Jews pray for persecuted Christians

Britain’s Jewish community will pray this month for persecuted Christians in the Middle East, as part of an initiative organised by the Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ), writes Katherine Backler.

The initiative, called “If not now, when?” is named after a teaching of the Jewish sage and scholar Hillel: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”

Jewish members of the CCJ have conceived and designed the campaign to encourage synagogues, youth movements and other Jewish groups to pray and reflect together on Islamic State’s violent persecution of Middle East Christians.

The associated resource pack produced by the CCJ explains that “throughout history, Jewish communities have responded to crises such as these with prayer, reflection and learning”.

The campaign has been endorsed officially by Catholics, Anglicans and the Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis.