London Jews fear attending synagogue, intimidated by anti-Israel protests

London Jewish leaders are urging police to increase security and ensure the demonstration is at a safe distance.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Jews in London are concerned about attending the city’s main synagogue on Saturday because of a massive anti-Israel demonstration scheduled just a few hundred meters away.

London Jewish leaders are urging police to increase security and ensure the demonstration is at a safe distance.

“Previous demonstrations have already severely damaged attendance at the synagogue,” said Rabbi Lerrer, the rabbi of the Central Synagogue. “Events have been canceled, and worshippers are afraid to come to prayers.”

According to Rabbi Lerrer, past complaints to the police were met with indifference and “shrugged shoulders.”

The Chief Rabbi of Britain, Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, characterized the situation as a “critical moment” during which the police have the opportunity to prove they are willing to protect the Jewish community.

In the past, Rabbi Mirvis has been critical of police response to antisemitic incidents.

The demonstrations will begin close to the BBC‘s offices in Portland Place and are part of a series of protests that have interfered with Jewish life in the city and intimidated Jews from attending synagogue.

In December, UK Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said the police were failing to protect the Jewish community by allowing an antisemitic march to begin near two major synagogues.

“The Metropolitan Police are responsible for upholding the right to peaceful protest and for ensuring that Jewish Londoners feel safe,” the rabbi said. “There can be no justification for not making a clear commitment that the routes of pro-Palestinian marches will not come anywhere close to local synagogues.”

“It is hard to see the absence of such a commitment as anything other than a failure of the Met’s duty to members of Jewish communities who no longer feel safe walking to and from their synagogues on the Sabbath,” he added.

The route of the Saturday, January 18, Palestine Solidarity Campaign march has been known for months.

It is scheduled to begin in front of BBC headquarters to protest the channel’s alleged pro-Israel bias, although most Jews have contended that the exact opposite is true.

The gathering point is close to two Orthodox congregations — Central Synagogue and Western Marble Arch.