London Jews Mobilize To Help Victims Of Deadly Highrise Inferno
(JTA) — Britain’s chief rabbi offered prayers and a local synagogue put out an appeal to help the victims in the deadly fire that destroyed a high-rise apartment building in London.
At least six people were killed and dozens remain missing and are feared dead in the massive fire in Grenfell Tower in the western part of the British capital. Terrorism is not suspected in the blaze, which also injured more than 70.
“Images of #GrenfellTower are truly harrowing. My prayers today are with all affected & with the heroes running towards danger to save lives,” Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis tweeted at 2 a.m. Wednesday as firefighters continued to battle the blaze.
Images of #GrenfellTower are truly harrowing. My prayers today are with all affected & with the heroes running towards danger to save lives.
— Chief Rabbi Mirvis (@chiefrabbi) June 14, 2017
Rent in the building is publicly subsidized, and many of the residents were low-income families or disabled people.
The Holland Park Synagogue, located just blocks away from the apartment, early Wednesday morning asked its members to donate items to those affected by the fire.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.