To think the Manchester terrorist attack today shows the growing Anti-Semitism

[Longingdreamer]

... and how Jews are not protected in this country.

Why wouldn't Hamas steal aid? They are a cruel terrorist group, dying & starving civilians are a tool for them. You seem very naive.

Yes,, I do have proof.

Do you think Hamas are some kind of heroic freedom fighters?

I an aware of Israel lobbying & Russia lobbying. I am suspicious of all lobbies but Russia is lobbying for a brutal invasion of Ukraine & Qatar etc for extremist Islam.

I have concerns about Israel lobby but it is nothing like as bad as those two.

Get some proportion.

@AlphonsaAlpaca i don’t and wouldn’t find it offensive. It certainly wasnt intended as such! And yet I’m still being lambasted for it ..

I’ve done my outreach for today. Some people can’t be convinced and just prefer to see the worst in everything . I choose to see the best in people.

Immediately after the atrocities of October 7- and before any (understandable) retaliation by Israel, I encountered my first Saturday hate march- y'know the ones with this strange alliance of loser, middle class progressives and assorted burqa enthusiasts
I couldn't believe this was happening; this was in the wake of unimaginable horrors- and no mention of peace, or hostages, or sorrow, or condemnation of Hamas
I said to my partner that I would feel very vulnerable if I were Jewish, walking through town
And I feel anti-Semitism has ramped up even from that.

Oh ffs. It was a totally ignorant post and it deserved to have responses explaining that. If we can't respond to ignorance over integration then we can't talk about integration and we can't improve integration. Her response is only to decide that we are the hateful ones and she has nothing to learn, so don't worry, she has not been affected in any way.

Interesting - I have the opposite take on this.

I see it as ‘of course the people in that synagogue are British so no need to spell it out’.

The alleged perpetrator, being of brown skin and non-typical English name needs to be identified as British.

But I understand how you see the opposite.

I thought they were just trying to explain how a small act of kindness stayed with them and helped them resist any subsequent conditioning by their community or others.

Hi Zarah

So no sources, then?

Just vague assertions and a refusal to trust recognised international bodies whose sole purpose is investigating breeches of international law.

Cool.

I just did a fact check, and according to ONS, approximately two thirds of Jewish children in the UK attend a Jewish based faith school. It's less than 5% for Muslim children. This includes both state faith and independent faith schools.

This is what I mean about getting things correct. It's so damaging for someone to state something as a fact, then say, "oh I made a mistake on that but, but it must be true for other bits" and none of it is true. I always tell my DC never to believe things said about other groups, don't be a lazy passer on of misinformation. We have a duty to do better.

I’m sorry so are you saying Jewish people deserve to die because of the actions of Hamas and the Israeli government?

sudan are currently carrying out a genocide. Do all sudenese deserve to die?

I’m Jewish, have dated a Muslim, have Muslim friends, have Muslim children in my children’s classes, say hello, please, thank you to Muslims I meet in exactly the same way as I interact with non-Muslims. Why a Muslim person would think that Jews are incapable of this is beyond me. I wouldn’t say it about Muslims or any other race/religion. There are very highly religious closed communities of all faiths but the pp was not referring to these. She has preconceived ideas and talks from a point of ignorance.

Can’t imagine why what?

There was a similar terrorist attack on Finsbury Park mosque a few years back when someone drove a car at worshippers. All racist attacks are abhorrent. Being competitive over it is Dianne Abbott territory.

Oh my. I'll take this on good faith.

There's a small percentage of the Jewish community (Haredi) that is very insular. They are in other countries as well. In their minds it's about continuing their very particular way of life. They don't generally cause trouble for people in the UK (there are group politics in some other countries that are just not relevant).

Most of us have contact with non-Jews of various stripes. We are a small community and anyone who is traditional or Orthodox will prefer to live near other Jews, because our religion is communal. In the UK, the odds are that if you haven't met Jews, it's because none live nearby, not because they're avoiding you. There are interfaith activities. (I will say, as someone who has participated in some, that the UK is less active than the US.) For the religiously observant, there are some restrictions on participating in other faiths' religious events. However a mosque is actually the easiest place for us to go as there are no statues, paintings, crosses, etc.

We don't proselytise like Christians and Muslims. Converts are allowed, but we don't try to create them. So while our services and events do allow outsiders (with security restrictions unfortunately), we're not having big welcome events for outsiders; that would look like evangelism.

The Muslims in Yemen would disagree.

Oh I did not realise that Jewish people attack and kill Muslims in UK when they celebrate their religious occasions! Please provide some information. Obviously you can't.

There’s a kinder, more profitable way to do that.

Nothing in your post was educational or informative - just combative and dismissive.

Explain why the wording in her post was unacceptable to you in a kind way and help foster good relations.

All you’ve likely done is make her feel small and less willing to share her positive story again.

I only heard about it from this thread. I don’t watch the news because my anxiety can’t take it. I think people are increasingly shying away from news because it’s all too much to take.

Midnight, can I ask you a couple of things?

Roughly what area are you of UK (I get if prefer not to say)?

I think you are getting an unfair response but at the same time I think many Jews are on edge and fearful.

Why?

Please don't take offence at this. I understand that you and many other UK Muslims revile terror etc..

The problem is that I can see why Jews would be afraid of Muslims here. NOT because they think ALL Muslims are bad. But because they fear many Muslims hate Jews and support terror against them.

Why do they think this?

Groups like Isis hate Jews fiercely & wee have had a lot of terrorist attacks from groups like that over past 20 years.

The problem is that it often seems like a lot of the Muslim community turns a blind eye to terrorism (there have been undercover BBC programs where imams saying hateful things about non Muslims) and to grooming gangs (lots of other Muslims knew & apparently many objected to sleeping with white girls, not to sexually abusing children) and forced marriage (still happening with UK women being forced to marry back in Pakistan).

I understand that lots of Muslims oppose these things. But are many brave enough to do that? In your community, are Muslims involved in anti-terrorism & radicalisation?

My point is that Jews have an understandable reason to be scared of Muslims in general if it seems like most Muslims are not standing up to extremist narratives.

I know many Muslims probably oppose these outside the public eye, maybe it needs to be publicised more?

Maybe the Muslim community should make more of an effort to make the first move to make friends with Jews? Interfaith activities etc?

It's a terrible thing for anyone to lose their life to a murderer and terrorism is horrible in any form.
Anti-Semitism definitely seems to be more vocal since the increase of violence by the IDF in Gaza. People are angry with what they see taking place and aren't channeling that anger appropriately.
The blame falls into the hands of the individual that carried out this attack.

But you must also appreciate that many others don’t have friends of different faiths? Or even meet them? Ignorance is only something shameful when it is held close as a badge of honour.

I'd like to think most people can understand the difference between British Jews and the Israeli Government.

There's a kinder way to talk about Jewish people, and I'm done with sinister sentiments being cloaked in #bekind.

If the poster really is primarily concerned with fighting antisemitism and fostering unity within communities, she will carry on doing it, this time in a way that doesn't offend so many people.

I am shocked and ashamed to learn that in my country some people have to employ security guards at their church.