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OPINION: I understand why reflections this Rosh Hashanah may be harder than usual
Writing for Jewish News, Communities Secretary Angela Rayner says she recognises 'strong feelings' on West Bank sanctions but says they 'do not change my belief in Israel's right to exist in peace and security'
Rosh Hashanah is a precious time for feasting and for family. It’s also a time to look both backwards and forwards. A chance to think about what has passed and what lies ahead.
This year, those reflections may be harder than usual.
As Jewish communities prepare to celebrate the new year, many will also be thinking about the first anniversary of the attack on Heaton Park Synagogue. The approach of Yom Kippur will bring those painful memories even closer.
At the end of August, I joined the Heaton Park community to remember Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby, and to stand with the families, friends and wider Jewish community who continue to live with the immeasurable pain of their loss.
It was a deeply moving evening. As we remembered two men who died defending their synagogue, I was struck not just by the devastation of the attack but the strength of a community that refused to be broken by it.
The service also reinforced something the Prime Minister and I heard a few days ago when we met Jewish community representatives in Downing Street. Many of you are living in a state of fear and anxiety that the rest of society does not always fully see, let alone understand.
Yet the reminders are everywhere. In the security guards and high fences around schools, nurseries and synagogues – measures put in place simply to keep people safe. It saddens me that they are everyday life for so many Jewish people. No community should ever come to regard that as normal, just as no Jewish person should have to think twice about wearing a Star of David or a kippah.
I have spoken before about why the horrific attacks of 7 October affected me so deeply. Seeing young people targeted at a music festival brought back memories of the Manchester Arena bombing and the pain felt across my home city and beyond when lives were lost in a place that should have been filled only with music and joy.
Different events, different circumstances, but the same terrible reminder of what hatred and violence do to communities and lives.
The Prime Minister has spoken about the need to do more to protect Jewish communities across the country. I agree. Listening matters, but so does making sure you feel safe. That’s why we’ve continued to invest in security and committed £251 million this summer to policing and community safety over the next three years.
But I also recognise many readers will be reflecting on the Government’s new economic measures relating to settlement activity. And I understand there will be strong feelings about them.
What I’d say is this. The measures are aimed at settlement activity. They do not change my belief in Israel’s right to exist in peace and security. Nor do they change our support for a two-state solution nor our determination to stand with Jewish communities here in the UK.
People will not agree with every decision every government takes. That’s democracy. But there should be no question about where I stand when it comes to tackling antisemitism, or about the valued place of Jewish people in our country.
Nobody should face abuse, intimidation or suspicion because they are Jewish. And nobody should ever be held responsible for events taking place thousands of miles away simply because of their faith.
So as communities gather to welcome the new year, my message is a simple one. Jewish life is an integral part of British life. The contribution of Jewish communities to our country is immeasurable. And while this season asks us to reflect on the past, it also asks us to look forward with hope.
I wish everyone celebrating a happy, healthy and peaceful new year.
Shana Tovah
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