At a special gathering held in London this week under the banner "Prayer for Peace", Rabbi Eliezer Zubin, rav of the Ner Yisroel community, addressed a hall of Jewish and Christian leaders. The event took place during the official visit of Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, a senior Vatican official, and drew representatives from across the religious spectrum.
Rabbi Zubin opened his remarks by acknowledging the deep trauma and horror of Hamas's brutal terror attack, the plight of the hostages held in Gaza, and the anxiety gripping Jewish communities worldwide. But alongside that, he called for a broader compassion.
"Compassion is not a limited resource, and recognising the mourning of others does not diminish our own," Rabbi Zubin declared during his address. "I ask that we acknowledge the bereavement, the displacement, the loss of homes, and the suffering endured by the Palestinians, as well as the fear and suffering of Christian communities in Israel and across the Middle East."
He went on to explore the deeper meaning of peace in Jewish thought, explaining that the word "shalom" derives from the root meaning "wholeness", which demands far more than a mere ceasefire. "Peace cannot only be spoken about; it must be lived," he said. "If we do not translate our words into practical steps and a way of life, we will not begin to change the world."
At the close of his remarks, those present stood for two minutes of silence, as part of a shared call to combat antisemitism and hatred.
