Orthodox rabbi joins other faith leaders in opposing international arms fair
Rabbi Herschel Gluck along with former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Rowan Williams, branded the event next month a 'blot on the moral landscape'
A prominent Orthodox rabbi has joined Christian faith leaders in opposing an international arms fair due to be held in London in September.
Rabbi Herschel Gluck OBE from Stamford Hill joined former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Rowan Williams and others in branding the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) event a “blot on the moral landscape”.
The DSEI is one of the world’s major arms fairs and regularly attracts protests. Israeli and British firms exhibit alongside military delegations from countries with chequered human rights records such as Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Philippines, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Bahrain, all of which has made Gluck uneasy.
“As a Jew, I find war, those that cause war, and the weapons of war, despicable and horrific,” he said. “Our Talmudic sages teach us that peace is the key and source of all blessings from God.”
He added: “As a people who pray for the coming of Moshiach (Jewish Messiah), we see the eradication of conflict as an essential part of the ultimate good that humanity should strive for. We are enjoined not just ‘to give peace a chance’ but to ‘desire peace and pursue it.’ May we all work towards this and realise our goal.”
Williams said: “The way much of the arms trade works continues to be a blot on the global moral landscape. Governments have been negligent or collusive about the role played by arms exports in sustaining brutal and even genocidal conflicts.”
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.