Chief Rabbi: We hope for new miracle of Purim in war with Iran and pray for those who seek a safer, peaceful world

“And as they are engaged in guaranteeing that our world will be able to be safe and secure for one and all, we, right now, together with people right across the world... We've gathered together, united in prayer, praying to Hashem for better days, praying to Hashem for a better world.

“So right now, our prayers are with the state of Israel and her citizens facing that ongoing barrage of missiles. Right now, our prayers are with the people in Iran who so desperately are waiting for a new era of freedom. Right now, our prayers are with those brave forces seeking to ensure that we will have a safer and more peaceful world ahead of us.”

He concluded: “As we do so, we look forward to a reenactment of the miracle of Purim… In the same way as the tables were turned, and in ancient Persia, the Jews triumphed, so too today in Iran, which is the modern-day state of Persia, may we see a swift and absolute victory for those who are seeking to guarantee our safety, our freedom, our peace, and our security in the future.”

Jo Grose, CEO of the United Synagogue, thanked Mirvis for his sermon, and also referenced parshat zachor, a special Torah portion read on the Shabbat immediately before Purim.

It invokes the remembrance of the Amalekites’ attack on the Israelites when they had left Egypt, and commands Jews to figuratively eradicate the Amalek within them, representing cynicism and coldness.

“When the first missile siren went off, I and millions of others were in synagogue listening to parshat zachor,” Grose said.

“When the alarms began to blare, I and every other Jew had the same thought. Remember those who tried to kill us, who on October the 7th, like the Amalekites, ambushed and murdered our people.”

The congregation – which was more than 1,000-strong, with a maximum capacity 500-attendee Zoom call and more than 500 others following on Youtube – was also led in prayer by various other community leaders.

Rabbi Elchonon Feldman (Photo: United Synagogue/YouTube)[Missing Credit]

Among them were Rabbi Elchonon Feldman of Bushey United Synagogue and RCUS chair; Rabbi Nicky Liss of Highgate Synagogue; Dayan Menachem Gelley, the Rosh Beth Din; and Rabbi Alex Chapper of Borehamwood & Elstree Synagogue.

Feldman said: “As we gather together this evening, we recognise that throughout our history, our people have gathered together in prayer and have turned towards our Tehillim for the words and for the to give us the strength to keep on going. Queen Esther herself turned towards Tehillim in the time of plight.”

Liss led Psalm 121, which he said is “one of the great expressions of trust in Hashem's protection, often recited in times of trouble”.

Rabbi Barry Lerer, speaking from Jerusalem, described this weekend’s Shabbat under the shadow of constant missile attacks.

“There was none of the menucha, that calm rest that we usually cherish,” he said. “Instead of quiet streets and peaceful meals, we spend much of the day in the shelter.

“And with that came a very real sense of vulnerability. And yet there was something profoundly holy about the Shabbat. Shabbat spent in a shelter together with my family, my extended family, tehillim whispered, words of reassurance shared. Faith not as a theory but as a lifeline.”

He then introduced and read the prayer for the state of Israel, saying that “tonight, we understand these words more literally than ever. We affirm what generations only dreamed of, that we have a state, that we have defenders, and that we have faith.”

Saul Taylor, president of the United Synagogue, concluded the call. “Once again, world events have turned our thoughts and our hearts towards our brethren in Israel,” he said.

“For many here, this is not distant. It is personal. It is family and friends. It is communities we know and love. We feel their fear. We share their worry. We carry their names in our prayers.

“This evening… has reminded us of the strength of Jewish unity that wherever we are in the world, we are one people. We pray with hope and with faith that calmer and more peaceful days lie ahead.”

Click here to watch the recording of the prayers.