Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth: Tributes

Tributes have been received to the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, who passed away yesterday in Scotland at the age of 96.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), the elected peak representative body of the Australian Jewish community, expresses its deep sorrow at the passing yesterday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

“The passing of Britain’s longest reigning monarch, Australia’s constitutional head of State, and the only British monarch to have served during the lifetimes of most Australians living today, is sad news for millions of people in Britain, Australia and throughout the Commonwealth, and beyond”, said ECAJ President Jillian Segal.

“Throughout her decades of dedicated service, Queen Elizabeth was a steady and reassuring presence through all the vicissitudes of a rapidly changing world.  Her calm and dignified manner, and impressive grasp of British and international affairs, made her an influential, albeit unobtrusive, force for stability and humanity.  She was a friend to the Jewish people and enjoyed the respect and affection of Australians of all backgrounds and all political affiliations”.

“We extend our condolences to her eldest son and successor, King Charles III, and the entire royal family.  May they find strength and comfort at this sad time.”

“We extend our best wishes to King Charles for a long and peaceful reign.”

The New Zealand Jewish Council

On behalf of the Aotearoa New Zealand Jewish community, the New Zealand Jewish Council sends its condolences to the family of the late Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, and wishes them long life.

During her long reign she was an example to all by showing steadfast dedication to duty, to values and behaviour which are admired and aimed for by Jews, and with her sympathy for people suffering and in need.

Zichrono livracha – “May her memory and her example be for a blessing. ”

The Zionist Federation of Australia

The Zionist Federation of Australia mourns the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. 

ZFA President Jeremy Leibler said, “Queen Elizabeth’s rule was defined by her humility, strength and profound sense of service. A role model for millions, she has been in the lives of us all for generations. From the moment she became monarch, she reached out to Commonwealth Jewish communities and maintained a warm relationship with them for her entire reign. We extend our deepest condolences to her family. May her memory be a blessing.”

The Jewish Community Council of Victoria

“The Jewish Community Council of Victoria joins with Jewish communities around the Commonwealth in mourning the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We extend the sympathy of our community to the Royal Family and to all in the United Kingdom, including British Jews, who are grieving this loss.

“Jewish congregations in Victoria pray each Shabbat for the safety and welfare of the Head of State and all the Royal Family. These prayers were answered, with Her Majesty living a full life that was tirelessly dedicated to service. The Jewish community will continue to pray for His Majesty King Charles III to be instilled with a spirit of wisdom and understanding to bring peace on his realm.”

The Simon Wiesenthal Centre expressed sorrow for her passing, pointing out the importance of the Queen taking power after World War II.

“At the end of the most horrific war humankind ever experienced, when people the world over, questioned whether there were brighter days in their future, Princess Elizabeth ascended the throne as Queen of England and helped pave the road to a future of hope and decency,” Simon Wiesenthal Center said in a statement. “Ever since, the Queen has dedicated her life to the principles of tolerance and human dignity, helping to preserve and build on the legacies of Sir Winston Churchill and the sacrifice of millions who defeated Nazism.”

The centre also highlighted the Queen’s “great empathy and respect for the Jewish survivors of the Nazi Holocaust. We remember how moved our namesake Simon Wiesenthal was to receive an Honorary Knighthood from the Queen shortly before his passing.”

Rob Berg: President Zionist Federation of New Zealand President Jewish National Fund New Zealand

The Zionist Federation of New Zealand joins with the British and Commonwealth people in mourning the passing of HRH Queen Elizabeth II and passes on our condolences to Her Majesty’s family. The Queen was an inspirational person and whilst her loss will be felt worldwide we look forward to the reign of King Charles III.

NAJEX

NAJEX is deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and sends our deepest condolences to His Majesty King Charles III and all the Royal Family.

Her Majesty had a special place in the hearts of all Commonwealth Service Men and Women. Moreover, all the way back to the days of the pharaohs, we Jews we have known how vital to our well-being is a benevolent monarch, and Queen Elizabeth II was truly one of the most outstanding.

Roger Selby said: “At a personal level, my 97-year-old mother has just told me how she remembers her own mother telling her grandfather in 1936 that King George V had just died. This elderly Polish Jew from Cracow who had migrated to Australia burst into tears!  He knew.”

Jeremy Jones, Director of International and of Community Affairs, Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council

Jeremy Jones, at the time a student at Sydney University and member of that university’s Academic Board, Faculty of Arts, Students’ Representative Council and Union Board, was one of two representatives of young Australians invited to meet the Queen at an exclusive reception hosted by Premier Neville Wran, at Sydney’s Wentworth Hotel in 1980.

He told J-Wire:  When the Queen walked in, the room went silent, and we all listened intently to her brief speech. She then met and shook hands with, or acknowledged other gestures of respect from,  every person present. There were quite a few republicans and political progressives in the room, but all seemed impressed by her air of calmness and the way she made each of us feel that saying hello to us was important to her.”

