The Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ) held a commemoration to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau on Holocaust Memorial Day, 27th January, 2025.

The commemoration took place in the Great Hall of Lambeth Palace. Over 100 guests were welcomed by the Most Revd and Rt Hon Stephen Cottrell, Lord Archbishop of York who was representing the Church of England, and Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg OBE, Senior Rabbi of Masorti Judaism and one of our ten CCJ Presidents. [read his speech here]

The commemoration was an opportunity for Christians and Jews to come together to solemnly remember the Holocaust. It was also an opportunity to us to commit, as people of different faiths and none, to hope for a better future.

The ceremony featured testimony from a Holocaust survivor, Martin Stern MBE, and from Daniela Abraham, a second-generation survivor of the Roma genocide. Martin and Daniela shared their moving stories – stories of persecution, of antisemitism and anti-Roma hatred, abuse, and survival against the odds. Martin and Daniela were introduced by CCJ Co-Director, Georgina Bye, and His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas, Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain and a CCJ President, who both reminded us of the importance of hearing the survivor’s stories while we still can.

A special porcelain and silver vessel was created for this occasion by the ceramicist Edmund de Waal CBE (artist, potter and author of ‘The Hare with Amber Eyes’; a family memoir which tells the story of the Ephrussi family and the persecution they experienced from the Nazis) [link to bio] which held 6 candles – representing the 6 million Jews who were killed in the Holocaust and all victims of Nazi persecution. These candles were lit by survivors Martin Stern and Daniela Abraham, Dr Nicola Brady (General Secretary of Churches Together Britain and Ireland), Bishop Mike Royal (General Secretary of Churches Together England), Edmund de Waal, and The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, Lord Bishop of London.

The candle-lighting was followed by the prayer, ‘El Male Rachamim’, which was beautifully sung by Rabbi Joseph Dweck, Spiritual Head, Spanish and Portuguese Jews’ Congregation and a CCJ President.

CCJ Campus Leaders lit additional candles, placed in porcelain candle holders which they created in a workshop with Edmund de Waal and his studio team. CCJ Campus Leaders are university students which CCJ have trained and supported to run interfaith events at campuses across the UK.[more info here]

Throughout the commemoration there were Scripture readings in Hebrew and English, drawing from Christian and Jewish shared texts. Revd Fiona Smith, Principal Clerk of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and a CCJ President, read from the book of Jeremiah alongside Rabbi Elchonon Feldman, Rabbi of Bushey Synagogue, who read it in Hebrew. Rabbi Josh Levy, who is also a CCJ President and Co-Lead of Progressive Judaism, read Psalm 23 in Hebrew alongside the Rt. Revd. John Sherrington, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster. A Greek Orthodox chant of Psalm 137 was sung by an ensemble of professional Byzantine singers from the UK.

Rabbi Charley Baginsky, Co-Lead of Progressive Judaism, reflected on these Scripture readings in her closing words. She noted the grief and brokenness which is so painfully evident in Jeremiah and yet, in Psalm 23, we see resilience and the potential for transformation. As we reflect on the horrors of the past, we commit to building a brighter future, as Rabbi Baginsky said:

‘This vision of a better future is not a distant dream—it is a call to action. It is a call to reject the forces of hate and division, and to embrace the transformative power of empathy, of connection, of community. This is the ultimate balm to the wounds of the past: the ability to envision the possible and to move toward it, together.’ [read her speech here]

The master of ceremonies for the commemoration was the award-winning journalist and host of the Today programme on Radio 4, Emma Barnett, who shared briefly about her own family connections to the Shoah.

Final thanks were offered by Chair of CCJ, the Rt Revd Sarah Bullock, Bishop of Shrewsbury, who thanked all CCJ Presidents for their involvement in the commemoration. She also noted that Sir Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, was attending a commemoration at Auschwitz-Birkenau itself, along with our CCJ Patron, King Charles. Bishop Sarah closed by reminding us of CCJ’s vision to commemorate the past and to build bridges between Christians and Jews for the future; a vision which was at the heart of this commemoration.

Three short video reflections

Thank you to Matt Batten for capturing these videos at our HMD commemoration.

Holocaust survivor Martin Stern MBE		The Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell		CCJ Co-director Georgina Bye
Click on the image above the watch a reflection from Martin Stern MBE		Click on the image above the watch a reflection from the Archbishop of York		Click on the image above the watch a reflection from CCJ Co-director Georgina Bye

Some press coverage of the event.

The Church Times - LINK

The Jewish Chronicle - LINK

The York Press - LINK

Liberal Judaism - LINK

Diocese of Westminster - LINK