UK Religious Leaders Sign Open Letter Against Antisemitism Ahead of Downing Street Rally

Religious leaders from across the United Kingdom signed an open letter coordinated by the Together Coalition declaring antisemitism “a problem for all of us to fix” and saying “This country belongs to you as much as any of us.”

“- Published Antisemitism is "a problem for all of us to fix", religious leaders from across the country have said in an open letter published in support of the UK's Jewish community”

BBC

The letter, published ahead of a rally outside Downing Street on Sunday, was backed by figures from business, sport and media and signed by leaders from Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Zoroastrian communities.

BBC

The BBC said the letter described recent violence as “a nightmare from another time,” including the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green, north London, a fortnight ago.

The BBC also reported that the open letter was published ahead of a rally in support of the UK’s Jewish community being held outside Downing Street on Sunday afternoon, with signatories calling for support for British Jews.

In the same BBC report, Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis responded to the letter by calling it a “powerful riposte to the hateful extremists who have targeted the Jewish community.”

The Hillingdon and Uxbridge Times reported that the open letter was published ahead of a rally in support of Britain’s Jewish community outside Downing Street on Sunday, after attacks including the stabbing of two men in Golders Green on April 29.

It quoted the letter’s warning that “The spectre of Jewish people being stabbed at random in the street, killed defending their synagogues and Jewish infrastructure being firebombed feel like a nightmare from another time.”

Hillingdon and Uxbridge Times

The Guardian reported that the prime minister, Keir Starmer, was considering attending the Standing Strong: Extinguish Antisemitism rally, while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch was expected to speak.

The Guardian also said the rally would convene outside Downing Street at 1pm, and that suspected terrorist Essa Suleiman has been charged with attempted murder in relation to the stabbings.

In the BBC’s account of the rally, Zoe Korsner said, “We don't want to feel frightened as Jewish people,” adding, “I feel like I have to hide it, it's something to be embarrassed about and ashamed.”

As the rally approached, The Guardian reported that the Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey were invited, but Green party leader Zack Polanski was not.

“Religious leaders from across the United Kingdom have signed an open letter expressing solidarity with the country’s Jewish community amid a rise in antisemitic attacks and threats”

Israel National News

The Guardian said Dr Ruvi Ziegler, a British-Israeli professor at the University of Reading, condemned the inclusion of Reform in the rally, calling it: “The far right, from criminal activist Tommy Robinson to Reform party politicians, are offering Jews a bear hug.”

The Guardian also reported that We Democracy coordinated an open letter to the organisers of the rally raising concerns about the inclusion of Reform UK, with the letter signed by more than 2,000 people.

In response, Michael Wegier, executive director of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, told Haaretz that Reform UK “is a serious party with many supporters, local councillors, and an increasing number of members of Parliament from month to month, which cannot be ignored.”

The Independent reported that the Metropolitan Police announced the deployment of a community protection team of 100 extra officers to safeguard the Jewish community, and said the UK terrorism threat level was raised to “severe” by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, meaning a terror attack is “highly likely.”