President of Israel, Isaac Herzog mourned the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was known far and wide simply as The Queen. Her passing is the end of an era. Together with the Israeli people, I grieve her loss and extend my deepest sympathies to the British people and all nations of the Commonwealth who have lost their matriarch.

Queen Elizabeth was a historic figure: she lived history, she made history, and with her passing, she leaves a magnificent, inspirational legacy.

As the eleventh President of the State of Israel during Her Majesty’s long reign, and on behalf of the whole State and people of Israel, I express my condolences to the Royal Family, to the King and the Queen Consort, to the people of the United Kingdom, and to all nations of the Commonwealth.

Throughout her long and momentous reign, the world changed dramatically, while the Queen remained an icon of stable, responsible leadership, and a beacon of morality, humanity and patriotism. In her life and in her service to her people, the Queen embodied a spirit of integrity, duty and ancient tradition.

My late mother and father had several audiences with the Queen over the years. Her fond welcome and warm hospitality left a profound impression down the generations.”

Israel’s leaders

Queen Elizabeth II of the UK passed Thursday evening at the age of 96, after a reign that lasted for 70 years. Israel’s leaders offered their condolences to the British people.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid said, “On behalf of the Government and people of Israel, I send my condolences to the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She leaves behind an unparalleled legacy of leadership and service.”

“May her memory be for a blessing!”

Defence Minister Benny Gantz said, “I would like to express my sincere condolences to the United Kingdom, and to the loved ones of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen served the international community over 70 years, and under her reign, UK-Israel relations flourished. My thoughts are with the UK today.”

And the Jewish Agency for Israel released a statement saying, “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, together with the citizens of the UK & The Commonwealth. For over 70 years, Her Majesty Elizabeth II, the Queen of England, served her people and country. May her memory be for a blessing.”

Jeremy Jones: Jeremy Jones, at the time a student at Sydney University and member of that university’s Academic Board, Faculty of Arts, Students’ Representative Council and Union Board, was one of two representatives of young Australians invited to meet the Queen at an exclusive reception hosted by Premier Neville Wran, at Sydney’s Wentworth Hotel in 1980. When the Queen walked in, the room went silent, and we all listened intently to her brief speech. She then met and shook hands with, or acknowledged other gestures of respect from,  every person present. There were quite a few republicans and political progressives in the room, but all seemed impressed by her air of calmness and the way she made each of us feel that saying hello to us was important to her.”

World Jewish Congress

Reacting to the news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder said: “The World Jewish Congress and its more than 100 Jewish communities across the globe join the nation and people of the United Kingdom, and British Jewry in mourning the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, during whose 70-year reign Jewish communities in Great Britain, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and across the Commonwealth have flourished and grown in peace and security. Queen Elizabeth’s was a life of service and faith, in which love of country, Commonwealth, God and family was the supreme value.

She and her family were beloved symbols of resistance to Nazi tyranny, refusing to leave London during the worst times of the Blitz and standing in solidarity under siege with their compatriots. The young Princess Elizabeth was an inspiration and source of comfort to Anne Frank in her hiding place in Amsterdam and in 2015, she and her late husband, Prince Philip, visited the former Nazi concentration camp of Bergen-Belsen in northern Germany, where Anne Frank died, to commemorate its liberation by British troops. Queen Elizabeth’s refusal to flinch in the face of evil but instead to fight it with every formidable fibre of her character will be an inspiration for generations to come.

On behalf of Jewish communities across the globe, I extend our deepest condolences to her family, and to the nation and people of the United Kingdom. May her memory and her example be for a blessing.”

Rabbi Ben Elton of Sydney’s The Great Synagogue

“The Queen served all her realms and the Commonwealth with dedication, integrity and humility for a lifetime, including seven decades as Monarch. She was a model of devotion to duty, and she was guided by steadfast faith. She loved Australia and Australians and was loved in return, not least because she respected the choices that Australia would make for itself. Her passing has left a gap which we may not fully realise for some time. We extend our condolences to all who feel her loss, our blessings to the new King and pray that her memory will guide and inspire us far into the future. May her soul be bound in the bond of eternal life.

Liberal MP Julian Lesser

Profoundly saddened by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, but deeply grateful for her life of dedication and service.

Queen Elizabeth was never meant to be Queen. When she was born, she was the eldest daughter of the Duke of York – the equivalent in today’s generation of Princess Beatrice. The abdication of her uncle Edward VIII in 1936 and the accession of her father George VI made her heir to the throne. 

Following the example of her outstanding father, she declared on her 21st birthday that “My whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service”.

It was a promise that she kept right until the end. 

During the war, Princess Elizabeth played her part, serving as a mechanic in the army.

On her father’s death, she became Queen Elizabeth II, our longest serving Sovereign.

She has been a constant in a changing world. During her reign, Australia has had 16 Prime Ministers. She has provided leadership above politics.

The Queen visited Australia on 16 occasions; her first visit was in 1954 and her last was in 2011. 

