LONDON — Simon Lester logged on for his shift as an on-call paramedic for Jewish rescue service Hatzola at 7 a.m. on Monday morning.

Minutes earlier, he’d heard the devastating news — that four ambulances from a neighboring branch of the Jewish volunteer group were destroyed in an arson attack in Golders Green, a northwest London suburb with a large Jewish population.

“I’m speechless that people could stoop so low as to attack an ambulance that saves the lives of everybody,” Lester told The Times of Israel.

The feeling among his co-workers, who donate their time and life-saving skills to respond to medical emergencies, is similar.

“There’s a lot of anger,” said Lester. “There will inevitably be some fear, but I think there’s also a degree of stubbornness that people are just going to carry on doing what they’re doing, and they’re not going to be put off by a bunch of thugs. Our mission is to save lives and we’re not going to be put off doing that.”

The Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism officers are investigating the arson, and two men were arrested and released on bail. Responsibility has been claimed by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI), which roughly translates to The Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand.

Prior to this and other recent antisemitic attacks on mainland Europe, HAYI was virtually unknown. As such, it is thought to be linked to the Iranian regime, which could be using it to target Jewish interests globally as the United States and Israel continue with the campaign of airstrikes against the Islamic Republic that began on February 28.

Although deeply shaken, Britain’s Jewish community is not surprised. Only last week, two Iranian men appeared in court on charges of hostile surveillance of a range of Jewish targets, including the Israeli embassy, the country’s oldest synagogue and popular arts center JW3. Meanwhile, less than six months have passed since a terrorist rammed his car into Manchester’s Heaton synagogue on Yom Kippur before going on a stabbing rampage that left two people dead.

That was the deadliest of 3,700 antisemitic incidents recorded by the Community Security Trust last year — the second highest number on record, after 2023.

Michael Wegier, chief executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, describes the mood among British Jews as “anxious but resilient.”

“There’s no doubt the levels of anxiety are up,” he said, attributing that not only to the arson attack and suspected spy case, but also a recent report in the left-leaning Guardian newspaper that appeared to defend anti-Israel vandalism directed at Gail’s, a popular bakery chain named for its Israeli co-founder.

People are concerned by the growing atmosphere of hatred and division, as well as the ongoing war in the Middle East. And yet “everything is happening,” according to Wegier. “Synagogues are open, schools are open, charity events are open — nothing is stopping.”

Antisemitism is everyone’s concern, he said. “This is an attack on Britishness. The Jewish community has been here for almost 400 years and is a fully integrated part of British society and the British fabric,” he said, adding that attacks come not only from Islamic extremists, but also from the far left and right.

Proving just how central to British society the community is, King Charles III this week agreed to become patron of the CST.

“We must absolutely refuse to be othered and we must actually other those who are trying to other us,” said Wegier. “The values that have come from the extremists are anti-British values, and that point needs to be drilled again and again.”

Wegier was among several community leaders invited to meet Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street hours after Monday’s attack.

“Both government and opposition in this country have been extraordinarily supportive,” Wegier said, highlighting the £28 million ($37.4 million) the government provides the CST. “The outrage, of course, is that the community requires this money.”

All facets of life affected

Antisemitism has permeated many aspects of British life. A recent report by the Union of Jewish Students revealed that half (49%) of students have heard slogans or chants glorifying Hamas, Hezbollah or other proscribed groups on campus. Alarmingly, it also showed that one in five students would either never live with a Jewish housemate or would be “reluctant” to do so.

The health sector is equally blighted. The UK Doctors Anti-Racism group conducted a recent poll showing how widespread the problem is. A spokeswoman told The Times of Israel: “We are deeply concerned by the unfettered growth of blatant antisemitism within healthcare settings, which should be safe spaces for all patients and staff.”

“Our recent sample survey of British Jews and/or Israelis found that 44% of people have experienced anti-Jewish or anti-Israel hate in UK healthcare settings since October 2023, and a staggering 76% currently fear encountering this type of hate in UK healthcare settings,” she said.

On October 7, 2023, thousands of Hamas-led terrorists invaded Israel, slaughtering some 1,200 people and abducting 251 to the Gaza Strip. The onslaught triggered the two-year Gaza war as well as an unprecedented global spike in antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment.

