UK Jewish community to hold vigil outside Israeli embassy

The UK Jewish community plans to hold a candlelight vigil this evening outside the Israeli embassy in London to show solidarity with the families of Gilad Shaar, Eyal Yifrach and Naftali Fraenkel.

The leadership of the community, which will gather outside the embassy building in Kensington at 6:45 p.m. London time, invites the British Jewish community and friends of Israel to join in expressing “solidarity with the families, loved ones and the Israeli public for the three innocent teenagers who were murdered in cold blood after being abducted more than two weeks ago.”

The vigil will also be attended by representatives of the embassy and communal organizations, including the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Jewish Leadership Council, United Jewish Israel Appeal, the Zionist Federation, We Believe in Israel and the Union of Jewish Students.

UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and Senior Rabbi to the Movement for Reform Judaism Laura Janner Klausner are slated to speak at the gathering.

In other news, a spokesman the Board of Deputies of British Jews “unequivocally” condemns the “deplorable” killing of Mohammad Abu Khdeir.

“Whatever the motive for this killing, it is utterly deplorable and we condemn it unequivocally. At this fragile time — in aftermath of the killings of the three Israeli teenagers — we all have a responsibility to promote an atmosphere in which peace and justice, rather than violence and aggression, can prevail. We all need to see the humanity in one another; this region does not need any more grieving mothers.”