Jews advised to hide – that is unacceptable
Jews across Britain, on the holiest day in their calendar, Yom Kippur, were yesterday urged by security advisers “not to congregate outside communal premises and synagogues to keep their doors closed at all times.”
This chilling advice came after two people were murdered in a terror attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Greater Manchester.
Community Security Trust (CST), the UK’s Jewish security organisation and leading authority on antisemitism, extremism and anti-Jewish terrorism, said: “Everyone attending synagogue or any other Jewish premises must follow all instructions from security guards and police officers. In particular, we urge people not to congregate outside communal premises and synagogues to keep their doors closed at all times.
“This kind of attack is the reason why we have such extensive security in place across the Jewish community, and we thank all CST volunteers, security guards, and police officers who play their part in protecting our community from terrorism and antisemitism.”
The tone of this guidance – born out of necessity – is akin to what may have been discreetly issued to Jews across Europe in the 1930s.
Britain has regressed to being an intolerant place
How achingly depressing that in 2025 in Britain, a free and functioning democracy with a proud history of opposing antisemitism, CST, an organisation which advises Jews how to stay safe, must tell Jews to stay out of sight or risk being hurt or worse.
The Britain of 2025 is a Britain where Jews are advised to hide away for their own safety.
Appalling.
How far we’ve regressed.
Antisemitism on the rise in Britain since October 7th
Reports of antisemitic hate incidents have risen dramatically following the brutal slaughter of more than 1,200 people by terror group Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023.
Swathes of people in Britain now publicly chant antisemitic hatred – conflating the actions of the Israeli government with those of all Jews everywhere. It’s trendy. It’s fun. It feels noble.
Public marches take place across British cities each week where people chant “from the river to the sea, Palestine must be free” – a poetic way of saying eradicate Israel and all Jews. Some go so far as calling to “globalise the intifada.” Some don’t even know what they’re saying. They’re just joining in the fun.
Permissive environment for Jew-hatred
This rising tide of anti-Jewish hatred is now normalised. Once it would have been shameful. Now, with Greta Thunberg and her ignorant friends taking selfies on their flotilla, it’s somehow seen as righteous.
The Prime Minister bears some blame here, too. Recognising a Palestinian state was simply brain-dead. It rewarded Hamas for terror. It emboldened the permissive environment for antisemitism that now exists in modern-day Britain.
Yesterday, tragically, a deranged individual channelled this antisemitic hatred into a murderous rampage on Jews in Manchester.
Britain can defeat hatred
Jews must be free to worship, to congregate and to walk the streets free from fear of violence and hatred.
So must every person of every faith or ethnicity or background.
Sadly right now this is not the case for Jews in Britain. Many British Jews feel afraid. This is totally unacceptable.
We can be that country again
Britain’s right-thinking majority abhors this and must be vocal in changing it and opposing hatred. Today we stand with Jewish people.
Jews once fled Europe to Britain because it was safe. We have been that country before. We can and we must be that country again.
