Sir Lloyd Dorfman: Covid memorial at St Paul’s ‘really important for the UK’
Philanthropist speaks about backing the national memorial at London's historic cathedral, and British Jews playing 'a role in supporting the wider community'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Jewish philanthropist Sir Lloyd Dorfman has explained the decision to turn an online interfaith memorial for victims of the pandemic into a permanent physical project at St Paul’s Cathedral.
Speaking to JN podcast he said the “next step” for a memorial inside the cathedral was “particularly appropriate” because of the building’s “historic role as the nation’s remembrance centre for great events and great tragedies.”
Sir Lloyd CBE said his involvement with the St Paul’s project stemmed from his initial role helping Westminster Abbey with a new building project in which six of the 30 doners were from Jewish families.
He had been walking through the Abbey with another “distinguished” donor when they discussed the importance of giving back to a country that had once welcomed the community onto its shores and allowed them to flourish.
With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic an initial online Remember Me memorial project with St Paul’s – allowing the public of all faiths and none to register for free the details of loved ones lost to the virus – was funded by the Dorfman Foundation.
“I think it is important as a community, we do a lot of very good work looking after our own, as every community does,” said Dorfman.
“But I think at the same time it is important that we also play a role in supporting the wider community.
“The Jewish community in this country punches way above its weight in the many projects we support
“The St Paul’s Cathedral project, I happened to be the right person in the right place at the right time.
“I didn’t think twice that this was really important for our country – for those who had lost loved ones that this was done.
“I was happy to do, not only to support it financially, but also help make it happen with design.”
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis is amongst communal leaders to openly praise the project, which first began online last May.
Sir Lloyd said of the huge death toll from the virus: “Each one of these losses is a terrible tragedy.
“This memorial won’t bring loved ones back, but what it will do… here is a way of giving these people a permanent place in our history. They won’t just be statistics in what is referred to as the pandemic.”
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.
