Gibraltar’s Jewish community represented at Buckingham Palace reception

The Jewish Community of Gibraltar was represented earlier this month at a reception hosted by The Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the Jewish Community of the UK.

About 400 guests, representing a variety of Jewish organisations, attended.

The Jewish Community of Gibraltar was represented by Douglas Ryan, as Gibraltar’s Deputy at the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

At the reception Prince Charles lauded the contribution of the Jewish Community, in all aspects, to the British way of life.

He acknowledged British Prime Benjamin Disraeli, who never forgot his Jewish ancestry, and who was renowned for counselling Queen Victoria, the Prince’s great, great, great grandmother.

Commenting on Sir Moses Montefiore’s involvement in finance and politics, the Prince stressed Sir Moses’ role as a great philanthropist to British causes.

Prince Charles also expressed his personal pride at the part that his paternal grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, played in saving the lives of Jews in Athens who were being persecuted by the Nazis.

That mission during World War II is commemorated in the Yad Vashem Memorial in Israel (The World’s Holocaust Remembrance Centre). He also mentioned Princess Alice’s choice to be buried in Israel’s Mount of Olives.

During a private conversation with Mr Ryan, the Prince asked that his personal good wishes and regards be passed on to the people of Gibraltar.