The Scottish Jewish Community congratulates Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee, and notes that it is the first time any monarch has achieved this remarkable milestone.

The Queen has always celebrated religious diversity in the UK and around the world, while at the same time professing a strong Christian faith, and holding the position of Supreme Governor of the Church of England. She has observed that all religions demonstrate a “rich cultural heritage” and provide “critical guidance for the way we live our lives, and the way we treat each other”, and has commented that “the Church has a duty to protect the free practice of all faiths in this country”. We recall with pleasure that in 1982 she was awarded the Sternberg Interfaith Gold Medallion for those who have helped promote peace and tolerance between people of different faiths.

In the words of the prayer composed by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis especially for the Platinum Jubilee, that itself echoes the prayer for the wellbeing of the Queen and the Royal Family that is read in synagogues every Shabbat, we “pray that she be granted many more years of blessing”, and that G-d should “Grant wisdom and understanding to the leaders and counsellors of the realm so that they and we may walk together in the paths of unity, freedom, and harmony … and live together in righteousness and peace.”