(JTA) — The reign of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-serving monarch who died Thursday at 96, encompassed the grief and the redemption of 20th century British Jewry, as well as
'Having lived through the Holocaust, the founding of the state of Israel, and many other milestones of the Jewish people, Queen Elizabeth's affection for the Jewish people ran deep, and her respect for our values was palpable,' says UK's current chief rabbi
Her ties with community, marked by mutual affection and respect, saw her hiring a mohel to circumcise her sons, honors for chief rabbis, Foreign Office-advised avoidance of Israel
The reign of Queen Elizabeth II encompassed the grief and the redemption of 20th century British Jewry, as well as their evolution in British society from exoticized outsiders to inside players and leading figures.