PEOPLE who are wanting to give Jewish Community Leader Rudi Leavor a well-deserved send-off have been told not attend the Bradford Synagogue as his funeral will be a strictly family-only service due to necessary social distancing measures.

Instead, the family have decided to stream the funeral, which will take place on August 17, online via Zoom.

Last Tuesday (June 27), Mr Leavor, a Holocaust survivor, and the force behind forging a “unique” partnership between the city’s Jewish and Muslim communities, died in the early hours of this morning at the age of 95.

The service begins at 11am and will be followed by a cremation, again only attended by family.

Details of the Zoom facility will be made widely known when this arrangement is finalised, two or three days prior to the funeral.

Jonathan Leavor, Rudi's son, says his family have been blown away by the amount of love everyone has shown since their father's passing.

He said: "On behalf of Anthony, Deborah and Caroline, I would like to thank each and every one of the many people who have sent such beautiful tributes and shown such love towards us and our dear father. We have been overwhelmed with so many messages of kindness.

"There will be a [strictly] family only service in the Bradford Synagogue at 11.00am. This is due to necessary social distancing measures being implemented in the Synagogue.

"This will be followed by a cremation, again attended by family only.

"We know how many people have already expressed their wish to attend any funeral services and we have therefore arranged for both services to be streamed live on Zoom. We ask you all to please join the family on Zoom and share this time together with us.

"Please do not come to the Synagogue as sadly you will not be able to enter and there is no facility to stand outside."

The family have requested that no flowers should be sent. If you are wishing to donate, they encourage a look at a local Jewish charity which their father was very close to.

The former Bradford Synagogue Chairman was the Life-President of the Holocaust Survivors’ Friendship Association (HSFA), which promotes the welfare of Holocaust survivors and refugees in West Yorkshire, while also educating others to value freedom and equality.

The HSFA runs a permanent exhibition and learning centre on the campus of the University of Huddersfield, where Mr Leavor's story is displayed along with others from the north.

Jonathan added: "Dad believed in the importance of the HSFA and its cross-cultural and interfaith work. We would appreciate your donation in lieu of flowers to the HSFA so that its important work can continue. To do so, please visit www.holocaustlearning.org.uk and then click on ‘Donate'."

If friends of Mr Leavor would like to pay tribute in person, Bradford Cathedral have said they would be putting on a memorial service. This is expected to go ahead at some point in the Autumn.

"The family has been most graciously offered a memorial service at the Bradford Cathedral by the Bishop of Leeds for which we are so extremely thankful.

"This will be an opportunity for all his family and many friends to pay tribute in person with a greater capacity for numbers. We will, of course, advise everyone once final details have been confirmed."