Although the UK Doctors Anti-Racism group appreciates health secretary Wes Streeting’s “condemnation of this hatred,” they’re calling on him to “urgently outline a clear plan of action.”

Starmer told the Downing Street gathering he was “committed” to speeding up “significant reviews” of antisemitism within the health and education departments, according to Wegier.

“I have no doubt of the government’s sincerity, but we’ll have to see the actions coming out,” Wegier said.

Since October 7, British cities have been besieged by pro-Palestinian demonstrations, leading to an incendiary public debate about free speech. Some steps have been taken to prevent that from spilling into hate and division, but not enough, according to Wegier.

“The one area where we have a disagreement with the government is over the proscription of the various extremist groups. The community as a whole feels, what more do these groups have to do in order to be sanctioned?”

This view is shared by many, including Louise Ellman, a former Labour MP who resigned under Jeremy Corbyn in 2019 — although she reclaimed her party membership after Starmer was elected.

“There is mounting concern that antisemitism has become normalized,” said Ellman, who is a vice president of the Jewish Leadership Council and sits on the board of Labour Friends of Israel. “Few people were surprised when terrorism struck at Heaton Park. It was always likely that the constant loud calls to ‘globalize the intifada’ on our streets would lead to the death of British Jews.

“The torching of the Hatzola reached a new low and intensified the community’s sense of insecurity,” she added. “The community faces unprecedented challenges, and many people are questioning their future in the UK.”

That is a growing talking point.

“If someone had turned to me 10 years ago and said you might not be comfortable or safe living a Jewish life in London for the rest of your years, I would have laughed and said, ‘What on earth are you talking about?’” said Colin Goldstein, who works in the tech industry in London. “But now I can see that unless something drastically changes, that really might be the case, and I worry for the future of British Jewry.”

“I don’t worry walking to shul on Shabbat — that’s not what it’s like,” Goldstein added. “It’s the depressing realization that most of the rest of the country are not going to do anything about the rise of antisemitism and it will reach a tipping point.”

Goldstein said his children were “impacted very significantly” by the Manchester attack as they have relatives living nearby.

“But kids are quite resilient, and we should not underestimate their determination to stand up to antisemitism,” he said. “They’re getting on with trying to live their lives, but I don’t want them to normalize the high levels of antisemitism they now get exposed to on TikTok and other social media.”

That can be hard to avoid. The Times of Israel spoke with several Jewish mothers who described how their children are struggling.

“Since October 7, my teenage daughter has found the levels of antisemitism at school to be so bad that she has vomited in the morning with stress,” said one mother, who asked to be named only as Liz. “Unfortunately, it has come from both pupils and teachers, and the school has not been helpful in resolving it.”

One mother named Michal said her son has experienced antisemitism in the final two years of school.

“It has sadly been at best a distraction from what should be an exciting time,” she said. “At worst, it has clearly damaged his faith in humanity, made him consider whether he has a future here in the UK, and is affecting the choices he is making for his future in a big way.”

Others are slightly more positive.

“I do have faith and belief that the average Joe on the street is starting to see the world through our eyes. The others are a loud minority,” said a mother named Kim.

“While I agree it appears not to be good here in the UK for us as Jews, I’m not sure we should be packing an emergency suitcase in case we have to leave quickly like they did in the 1930s in Europe… yet.”

As the old saying goes, two Jews, three opinions. Nevertheless, Wegier points to the evidence.

“If you look at migration figures at the moment, we know that for every two British Jews who [move to Israel], three Israelis are settling in the UK,” he said, though he admitted that could change.

“When you’re living in a situation, in a context, sometimes what you see overseas looks worse. We are very, very concerned for our Israeli friends and family who are enduring rockets, and they are very concerned for the genuine anxiety that’s in the Jewish community here,” Wegier said

“My own personal view is that both Britain and Israel are fantastic places in the long run to be Jewish, and I hope there are vibrant communities in both,” he said.

Are you relying on The Times of Israel for accurate and timely coverage of the Iran war right now? If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6/month, you will:

Support our independent journalists who are working around the clock under difficult conditions to cover this conflict;

Read ToI with a clear, ads-free experience on our site, apps and emails; and

Gain access to exclusive content shared only with the ToI Community, including weekly letters from founding editor David Horovitz.

antisemitism in the UK

antisemitism in Europe

Muslim anti-Semitism in Europe

© The Times of Israel