Leaders of Britain’s political, social and religious life and outstanding personalities in Jewish life in Britain joined last night in marking the 300th anniversary of the return of Jews to Britain. The contributions of Jewry to Britain and the welcome the Jews had received in this land were honored at a tercentenary banquet in London’s historic Guildhall.
Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden, in an address to the dinners, said that no people in history had been a “magnet for so much cruelty and persecution” as the Jews. The world he continued, is forever in the moral debt of the Jews for the pogroms practiced against them by dictators and for the “depths of unimaginable bestiality” turned on them by the Nazis. “From all that suffering we pray that one lesson has been learned: the freer development of racial tolerance. Tolerance is a test of civilization,” the Prime Minister asserted.
Sir Anthony “gladly acknowledged” that the “Jews have made a contribution to our society which is both distinctive and highly valuable. Let us rejoice,” he went on, “that now for 300 years the British Jews have found security from their enemies and scope for their talents in this country. Let us freely acknowledge that they have richly repaid their welcome and may we wish them Godspeed for the future.”
DUKE OF EDINBURGH PROPOSES TOAST TO ANGLO-JEWISH COMMUNITY
The Duke of Edinburgh, proposing a toast to the Anglo-Jewish community, declared that the “Jewish community’s record in this country is truly remarkable. Every part of our national life has been enriched by your contribution over the years.” The members of the Jewish community the Duke pointed out, “have achieved great things which have left or made a lasting impression. Perhaps the greatest achievement of the community as a whole throughout the 300 years has been its success at fitting itself into the life of its adopted country, yet at the same time retaining a sense of common interest and reverence for all the best traditions of the Jewish faith and culture.
“The community has proved again and again that it has the same interests at heart, the same loyalties as its fellow subjects.” After citing the record of the Jewish community in both World Wars, the Duke said: “This year Jews and Gentiles in this country alike can thank God that they have come through so many years without a stain on their honor. Intolerance on the one hand and provocation on the other has often tried to make its appearance, but the good sense of both communities has always kept them in check.” He concluded his toast with the statement that “Britain and the Commonwealth are richer for the talents and the achievements of the Anglo-Jewish community.”
The Bishop of Chichester, representing the Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the Church of England, expressed the hope that “not the least of the fruit of this gathering would be the determination to resist tyranny and intolerance wherever it lifted its head within range of British influence and to insist that at least in the British Commonwealth the colonies and protectorates racial and religious discrimination would find no room.”
LORD SAMUEL, LORD READING REPLY TO GREETINGS; PRESENT VOLUME TO QUEEN
Chief Jewish speakers at the banquet were Lord Samuel and Lord Reading, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Lord Samuel, who replied to the Duke of Edinburgh’s toast noted that Britain and other countries which treated their Jewish citizens well “flourished” while those who abused the Jews had “declined.” This was not surprising, he added, since the Jews made out well in an atmosphere of liberty, tolerance and equality of justice–just the type of atmosphere in which great nations developed.
Lord Reading, speaking of the Duke of Edinburgh, underlined that this was not the first occasion on which he had “honored” British Jewry by his interest in its activities and progress. Chief Rabbi Israel Brodie urged the British Government to “use its power and to apply its wisdom to securing peaceful cooperation between Israel and the Arab states and peaceful cooperation between East and West.”
Lord Samuel presented the Duke of Edinburgh with a book containing the descriptive catalogue of the Tercentenary Exhibition and an account of the purposes of the anniversary celebration. He requested the Duke to present the volume to Queen Elizabeth II, who is a patron of the Tercentenary council.
Among the other distinguished guests present at the banquet were Cardinal Griffin head of the Roman Catholic Church in Britain, and Eliahu Elath, Israel’s Ambassador to Britain. Overseas Jewish organizations represented at the affair included the American Jewish Tercentenary Committee Central Jewish Board of Bombay, Executive Council of Australian Jewry and the Rhodesian and South African Jewish Boards of Deputies Recordings of the speeches were broadcast later throughout Britain and overseas, over the facilities of the British Broadcasting Corporation.
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