Rabbi Capt Nathan Godleman leads the service
The annual Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women (AJEX) commemoration at Willesden Jewish Cemetery brought together veterans, relatives and members of the Jewish community, alongside the Mayor of Brent, the Mayor of Barnet and Lord Carlile.
The main memorial was consecrated in 1961. Several years ago, AJEX member Ron Shelley MBE rediscovered a similar memorial nearby at the cemetery of The Liberal Jewish Synagogue on Pound Lane.
With the synagogue’s permission, Progressive rabbis, led by Rabbi Nathan Godleman of the South London Liberal Synagogue, have passed through a small gate in the wall each year to recite poems and Kaddish at the Liberal memorial following the main ceremony. The number taking part has grown year by year.
The Liberal memorial is the older of the two, originally commemorating Jewish service personnel who died in the First World War before later being updated to include those who died in the Second World War. It bears 22 names in total, while eight Commonwealth War Graves are also situated within the cemetery.
Rabbi Nathan said: “It has been an honour to be involved in the extension of the commemoration, which is a great example of cross-communal friendship. Thanks are due to AJEX, Rabbi Alexandra Wright at the LJS, and Rabbis Jordan Helfman and Danny Rich, who have also officiated.
“This year, having moved from naval chaplaincy to the Army, it was good to see local Army cadets at both memorials for the first time. As a colleague has also commented, the wall between Progressive Judaism and Orthodox Judaism ceases to exist at such a moment.”