“The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all He had sworn to their fathers.” (Joshua 21:44a)
Will you stand in the gap and intercede in prayer for Britain’s Jewish community? Over the past month, the Jewish community in North-West London has faced a clear and deeply concerning pattern of targeted arson attacks. Last month we saw the ambulances set on fire at Hatzola, a Jewish volunteer emergency charity, in Golders Green. Then, in the past week there have been attempted firebomb attacks on Jewish-linked premises in Finchley and Hendon, as well as an arson attack on a synagogue in Kenton, Harrow, where a bottle containing accelerant was thrown through a window. A further incident occurred near a synagogue in Finchley. Counter-terrorism police have also disrupted another suspected plot before it could be carried out, and made multiple arrests. Clearly, these are not isolated acts, but an escalating intimidation at the Jewish community, and in such a short space of time. If these are “copy-cat” incidents, then this is a worrying sign, because we have seen how antisemitism breeds more antisemitism. If these attacks are coordinated by one group, then that too is concerning. The Green Party leader was wrong to describe the Jewish community this week as maybe having “a perception of unsafety”. We don’t want to tell Jews in Britain how they should feel, but many have expressed to CUFI quite the opposite to Polanski’s statement, which has caused added upset this week. So, how do we pray? Pray for any plots against Jews in Britain to fail; that security services will be effective in their investigations, that prosecutions will be unhindered, that leaders will lead by example in condemning antisemitism and listening to suggestions from the Jewish community for resolutions, and that fear will be overwhelmed with shalom.
Prime Minister Starmer indicated this week that Parliament will vote on banning Iran’s IRGC in July. CUFI has been campaigning for this to happen for over seven years. It is disappointing that the UK government is now considering this reactively rather than pre-emptively, but we cannot turn the clock back. Let us pray that the government will indeed follow through with this and that Parliament will vote to support the proscription.
This week it was announced that Aliyah (return) to Israel from the UK is at a 40-year high. Data shows that this high level of Jewish migration from the UK to Israel is driven by antisemitism. Praise the Lord for Israel! Despite the persistent threats against the Jewish state, it is a place of safety for the Jewish people. Not because there isn’t danger, but because the State of Israel is able to defend itself. Oh, may the UK not let down the Jewish people by not protecting them, but thank the Lord that Israel provides a safe haven in the land of their ancestors, promised in an everlasting covenant. With Israel celebrating its 78th independence day this week, it is a good time to remind ourselves of this wonderful promise:
“So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.” (Joshua 21:43-44)
