The Australian Council of Christians and Jews (ACCJ) deplores the attack and its motivations perpetrated by what appears to have been a drunken group of persons in London on a synagogue. The attack seems to have been added to by the making of anti-Semitic comments that by the perpetrators that appear intended to harm cordial relations between all who live in the district, Jewish or otherwise.
From an interfaith standpoint, the ACCJ takes the view that such actions must be dealt with and the perpetrators shown why their actions are unacceptable not only to the Jewish community but all people of faith and the community at large.
In Sydney, a recent series of events perpetrated by drunken youths on a bus against young Jewish school students resulted in some of the perpetrators being introduced to their victims, apologising to them and being taken on a tour of the Sydney Jewish Museum to understand the underlying roots of anti-Semitism and the sensitivities of the Jewish community to actions such as those perpetrated on those students. It may well be instrumental for something similar to occur in relation to the perpetrators of the invasion of the synagogue in London and maybe the perpetrators will understand the stupidity and lack of wisdom of their actions and make amends and try and better understand those against whom they think they are directing their actions.
At a time of increasing intolerance and lack of wisdom by individuals towards people of faith worldwide, there has to be greater understanding by communities of other communities and their backgrounds, needs and peace.
We wish for a positive peaceful outcome to the incident in London.
Released 27 March 2015