A rabbi is calling on more to be done to alleviate the Syrian refugee crisis, asking people to imagine themselves as a refugee.

Woodford Liberal Synagogue is currently celebrating the Sukkot festival which traditionally marks the end of harvest time in Judaism.

Richard Jacobi, rabbi of the South Woodford synagogue since 2007, is calling on Redbridge council and the country as a whole to do more for those displaced by the Syrian civil war which has raged since 2011.

Prime Minister David Cameron has recently offered to absorb 20,000 refugees into the country over five years.

Though it is estimated that more than 7.6million Syrians have been displaced in four years.

He said: “The Sukkot festival reminds ourselves how fragile life is and how there are many people in the world who need our help.

“We talk about austerity but we don’t know what toughness is.

“I understand there is a shortage of housing and prices in London are ridiculous but we are still in the top 10 riches countries in the world.

“The population of Syria did not want war, they didn’t want their houses destroyed.

“If there were different parties dropping bombs in Woodford what would you do? You would leave and hope someone would help.

“It is a controversial subject because we have become comfortable and we want to hold on to these comforts.

“Jewish traditions teach that what we have is temporary however solid it looks.

“We should not stop thinking about others who have less than we have and we must look after strangers.”

At the full council meeting earlier this month, Redbridge council agreed a cross-party motion to work with the government on a plan to house refugees.

Last night (September 30) at Wanstead’s local forum, at Wanstead House in The Green, this was reiterated by deputy leader of the council, councillor Elaine Norman.

She said: “The cross-party position in Redbridge is that we will do everything we can working with the government to ensure local authorities get adequate support for taking in refugees.

“It is the worst crisis in people movement since World War Two and there is a moral duty for the council to help.”

Woodford Liberal Synagogue is calling on the public to donate any clothes and other items to be given to refugees currently camping in Calais.

The collection is taking place over the next two weeks at the synagogue in Marlborough Road, South Woodford.