Four ambulances were set on fire outside a synagogue in Golders Green.

Not vandalised. Not damaged. Burned.

These were not political targets. They were not symbols of power. They were ambulances, run by Jewish volunteers, saving lives for anyone who needs them.

If that is now a target, then the line is gone.

And still, the response will be predictable. Condemnation. Statements. Words like “shocking” and “unacceptable.” A promise to take it seriously.

We have heard it all before.

And it has changed nothing.

For nearly two years, central London has seen repeated large-scale protests where antisemitic rhetoric has, at times, been visible or audible on the streets. Many in the Jewish community have watched this unfold week after week, asking how it has been allowed to continue at such scale and frequency.

At the same time, there have been serious incidents, including violence against Jews in cities like Manchester. These are not isolated moments. They are part of a pattern that has been building in plain sight.

And yet, despite all of this, the response from within the community has largely remained the same. Concern. Conversations. Caution.

But not enough action.

Because this is no longer about whether there is a problem. That question has been answered many times over. This is about whether the response matches the reality.

The Jewish community cannot afford to wait for the next statement, the next meeting, the next promise. It cannot rely on others to set the pace of its own safety.

Action, within the law, is not optional anymore. It is necessary.

That means sustained and unapologetic political pressure. Not one-off engagement, but constant, coordinated demands for enforcement of the laws that already exist. It means using legal channels properly and persistently, challenging failures where they occur, and refusing to accept inaction as inevitable.

It means investing seriously in community security, not as a temporary response, but as a long-term reality. And it means changing the tone. Speaking clearly, early, and without hesitation when lines are crossed.

Because waiting has not worked.

Restraint has not worked.

Hoping it will pass has not worked.

There is also a broader question that cannot be ignored. While the government is actively developing frameworks to address other forms of hatred, Jewish communities are still reacting to incidents after they happen. Not before.

That imbalance is being felt.

And it is eroding trust.

This is not about competing with other communities. It is about consistency. It is about whether Jewish lives, institutions, and safety are treated with the same urgency.

Because if ambulances can be burned outside a synagogue, then the issue is no longer abstract.

And it is escalating.

This is not just a Jewish issue. When emergency vehicles are targeted because they belong to Jews, something deeper is breaking. The boundaries that protect everyone are being tested.

Right now, they are not holding.

“Enough is enough” has been said for years.

But enough only means something if it leads to action.

Not later. Not eventually.

Because if this moment passes like the others, then the message is clear.

And the next line will be crossed.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)