|
|
| By: Associated Press |
| Published: June 14, 2006 |
| |
Politicians, dignitaries and religious leaders gathered at Britain's oldest synagogue Tuesday to mark the 350th anniversary of England's Jewish community.
It was a bittersweet occasion. Britain's Jews are established and thriving -- but many say they fear anti-Semitism is on the rise.
"Sadly, there is a resurgence of anti-Semitism which we have to fight and deal with," said one community leader, Rabbi Abraham Levy. "But the Jewish people are happy in this country."
Prime Minister Tony Blair told some 500 worshippers at the 300-year-old Bevis Marks Synagogue in central London that it was "impossible to imagine the modern United Kingdom without the Jewish community."
"As the oldest minority faith community in this country, you show how identity through faith can be combined with a deep loyalty to our nation," he said.
Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh leaders also attended the service at the candlelit synagogue, which ended with a rendition of "God Save the Queen" in Hebrew and English.
Founded in 1701, Bevis Marks is, Levy said, "probably the only synagogue in Europe which has had uninterrupted Jewish worship for 300 years."
Britain's history is not unblemished, however. There was an established Jewish community shortly after the Norman conquest of 1066, but in 1290 all British Jews were expelled by King Edward I following years of anti-Semitic violence.
Jews were banned from Britain until 1656, when Oliver Cromwell, who had overthrown the monarchy, authorized their return.
Today there are about 350,000 Jews in Britain, making up a largely affluent, integrated community that can boast of having produced a 19th-century prime minister, Benjamin Disraeli -- though he converted to Christianity at age 12 -- and many leading politicians, artists and professionals.
But many are troubled by regular reports of anti-Semitic incidents, and wary of a rapidly growing Muslim community that numbers at least 1.6 million.
Fears have been heightened in recent years by radical preachers such as Abu Hamza al-Masri, convicted earlier this year of inciting followers to kill Jews and other non-Muslims. The far-right British National Party -- hostile to both Muslims and Jews -- also enjoyed a minor resurgence in last month's local elections in England.
In his speech to the memorial service, Levy urged the government "to eradicate unacceptable behavior from those who want to disturb the tranquility of a peaceful united country."
Some sense anti-Semitism in the British media -- the BBC regularly defends itself against accusations of biased coverage of Israel -- and academe.
Last month's vote by university and college lecturers to boycott Israeli academics because of the Jewish state's treatment of Palestinians was seen in some quarters as reflecting a knee-jerk anti-Israel stance that borders on anti-Semitism.
"Rhetoric that is directed against Israel and so-called anti-Zionism has an inevitable overspill in terms of attitudes to Jews per se," said Mark Gardner, spokesman for the Community Security Trust, a Jewish defense group.
The trust recorded 455 anti-Semitic incidents in 2005 -- the second highest total since it began keeping records in 1984. Gardner attributes the rise partly to international events, particularly the round of Israeli-Palestinian violence that erupted late in 2000.
"You've also got local factors -- such as, bizarrely, when last year Prince Harry wore a Nazi uniform (to a party). You see small spikes in activity after something like that," Gardner said.
Gardner acknowledged that anti-Semitism is less rife in Britain than in France or Belgium, or in the former Soviet states of eastern Europe.
Lord Janner, a Labour parliamentarian and senior figure in Britain's Jewish community, said the country's resistance to Nazi Germany set it apart.
"As a leader of the Jewish people I can tell you that we are very lucky to live in Britain rather than in other European countries," Janner said.
He said his grandparents had come to Britain from Latvia and Lithuania, "and every relative left behind is in a mass grave." |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
