Faith leaders including the Archbishop of Canterbury have urged communities across the country to “stand together” against hatred, amid an increase in reported antisemitic attacks and hate crimes within the UK.
Justin Welby, Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra and Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg delivered a joint statement of solidarity at Lambeth Palace amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Mr Welby said the religion leaders were speaking alongside one another on Tuesday morning to “stand together against any type of hatred or violence against Jewish people or every other community”.
He added: “We cannot allow the seeds of hatred and prejudice to be sown afresh in our communities. And right now especially, we cannot allow the cancer of antisemitism to spread in our nation.”
Mr Welby welcomed the “solidarity” shown by Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra and Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg and said they “speak for their very own communities and networks, and never for any others, but they speak out of their particular friendship, as a Muslim, and as a Jew”.
Sheikh Mogra, a scholar and imam from Leicester, said it was “deplorable and mistaken” that the Jewish community within the UK has been the goal of hate crimes.
He said it’s “unacceptable” that synagogues and Jewish centres have been targeted and called on “all fellow residents to rise up and speak out against all and each type of hate”.
The former assistant secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain said: “British Muslims and Jews have much in common and there are lots of personal ties between us.
“We have celebrated completely satisfied times together and stood together in solidarity during difficult and difficult times.
“We have, and can sometimes be on opposite sides, but we live together as neighbours in peace and harmony, disagreeing with one another respectfully without resorting to hate or violence.”
Rabbi Wittenberg, Senior Rabbi of Masorti Judaism UK, said Sheikh Mogra’s solidarity in speaking out against antisemitism “means an ideal deal” amid “a five-fold rise in incidents of antisemitism” during the last week.
We will sometimes have different loyalties, yet it is crucial that we live together across the United Kingdom as neighbours and fellow residents in peace and with respect
Rabbi Wittenberg
He said the Jewish community has “long condemned and continues to sentence all racism directed against Muslims, from whatever source”.
The Rabbi of the New North London Synagogue said: “As leaders within the British Jewish and Muslim communities we affirm the importance of maintaining our relationships even and particularly in troubled times.
“We have a lot in common; there are lots of friendships between us and now we have stood together through each peaceful and difficult days.”
Rabbi Wittenberg added: “We will sometimes have different loyalties, yet it is crucial that we live together across the United Kingdom as neighbours and fellow residents in peace and with respect.”
