Munich memorial prayer unites community

THE Israeli athletes murdered by Black September terrorists during the Munich 1972 Games will be remembered in shuls across Australia this Shabbat. And in a rare show of unity, a prayer specially written for the anniversary by a leading Orthodox rabbi will also be used by Progressive synagogues.

While some shuls intend to include the names of the murdered athletes in the traditional memorial prayer, others will recite the special prayer written for the anniversary by the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, Lord Jonathan Sacks.

The prayer has been circulated to Orthodox rabbis by the Rabbinical Councils of Victoria and New South Wales.

But the words used by Lord Sacks have also been embraced by the Rabbinic Council of Progressive Rabbis of Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Council chair Rabbi Shoshana Kaminsky said: “While Rabbi Sacks comes from the Orthodox world, his powerful words speak for all Jews at this time when we are acutely aware of the ties that bind us together as Jews.”

Reflecting on his prayer, Lord Sacks said, “For the Jewish people, Munich 1972 is more than history. It is an event forever etched into the hearts and minds of our collective Jewish memory.

“We are a people whose faith is central to our identity. It is therefore not sufficient for the Munich 11 to be remembered simply in the secular setting. It requires an expression of religious remembrance as well.”

Meanwhile, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), the Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV), the Zionist Council of Victoria (ZCV), the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies (JBOD) and the Zionist Council of New South Wales (ZCNSW) have all urged shuls, schools and other communal organisations to hold memorial ceremonies in the coming days.

A joint ECAJ and ZFA statement called on “all members of the Jewish community and indeed all Australians to pause and observe one minute’s silence at 11am this Friday, July 27, 2012 (in their own time zone) in memory of the 11 Israeli athletes murdered in cold blood”.

“May their memory help to advance the highest ideals of sport and sportsmanship which the Olympic Games were created to affirm,” wrote ECAJ president Dr Danny Lamm and ZFA president Philip Chester.

In Melbourne, a memorial ceremony will be held by the JCCV and ZCV at Beth Weizmann, Caulfield South at 11am on Friday.

In Sydney, a memorial ceremony will be held by JBOD and the ZCNSW at Benefactors Hall, Darlinghurst, at 11am on Friday.

ZEDDY LAWRENCE

The chief rabbi of the Commonwealth, Lord Jonathan Sacks, in Australia earlier this year.

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