‘My heart is with Israel’: Chief Rabbi lands in UK after RAF evacuation flight

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis has landed back in Britain after leaving Israel on a UK government-organised evacuation flight.

Sir Ephraim Mirvis and his wife Valerie were staying with family in central Israel when the strikes from Iran began.

Speaking after he arrived in the UK, the Chief Rabbi said he would have stayed longer in Israel but needed to return for “pressing communal responsibilities.”

He said he had been “overawed by the hand of God” and “inspired” by the “resilience of the people of Israel”.

“Valerie and I are grateful to HM Government for assisting with our return to the UK at a time when travel to and from Israel remains so difficult,” he added.

The couple were among the 63 British nationals, including former Labour MP Dame Louise Ellman, who were evacuated from Israel to the UK via Cyprus on an RAF plane on Monday.

After transferring onto a regular aircraft in Cyprus, the group landed at Birmingham Airport, where they were met by Rabbi Yehuda Pink from Chabad of Solihull, together with staff from Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.

One British national on the flight had been injured during an Iranian missile attack, according to Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

The RAF A400 which took British nationals in Israel to Cyprus (Photo: Screenshot Instagram)[Missing Credit]

Aboard the Airbus military transport, the couple were filmed among a group of passengers singing Hatikvah and God Save The King.

The Chief Rabbi told the JC: “Leaving Israel at such a time was not easy. Being there during these very challenging days was exceptionally humbling and meaningful. We would have stayed longer if not for the need to return home for pressing communal responsibilities.

“The resilience of the people of Israel continues to inspire and my heart is continuously with them. While mourning the tragic loss of so many lives and praying for a speedy recovery for the many injured, I am overawed by the hand of God which is so clear to be seen during these historic times.”

He added that his thoughts have remained with the hostages who are still captive in Gaza. “Throughout the past 12 days of deepening conflict, I have never stopped thinking of, and praying for, the 50 remaining hostages in Gaza. May they be swiftly returned home and may we see safety and peace for all.”

In an interview with the JC while he was still in Israel, the Chief Rabbi said he was “with Israel all the way” and felt “more safe in Israel than anywhere else in the world.”

“We are the targets, you and I, and the people around us, we are the targets,” he said, when asked about being under direct attack from Iranian missiles.

“And what have we done wrong in order to be on the receiving end of this? It's the fact that we're Jews, and we happen to be in our homeland at this time. This is an evil attempt to wipe out innocent women, men and children.”

He said attempts to draw moral equivalence between Israeli and Iranian actions were “intolerable”.

“The difference between the two is so stark.”

Last week, the Foreign Office was criticised for its slow response to the Iranian missile attacks, only starting to evacuate Brits after several other European countries helped their citizens. Many UK nationals are still stuck in the Jewish State and await further news of more evacuation flights.