Golders Green a wake-up call – education must be response, not platitudes

The attempted murder of two Jewish men in Golders Green this week was a horrific reflection of the normalisation of anti-Jewish racism that has become ever increasing on our streets. It was a moral outrage, committed against innocent people simply going about their daily lives. It was an attack not only on Jews, but on Londoners and on Britain itself.

This incident has not come out of nowhere. It follows a series of escalating antisemitic attacks: the firebombing of a Jewish charity ambulance service, arson attacks on synagogues in Kenton and Finchley, and the devastating murders in Manchester on Yom Kippur. Taken together, these are not isolated incidents. They are a pattern. And they demand more than statements of “concern.”

Because words are not enough.

Anti-Jewish racism does not begin with violence. It begins with language left unchecked, with prejudice tolerated, and with narratives of hatred allowed to circulate without challenge. By the time it reaches our streets in the form of violence, it is already deeply rooted.

Education is not an optional response. It is the essential one.

At the National Holocaust Museum, we see daily the power of education to change understanding and behaviour. Our work with 40,000 schoolchildren each year is not about passive remembrance – it is about active learning. Our Journey exhibition, brings the story of the Kindertransport to life, helping children understand not only what happened, but how easily societies can slide into prejudice when hatred goes unchallenged.

We also see the urgency of this work in our programmes with teachers and community organisations, equipping them with practical tools to confront anti-Jewish racism and wider racism in real time. Each day we take this message to schools and communities across the UK – in Derby, Grimsby, Lincoln, Manchester, Mansfield, Nottingham, Sheffield, London and more, ensuring this is not confined to museum walls or academic study, but part of everyday civic life.

If we are serious about “never again,” then we must be serious about education. Not symbolic gestures. Not abstract commitments. But a sustained, meaningful investment in teaching young people to think critically, to question what they see and hear, and to understand the consequences of prejudice. And education initiatives need to be bold and innovative, working with those communities where youth risk being radicalised and provide support and tools to cut off the harm at source.

We do not need more platitudes. We do not need more expressions of deep concern. We need leadership that understands the root causes of anti-Jewish racism and is prepared to address them honestly and consistently.

And we must do this together. We are fortunate at the National Holocaust Museum to work alongside the Holocaust Educational Trust and many other organisations who at their core, will, through education fight anti-Jewish racism and prejudice whenever and wherever.

We need a clear government strategy on anti-Jewish racism and extremism that prioritises prevention through education; proper long-term funding for Holocaust and antisemitism education across all schools; and stronger action to address the online and real-world radicalisation that is increasingly influencing vulnerable individuals. This also means ensuring that schools and teachers are properly supported to challenge prejudice the moment it appears, not after it has taken root.

Golders Green should be (yet another) turning point, a moment where we recognise that tolerance cannot be assumed, and safety cannot be taken for granted. If we want a different future, we must start where it matters most: in education, in schools, and in the minds of the next generation.

Because we know that education is the most powerful antidote to hate, we must continue to invest in spaces that foster understanding and empathy. At the Museum, our doors remain open to all who wish to learn, reflect and stand against prejudice.

The fight against anti-Jewish racism will not be won in statements or slogans. It will be won in classrooms, in communities, and in the courage to teach truth in a world where it is increasingly contested.

Adam Dawson MBE is the Chair of the National Holocaust Museum