Jewish community told 'this country belongs to you and us' in letter of support following disturbing rise in anti-Semitic attacks
“You are as British as all of us who call this country home," the letter states.
Businesses, faith groups, charities, sporting bodies and media organisations have published an open letter of support to the British Jewish community, committing themselves and their organisations to fight antisemitism.
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It comes after a series of arson attacks at Jewish sites in London, as well as a double stabbing in Golders Green that is being treated as an act of terrorism.
Addressed to the British Jewish community, the letter makes a commitment that: “This country belongs to you as much as any of us.
“You are as British as all of us who call this country home. And we will do everything we can to protect you and your community from the extremists who threaten you.”
It says: “This is not a problem for Jewish people to have to respond to. This is a problem for all of us to fix.”And it adds: “Along with the vast majority of British people we share a vision of our country where people of different faiths, races and beliefs come together to build communities and a country that we can all be proud of.”
The letter brings together the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses, the British Retail Consortium and the British Chambers of Commerce, as well as the Football Association, the English Cricket Board and Rugby Football Union.
It includes leaders from the Church of England, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Zoroastrian communities.Signatories include the National Lottery Community Fund, the Local Government Association, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, The Women’s Institute, The Royal Voluntary Service, The British Muslim Trust and the education sector, including Universities UK, and academy chains such as Oasis and Star Academies.
Brendan Cox, co-founder of the Together Coalition, which helped co-ordinate the letter, said: “This is an incredibly powerful statement of solidarity with the British Jewish community from every section of our society.“But it’s more than that, it’s a commitment to action to fight antisemitism together. That’s what we urgently need.“Too often antisemitism is seen as a problem just for the Jewish community. It’s not. It’s a cancer in our society that undermines the kind of inclusive country that we all want to build.“Extremists are trying to divide us, to target minorities on the basis of their race or religion and to turn community against community. We won’t let them.”Julie Siddiqi, co-chairwoman of the UK Muslim Network and one of the signatories, said: “Antisemitism is real, it’s growing and it’s totally unacceptable.“We have a duty not just to condemn it but to take it on wherever we find it including in our own communities.
“As British Muslims we know what it’s like to face hatred and violence because of our faith – that shared experience should make British Jews and British Muslims allies in tackling extremism.”Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis described the letter as a “powerful riposte to the hateful extremists who have targeted the Jewish community in recent weeks”.
He added: “It is heartening to see some of Britain’s best-known institutions from the world of business, sport, faith and civil society standing together against anti-Jewish hatred.
“My hope is that where these institutions have led, others will follow, in workplaces, boardrooms, classrooms and on social media, so that we can finally begin to tackle this scourge together.”Adrian Cohen, acting president, Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: “Allyship for our community is incredibly important and a necessary part of the fightback against the scourge of anti-Jewish hatred and its violent manifestations.”
Rabbi Charley Baginsky, co-lead of The Movement for Progressive Judaism, said: “At a time when so many Jews in Britain feel anxious and exposed, this visible solidarity from across civic society, faith communities, sport, business and the media matters.”