Mary Reid

One of my projects this year has been to explore how the various faith groups in the borough could be more involved in civic life.

Over the last three years the Inter-Faith Forum has matured under the leadership of Rabbi Danny Rich so it seemed a good time to set up a Faith and Civic Life working group. The members were drawn from my chaplains and leaders of the largest places of worship.

One of the outcomes was to agree to hold up to four civic services during the year, hosted by the main faiths active in the area. These would be open to members of all faiths and we agreed to make sure that visitors would feel comfortable and be helped to understand the acts of worship.

So the first of these happened on Saturday at the Kingston Liberal Synagogue. We arrived an hour before the service began so we could meet the children at their religion school. Most groups spent some time studying Hebrew, and followed this with sessions on beliefs and history. A GCSE Religious Studies group was hard at work, so was a class preparing for their Bar or Bat Mitzvah ceremonies.

Some of the visitors being shown around by Robert Markless

Then we all gathered for the service, which incorporated a remembrance for Holocaust Day. The service was led by their trainee rabbi, Charley Baginsky, whilst Danny Rich read and spoke to us.

I was very pleased to see Christians and Muslims joining the Jews, and being warmly welcomed, for this event.

From left, Rabbi Danny Rich, Harry Kempson, myself, Paul Levene (Chairman of Synagogue), trainee rabbi Charley Baginsky

Holocaust Memorial Day was publically recognised on Sunday afternoon when a good sized crowd gathered by the Holocaust Tree in Memorial Gardens. A short service there was followed by a talk and film in the Guildhall on the theme of 'The Dignity of Difference'.

Rabbi David Mason and Cllr Yogan Yoganathan watching the presentation at the Guildhall

Whilst we should never forget the horror of the Holocaust, and its particular impact on the Jewish community, the focus of these events was on genocide wherever it may happen.

This prayer was found beside the body of a girl who died in Ravensbruck, and was quoted at the memorial service:

God, remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will.


Do not remember all the sufferings they have inflicted upon us; remember the fruits we bear, thanks to this suffering - our comradeship, our loyalty, our humanity, courage and generosity, the greatness of heart which has grown out of all this.


And when they come to judgement, let all the fruits that we have borne be their forgiveness.