King becomes patron of Jewish charity after firebomb attack

The King also praised the CST’s “wonderful work” protecting Jewish sites around the country. He met victims, including worshippers who helped to barricade the door against the lone terrorist, as well as Yoni Finlay, who was wounded in the attack, and his family, who were in the building at the time.

Alan Levy, the chairman of the synagogue’s trustees, said: “For the King to say that he’s here to help us in just a small way is just a bit mind-blowing and quite surreal really… And it’s not in a small way that he’s helping, believe me. It means a great deal.”

The monarch’s long-standing links to the Jewish community led to one of his first engagements as King. In December 2022, three months after his mother’s death, he visited the head offices of CST and London’s JW3 community centre, a hub for the Jewish community.

The King’s relationship with JW3 goes back decades: as Prince of Wales, he gave a speech to mark the 250th anniversary of the Board of Deputies. A transcript was buried in a JW3 time capsule in 2013 and is due to be dug up in 100 years.

Monday night’s annual CST dinner was attended by more than 1,200 guests, including donors, politicians from all major parties, MPs, police officers, communal partners and other supporters of the charity.