Golders Green Arson: Jewish Community Feels Besieged

Explosions in the Golders Green area of London early Monday morning have left the local Jewish community feeling frightened and vulnerable, following an antisemitic attack that targeted ambulances belonging to the Jewish charity Hatzola.

Antisemitic Attack in Golders Green Sparks Fear

The attack, in which four Hatzola ambulances were set on fire, has heightened anxieties among residents, particularly given what many describe as a growing atmosphere of antisemitism in the UK.

“People are frightened. I am feeling vulnerable. If you had heard the explosions, it really was terrifying,” said Damon Hoff, the president of the Machzike Hadath synagogue, where the ambulances were stationed.

Hoff stated the UK’s Jewish community feels “besieged” and at the center of global events. “I’m aware it is a global set of incidents; it is not just a UK or Jewish community issue. But, at the centre of the issue is the Jewish community.”

He emphasized the significance of the location, stating, “Knock on any door around here and they will know where the Hatzola ambulances are. There is no mincing words – this is an attack on the heart of this community.”

Residents expressed feelings of vulnerability. Hoff said, “You are frightened, and you are feeling vulnerable. I’m here to represent a community that needs broad shoulders to rest on. The Jewish community has been under siege, and the streets of London are not good for Jewish people right now.”

Sam Adler, a local resident, described the targeting of Golders Green as “cynical and cowardly,” adding, “everyone knows why they have done it. One bit of negative press about Jews just gives them fuel to target us – there is no other reason.” Adler was among the first on the scene and helped evacuate residents from nearby buildings.

While some residents expressed support, Adler noted others were indifferent. He said he had received “very kind phone calls” in the wake of the incident.

Hoff reported receiving dozens of messages of support, highlighting “the very best of British humanity.”

However, Jacob Lipton, another local resident, expressed deeper concerns about the long-term future of Jewish people in the UK. “I come from a background where family members were sole survivors from Europe – we have been persecuted for millennia. We don’t want sympathy. You question whether the UK has a future for Jews.”

Lipton stated that recent political actions, including the Labour party’s vote to recognize Israeli actions in Gaza as genocide and the UK government’s recognition of Palestinian statehood, have contributed to increased animosity towards British Jews.

Both Adler and Hoff stressed the indiscriminate nature of the attack, noting the potential for harm to both Jewish and non-Jewish residents. Adler said, “When you target ambulances, you are not targeting the Jewish community, you are targeting the heart of the city. When ambulances become targets, that’s not just criminality, that’s people losing their moral compass.”