Jewish community in south 'fearful' after attack

Jewish leaders in the south have said their communities are fearful after two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green, north London.

Essa Suleiman, 45, has been charged with the attempted murder of Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76.

Both men suffered serious injuries and were treated in hospital, with the Metropolitan Police declaring it a terrorist incident.

Rabbi Maurice Michaels, formerly of Bournemouth Reform Synagogue, told the BBC he was no longer going out wearing his kippah, and that there was "huge amounts of anxiety in the Jewish community".

"There are others who are saying, 'well, I'm no longer going out wearing a kippah, I'm not going to have the Star of David around my neck, I'm going to take the mezuzah off the front door'," he explained.

"Personally, I don't go out now wearing a kippah. I wear a cap or a hat because I don't see why I should take additional risks.

"But on the other hand, it annoys me because for years and years and years I've walked around with a kippah and there's not been a problem.

"Suddenly it's like a red rag to a bull."

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said the attack showed "that if you are visibly Jewish you're not safe and far more needs to be done".

Rene René Pfertzel, rabbi of Maidenhead Synagogue, said he had advised members of his community to hide away their Star of David necklaces.

"I also am careful to not to be identified in the street, but you know, some people disagree with me," he said.

Speaking about reactions to the latest attack, he said: "We are worried with what happened and quite angry, to be honest.

"We have good support from Thames Valley Police. They are really amazing with us and we had to increase our security.

"And it's kind of a sense of disbelief. Why is this happening? Why suddenly have we got this rise of antisemitism for something that is happening 3,000 miles away."

He added: "It's really sad and there's a general atmosphere in the country that is really unhealthy against Jews, but also against other minorities.

"I think we should all come together because the majority of people I've met and talked to in recent days and weeks are good people and they don't understand this either."

Last month a man admitted racially aggravated assault in Slough after being filmed abusing an Orthodox Jewish man and accusing him of "killing babies".

Assistant Chief Constable Christian Bunt of Thames Valley Police said the force was increasing patrols around key locations, such as places of worship.

"This will include armed response vehicles and is standard practice in response to terrorist incidents such as this one," he said.

Dorset Police said it was also carrying out patrols "to provide a visible reassuring presence".

"We are keeping in regular contact with leaders in our communities to listen to any concerns that they may be feeling and to address any issues," it said in a statement.

"We absolutely will not tolerate any hate directed toward the communities of Dorset and we do not want anyone to live in fear."

The UK national threat level has been increased from "substantial" to "severe" by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre following the attack.

Chief Supt Simon Dodds of Hampshire Constabulary said while the increased threat level was "unsettling", it enabled his force "to reinforce our ongoing work to support our Jewish communities and the wider public".

He said patrols would include armed officers "which is routine in these circumstances".

Last year Bournemouth was hit by a spate of antisemitic incidents, including a teenage boy being shot by an air rifle and graffiti painted on a building.

The seaside town's Russell-Cotes Museum postponed an exhibition on Jewish heritage because of the hate crimes.

Rabbi Maurice said: "We're all shaken up by the events, not just yesterday, but over the last month or so with the ambulances that were attacked and then the other arson attacks on synagogues and other places.

He blamed a rise in a "fringe minority, the terrorists out there" who felt opposition to Israel's actions in Gaza and Iran made them "think that gives them the right to just attack Jews everywhere and anywhere".

A statement from Portsmouth's faith leaders echoed the Chief Rabbi's call for the "silent voices of the majority in our country to speak out and condemn the attacks on the Jewish community and rising antisemitism".

"As leaders of the newly formed Interfaith Alliance in our city - which represents a variety of faith communities: Christian; Muslim; Jewish; Sikh and Hindu - we wish to add our voices and encourage others in our city to do the same."

Oxfordshire Faith and Civic Leaders Group and the Thames Valley Faith and Civic Leaders Group said they had pledged "to build a strong and cohesive society marked by tolerance and mutual respect and to stand against a rising tide of hate and violence".

John Dunston, president of the Oxford Jewish Congregation, called events in recent weeks part of a "terrible crisis", describing them as "very worrying for the Jewish community worldwide".

"We've been inundated with messages of goodwill and anguished empathy, real heart-warming support from so many different faith and civic groups," he said.

The response had been "enormously uplifting at a time when we certainly need it", he added.

"There's no reason why we can't all come together and recognise where suffering occurs, as began on October 7th, and sadly has continued and caused great suffering in all our hearts here.

"But it goes beyond faith groups. It's not just a faith issue, it's an issue about common humanity and a recognition that we all have a responsibility to live together."