Rabbi Blue peace award is launched

A memorial service for Rabbi Lionel Blue was held at West London Synagogue on Monday.

A sizeable congregation took part in a service led by several colleagues of Lionel, who died in December at the age of 86.

Among the guest speakers was the former Bishop of Oxford, Lord Richard Harries, who was with Lionel a favourite as speaker on Radio 4’s Thought for the Day. Phil Pegum, former BBC producer of religion and ethics, also paid tribute.

The event was opened with a greeting from Baroness Rabbi Julia Neuberger, senior rabbi at West London and the closing tribute came from Rabbi Danny Smith of Edgware Reform Synagogue, who knew Lionel from childhood.

A new peace award was announced, designed to bring young Israelis and Palestinians closer together, set up in the late rabbi’s memory.