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Munich memorial planned for Olympic Shabbat

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Hundreds of synagogues across the world will host a special kaddish on Shabbat July 28 (the day after the opening ceremony of the Olympics), for the Israeli athletes murdered 40 years ago in Munich.

The kaddish is the initiative of Barry Shaw, co-founder of the Netanya Terror Victim Fund and author of Israel Reclaiming the Narrative.

He was inspired to start the campaign because of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) refusal to hold a minute's silence for those murdered, as well as his "total disgust" at the British political establishment's response to the requests of UK Jewish leaders, who asked for the athletes to be honoured.

Mr Shaw declared: "When Jewish people die, it is always up to Jews themselves to commemorate".

He was confident that 500 synagogues worldwide would read out the 11 athletes' Hebrew names, and say kaddish for them.

In Britain, the Liberal Jewish movement has included the plan in its weekly newsletter, and is encouraging all its synagogues to participate.

Synagogues and schools which wish to participate can register at theviewfromisrael@gmail.com.

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