Community rallies round rabbi after menorah vandalised in Primrose Hill
Rabbi Yossi Baitz said sandbags had been removed around the base of the monument in north London
Politicians and celebrities rallied round a rabbi from Camden Town after a menorah he set up on a street corner for Chanukah was vandalised.
Rabbi Yossi Baitz said it “breaks my heart” as he posted photographs of the chanukiah bent in two and its electric lights smashed.
He added: “I promise to put this Menorah again every Hanukkah, we will never surrender to darkness.”
It had been erected in Primrose Hill, opposite the Pembroke Castle pub.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism said sandbags holding it in place had been removed and it had been toppled over at some stage on Tuesday.
Oliver Cooper, leader of the Conservative Party in Camden, said it was “chilling to see antisemitic violence strike the heart of our community yet again.”
Im the Rabbi who worked so hard to put this Menorah as a symbol of light.
it breaks my heart to see it vandalized.
I promise to put this Menorah again every Hanukkah ,we will never surrender to darkness. https://t.co/DT8K0LgZnM— Rabbi Yossi Baitz (@CamdenTownRabbi) December 8, 2021
The actor Tracy-Ann Oberman added: “Standing with you rabbi yossi. They won’t dim our light again.”
Police officers investigated the scene on Wednesday and said they were treating the incident as a possible hate crime.
This week’s incident comes a month after around a dozen swastikas were spray-painted around Camden, including close to Belsize Square Synagogue.
A man in his early 40s was arrested in connection to that incident.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
