16th November 2015

On Sunday evening, Liberal Judaism’s senior rabbi, Rabbi Danny Rich, joined hundreds of people showing their solidarity with Paris in an inter-faith vigil, organised by Citizens UK.

Taking place outside City Hall in London, people of all faiths, and none, came together as one to condemn the attacks and show their support.

Danny offered a prayer, which you can read below, in response to the attack in Paris.

Other religious leaders taking part in the vigil included Reverend Paul Regan and Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari MBE.

El Male Rachamim: God, full of Compassion:
Our thoughts and prayers go to the families and friends of those who were brutally murdered in Paris on Friday evening. They, like so many others around the globe, are the victims of what sometimes appears to be on-going evil acts of terror.

We express our solidarity with the residents of Paris and the citizens of France for whom this is the second outrage in 2015. It is an attack on the freedoms and ethical way of life – at the heart of Jewish teaching – by which Jews in every country would seek to live.

We commend the efforts of all of those in public service who tend the wounded, comfort the bereaved, protect the vulnerable, and work to pursue the perpetrators. We call upon Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus and those of all faiths and none to endorse the values of pluralism and democracy which require respect for the rule of law and the rejection of terror. Acts of terror: ‘Not in Our Name’.

Eternal God, as we appreciate the world is a partnership between You and humanity so do we call for the unity of all people of compassion and decency to fulfil the vision expressed in the metaphorical hope of the Biblical Hebrew Prophet, Micah (4:4): “And each shall sit under their vine and fig tree, and none shall make them afraid.”