Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis has joined the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, Catholic leader Cardinal Vincent Nichols and other senior faith figures in appealing to the Prime Minister to allow public worship to continue under the new lockdown. 

From Thursday, places of worship are due to be shut for a month except for private prayer. 

Writing to Mr Johnson and Communities Secretary, Robert Jenrick, they said, “We understand entirely that the country faces significant challenges and the reasons behind the government’s decision to bring in new measures. 

“But we strongly disagree with the decision to suspend public worship during this time.  

“We have had reaffirmed, through the bitter experience of the last six months, the critical role that faith plays in moments of tremendous crisis, and we believe public worship is essential.” 

They said they had “demonstrated, by our action, that places of worship and public worship can be made safe from Covid transmission. Given the significant work we have already done, we consider there to be, now, no scientific justification for the wholesale suspension of public worship.” 

They said that without the “worshipping community”, social action could not be sustained and their commitment to social care came from their faith. 

“Common worship is also necessary to sustain the health and wellbeing of faith community members engaged in caring for others whether paid or voluntary,” they said. 

“Much has been made of the adverse impact on mental health of volunteer and paid carers during this pandemic. Common Worship is an important way of sustaining the wellbeing, and ability to serve, of people of faith who volunteer. The benefits of public worship are scientifically well attested”.