Some Cardiff Jews boycotted the city’s Holocaust commemoration because it was held in a cathedral.
Traditionally, the Welsh Government and Cardiff City Council have held their HMD ceremony at City Hall. But this year, City Hall had already accepted a booking for January 27 from the British Obesity Metabolic Surgery Society, so the organisers instead arranged for it to be held at Llandaff Cathedral.
Cardiff United Synagogue’s Rabbi Michoel Rose said “prior commitments” had precluded his attendance. But he added: “Some people will feel that it should be at a more neutral location, reflecting the non-denominational nature of the event.
“If it were at City Hall in future years, I might attend.”
Cardiff Jewish Representative Council chairman Stanley Soffa believed the venue was inappropriate given that “one of the groups we’re commemorating is the Jews. A number of people in the Jewish community would not go into a church for a service because there’s a religious aspect to it.”
