rebuilt.
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