Israeli people are united despite trauma and loss caused by October 7, says Chief Rabbi

The Chief Rabbi has praised the resilience of the Israeli people, saying that despite their trauma and loss caused by the October 7 atrocities they were united as never before.

Sir Ephraim Mirvis spoke to the JC after returning from a visit to Israel, where he met the families of hostages, people displaced from their homes by the war and IDF medical staff who have been working round the clock to identify victims of the terrorist attacks and prepare their bodies for burial.

“I went to Israel to show solidarity, that British Jewry is standing with them, giving absolute support,” Sir Ephraim said.

He contrasted the mood in both Israel and the diaspora since the attacks, pointing out that the deep divisions caused by the Israeli government’s attempt to reform the judiciary had now vanished: “We are one united Jewish family, and the unity of the Jewish people is palpable wherever I go. The plight of the hostages is central to the psychology of every Israeli.

“Another theme is the resilience of the Israeli people. They are still dealing with trauma, they are in shock, but still they display enormous resilience. There is an awareness that we are living through a significant moment in Jewish history, a turning point. No one knows what the destination will be, but we will have to come to terms with a new reality. There is an appreciation that nothing is going to be the same.”

Among the places the Chief Rabbi visited was a distribution centre for goods donated to help the 200,000 Israelis displaced by the war, from both the communities bordering Gaza and those in the north close to Lebanon.

“Their story is one we don’t hear enough about,” Sir Ephraim said. “In Jersualem, 62 hotels have opened their doors to them, so they have to pay nothing. In one shop when I reached the till I was asked to donate 10 shekels -- and that’s happening every time people make purchases.”

JNV CHIEF RABBI EPHRAIM MIRVIS PORTRAITS 28

Sir Ephraim Mirvis

Another location which he said made a deep impact was the Shura army base. In normal times, this is where the remains of slain IDF soldiers are processed before being sent to their families for burial.

However, after October 7 the bodies of the terrorists’ 1,200 victims were also taken there, “and they have just been overwhelmed, trying to identify the bodies of the victims, the migrant workers, and some of the terrorists. The people there have been to hell and back,” said Sir Ephraim.

He revealed he had been surprised and disappointed by the lack of support for Jews and Israel in Britain, but said he believed Britain’s Jewish community must redouble its efforts to reach out to people of other faiths when the war ends.

Sir Ephraim said: “Since 7 October, I have been enormously encouraged by the warmth of the support that I have received personally from the King and the Royal Family, the Prime Minister, the Metropolitan Police commissioner and others. In addition to that, I have been inundated by messages of support. There many people around the country who have been showing their support for Israel and the Jewish people.

“Together with that, we have been disappointed by the silence that is deafening, from some friends, from some others. In some instances, I think people don’t know what to say, but in others I prefer not to dwell on what they’re really thinking. And then you have the condemnation of Israel, which is so disappointing, particularly when it comes from sources where I thought there was better understanding towards Israel and the Jewish people.

“To me it means we have to redouble our efforts to invest more time and greater effort into ensuring we strengthen our connections to others. Our task in this matter will certainly be more challenging after this war, but we need to be up for it.”

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