Rabbis, bishops and imams are joining together on Succot to call on British local authorities to provide shelter to refugees living in warzones.
Citizens UK – a community campaigning group – is working with faith leaders on their “Season of sanctuary” project, which aims to persuade 15 councils to house refugees currently living in UN refugee camps in countries such as Iraq and Syria.
They hope to offer sanctuary to 50 more people every year.
Over Succot – a festival when Jews remember the time when they were refugees wandering in the desert - events will be held in synagogues and succahs in the boroughs of Lambeth and Redbridge, in London, to campaign for councillors to sign up to the scheme.
South London Liberal Synagogue is building a succah in Brixton, in Lambeth. Rabbi Janet Darley will be joined by two church representatives to speak on the borough’s long history of migration, and will ask local councellor Saleha Jaffer to find home for 15 families from UN refugee camps.
In Bet Tikvah Synagogue’s succah, in Redbridge, Liberal Judaism’s national executive director Rabbi Danny Rich will lead a talk in front of leader of councellor Jas Athwal, along with Bet Tikvah rabbi David Hulbert, Father Brian McGrath of Saint Thomas of Canterbury Church and a group of young Eritrean refugees.
Rabbi Danny Rich said: “United, we are offering our support to these councils as we ask them to do the right thing and help a small number of people who are in the most desperate of situations through no fault of their own. Together we promise to aid and welcome the refugees.
“The UK has a proud tradition of hospitality and sanctuary and we believe these councils can lead the way in reviving this tradition by being one of the first communities to offer refuge to the most needy.”
Councils which join the initiative will receive financial support from a UN refugee settlement scheme funded by the UK government and the EU.
