Newcastle’s vigil for Christchurch

Members of local faith groups took part in a Newcastle upon Tyne vigil for those murdered in the Christchurch mosque shootings.

Brenda Dinsdale, joint President of the Representative Council of North East Jewry, and Honorary Life President of Newcastle Reform Synagogue spoke, saying: “I can find no words of consolation which will help those who have lost loved ones in the Christchurch atrocity because there are no words which can help those who have lost wives and husbands,   children and fathers… I have seen the shock and the hopelessness in peoples’ eyes and I want, on behalf of the Jewish community, to express our sympathy and our solidarity with everyone affected by this tragic event.

“But more than that, I want to say that we must not let ourselves be cowed by what has happened. People have died, unnecessarily and too soon. They have not lived their natural life span. But we who remain have a responsibility. We cannot stay unaffected – we are all affected but we must carry on. Life must resume, maybe not today, maybe not next week but when people are ready…

“I hope that families will gain strength from the warmth and love we are demonstrating by being here as an interfaith group this evening, and that the memories of those lost will dance in their hearts forever, bringing with them peace. We here tonight reach out our hands and hearts to you who live in another part of our world but a world to which we all belong. May the lights of those lost never be extinguished”.