Young Voices: Unity, for one brief moment

Another day, another tragedy.

I remember checking Twitter last Thursday, after wildly celebrating Daniel Sturridge’s winning goal for England against Wales. I was filled with joy and feeling a sense of camaraderie with other pub goers. It really was #togetherforengland.

For one brief moment there was unity. The referendum that seemed to be driving this country to insanity was forgotten – but all that came crashing to a halt when I saw the breaking news that MP Jo Cox had been shot and stabbed.

Questions ran through my mind. Why had this happened – and more importantly, how could this happen?

As a movement worker for LJY-Netzer, Liberal Judaism’s youth movement, we try to instil hope into our members – that the world may not be perfect, but if we do just a little then maybe we can make it a better place and bring it closer to the world as it should be.

The more I read about Jo Cox, the more it seemed she thought that way too.

She worked for an anti-slavery charity and used her time as an MP to fight for child refugees in Syria.

She fought for those who could not fight for themselves.

That is what more of us need to do, that is what we try to instil in the young people that we interact with, whether that’s standing up to the class bully or taking part in campaigns.

Before this tragedy, I did not know much about Jo or her work, but now her legacy will always be with me, pushing me to be better and to try to make what seems a dark world at the moment just a little bit brighter.

Jo Cox MP truly was a light unto the nations. Let her memory be a blessing… zikhronah livrakha.

Tom Francies is an LJY-Netzer movement worker