LOCATION Bevis Marks Synagogue, London

SPEAKER Prime Minister Tony Blair

EVENT 14 June 2006

DATE 08/10/2008

Edited transcript of prime minister's speech:

My dear friends. First, may I offer my heartfelt congratulations to the Jewish community in this country on such a significant anniversary. It is a very great honour to be with you today.

It is impossible to imagine the modern United Kingdom without the Jewish community. Yet for almost four centuries Jews were forbidden to worship, even in private, in this country. Since that was changed in 1656, arts, sciences, commerce, politics, the world of learning and thought, philanthropy and many more areas, all of these have been illuminated by the names of distinguished Jews who have made their mark, added to the store of knowledge, and helped to make our country a better place.

It is instructive to note that the key figure who published an appeal to Cromwell, that led eventually to the re-admission of the Jews, was not just a Rabbi - Rabbi Menasseh Ben Israel - but also an author, printer, publisher, book seller and scholar. And his extraordinary address - a brilliant address I may say - is republished in the Service Book.

Throughout the years since then the community has shown how it is possible to retain a clear faith and a clear identity, and at the same time be thoroughly British. As the oldest minority faith community in this country, you show how identity through faith can be combined with the deep loyalty to our nation.

And the sentiments expressed by the children of the Naima Jewish Preparatory School said this so wonderfully to us. You said you had done it, independent of adult assistance - very wise, because no adult could have improved it.

So today we are celebrating 350 years of readmission to this country, but through such celebration we celebrate the benign and steadfast contribution of the Jewish community here, and the world over. Here, where the values the community stands for - the family, help for the needy, care for the sick, compassion and aspiration in equal measure - are also the best of what Britain stands for, and the world over where the contribution our Jewish community makes to Britain's way of life is replicated nation by nation where communities have settled and taken root.

It has never been easy, as you know, for the Jewish people. But what courage and resolution. So much suffering, yet so much capacity to renew in the face of it; so much persecution, yet so much determination to conquer it; so much pain, but so much joy in a faith that throughout the travails of the centuries burns as brightly today as ever it did.

The Jewish people have too often been victims of hatred, but they have also inspired respect, admiration and awe. Solely, but ever more firmly, out of the misery of the Holocaust, Jewish communities have rebuilt across Europe and across the world, have asserted and then defended Israel's right to exist.

As I said at the meeting with Israel's Prime Minister yesterday, relations between Britain and Israel have never been better or deeper. I know that this country will always be the true friend of Israel.

For someone like myself it is moving to be in this historic and beautiful synagogue, so evocative and so expressive of such a deep faith tradition. You have just celebrated Pentecost - the festival where you celebrate the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai - and how the Torah has sustained the Jewish people throughout the generations. I know that today, here, every section of the Jewish community is gathered. So I want to salute you and all that you do for your community and for your country, your courage and endurance, your lasting values, your strength in hard times and your capacity joyfully to celebrate the good, and above all else your contribution and commitment to this nation. It has lasted three and a half centuries, I know it will last for many more centuries to come.

Thank you.

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