The King had a busy visit to JW3, a Jewish community center, before Hanukkah begins.
King Charles III is light on his feet!
On Friday afternoon, the King, 74, visited JW3, a Jewish community center in North London that welcomes all faiths. The sovereign stopped by to learn more about the rich programming at the hub and spend time with the people who make it special.
Charles toured JW3 before Hannukah begins and kicked off the visit by connecting with local students wrapping gifts to be donated within the local community for the Jewish holiday and Christmas. He proceeded to meet students enrolled in a Hair and Beauty Therapy BTEC class, a course from the site’s educational and vocational Gateways program to support vulnerable young people.
In the community center’s bustling kitchen, the King mingled with volunteers preparing meals for JW3’s food bank. The center has delivered about 275,000 meals since 2020, distributing over 200 bags of essentials a week and more than 2,200 meals for locals in need. More food and resources are distributed around Hannukah and Christmas to ensure that every family’s table is full.
King Charles then attended an early Hanukkah party, hosted annually for Holocaust survivors. The King, who is known for his love of dancing, seemed to light up during the traditional dance. As seen in a video shared on Twitter by The Sunday Times‘ royal editor Roya Nikkhah, Charles held hands and chatted with his dance companions, even giving the partner on his right a twirl. According to The Guardian, one of his dance companions was Eva Schloss, the 93-year-old stepsister of Anne Frank and a concentration camp survivor.
“He was sweet, he really took part, he seemed to enjoy it, but it is unusual for him not to make a speech,” Schloss said of meeting Charles, The Guardian reported. “But he was very relaxed and he enjoyed it, I was trying to get a dance with him.”
Elsewhere during his visit to JW3, Charles was presented with a menorah, unveiled a commemorative plaque and checked out The Bike Project, a social action initiative that refurbishes and donates bicycles to refugees and asylum-seekers in London as a means of efficient, affordable travel.
King Charles has long had a deep interest in interfaith relations, which is expected to be reflected at his May 2023 coronation.
Royal historian Robert Lacy previously told PEOPLE that Charles’ crowning ceremony will likely have an “interfaith quality to it” next year.
Source: People Magazine