She took a deep interest in Australia. Australians who have met her were always impressed by how well-informed she was about Australia and it’s people. She always sent messages at times of tragedy and natural disaster and was there at times of hope and celebration. 

She took a particular interest in indigenous Australians. I remember when a group of prominent indigenous leaders went to London to see her in 1999. They said they had a better hearing from Her Majesty the Queen than they had ever had from any official in Australia.

Queen Elizabeth has been an exemplary monarch. Always following the advice of her Australian prime ministers.

I had the privilege of being introduced to the Queen briefly when she was here in 2001 at a reception in Parliament House. I remember she was shorter in person than I had imagined, and although the introduction was brief, she seemed to have a genuine interest in everyone she met.

In a sense, the Queen’s death represents so much more than the death of one woman but the end of an era. Queen Elizabeth was a living link with the wartime generation – our Greatest Generation –  who put country before self. A generation whose values of service, modesty, quiet dignity and thrift reshaped the world

for the better. The generation who came through the depression and war to rebuild the world with hope and optimism about the future.

After the events of September 11 2001, Her Majesty sent a message to the American people: “Grief is the price we pay for love.”

Australians loved and respected Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and today, we grieve her passing and remember her life of service.

The Queen is dead. Long live the King!

AIJAC  

National Chairman Mark Leibler and executive director Dr Colin Rubenstein said: AIJAC mourns the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,  Queen of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the Commonwealth for an extraordinary 70 years. Her life story exemplified public service and apolitical national and global leadership and she leaves behind an unparalleled legacy. AIJAC wishes her son and successor King Charles III every success in continuing that legacy.

As British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis noted, “her affection for the Jewish people ran deep and her respect for our values was palpable.” May her memory be a blessing.

Rabbi Yaakov Glasman, RAA

“The Rabbinical Association of Australasia expresses its most sincere condolences to the Royal family following the sad passing of Her Majesty  Queen Elizabeth who personified the traits of dignity, humility and kindness.”

Labor MP Josh Burns 

Today we mourn the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia since 1952, and the only head of state most Australians have ever known.

Queen Elizabeth dedicated her life to the service of the people of the UK and the Commonwealth, including Australia.
She took that duty very seriously. She visited Australia 16 times, in 1954 becoming the first reigning monarch to visit our country.

While in Australia, she visited iconic places in Macnamara on a number of occasions.

When she was in Victoria, Queen Elizabeth stayed at Government House, which has been in my electorate since 1969.

She regularly visited the Shrine of Remembrance for the first time in 1954.

In 2011 she rode a special Royal Tram down St Kilda Rd. She received the same warm welcome here as she did across Australia.

Vale Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Rabbi David Freedman, the Central Synagogue, Sydney

It was with immense sadness that I received the news this morning that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had died overnight in Balmoral.  The Queen was a role model for millions of people around the world, demonstrating how to lead with great humility and dedication.  Although everyone addressed her as Her Majesty and they showed respect for her position – she saw herself as a servant of the people, not their master.  What a message for all of us who have leadership positions in the Jewish community or wider community – to act humbly and serve the needs of others.

There is a blessing to be said in the presence of a monarch, and in 2012 on a visit to the UK, I was fortunate to be among a small group of people waiting to greet the Queen during a royal tour of the City of London.  As she walked past us, I stepped forward and recited the traditional blessing in Hebrew in a loud, clear and proud voice.  In English the words mean: Blessed is the Lord who has given some of His glory to human beings.  There is no doubt in my mind that in the way Elizabeth lived her life and served her subjects, she had most definitely received some of God’s glory.  May her son, the new king, Charles III, be equally blessed and inspired to emulate her amazing life.  We wish him well.

David Knoll, Union for Progressive Judaism

Her royal majesty genuinely stood for all her subjects in the commonwealth and was an exemplar of inclusiveness. The Jewish communities across the commonwealth benefited during the course of her long and distinguish reign.

Sir Frank Lowy

In 2017, Queen Elizabeth bestowed a knighthood, the co-founder of the giant Westfield Shopping Centre business.

J-Wire had some questions for him at the time

What was it like in there Sir Frank?

It was overwhelming, in splendour.

How did it feel? What was your feeling?

Well, it was ‘how come?’ me being here and being honoured like that. I couldn’t quite add the two and two together but of course it’s a wonderful feeling to have received that honour.

Did you have a conversation with Her Majesty?

Yes, she asked me a couple of questions and then I answered. And I told her that I had met her before in Sydney with the famous coach that we built for her. [This refers to the Australian State Coach presented to Her Majesty in Sydney by Frank as a gift from the people of Australia in May 1988].

And was it good to have your family here, or a lot of your family here?

Wonderful, it was wonderful to have the family here. I think they all enjoyed it – the occasion was very, very impressive.

Sir Frank Lowy AC was appointed a Knight Bachelor by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in the Birthday Honours List announced on June 17, 2017. His investiture ceremony was held at Windsor Castle on Friday, 8 December, 2017.