The local council for the Borough of Havering, situated in East London, has cancelled Chanukah celebrations this year because it would "inflame tensions". The Council issued this statement:
We appreciate this is a hugely sensitive issue but in light of escalating tensions from the conflict in the Middle East, installing the candelabra now will not be without risk to the Council, our partners, staff and local residents.
We would also be concerned with any possible vandalism or other action against the installation.
As the English like to say, what a load of bollocks. British filmmaker Tony Klinger summed it up well:
How shameful, how low can Havering Council go than to limit the public celebration of Chanukah. It is an ancient Jewish religious festival going back over 2,200 years. It is nothing to do with any other religion or anything to do with politics. I ask the question, are other religions to be limited in their public holidays such as Eid or Diwali or Christmas? Is it just our Jewish community who are at risk? There is a name for this – anti-Semitism.
The Jewish community in Havering has done no wrong. Yet its town council is collectively punishing it because it fears a Menorah might be sufficient provocation for vandalism or worse. If this were to come to pass, the fault lies not with the Jewish community but those who commit such acts.
Today, the Havering Council refuses to display a Menorah. Tomorrow it will ask synagogues to shutter.
One can only hope Havering is the exception to the rule. Yet I have a bad feeling other town councils in the U.K. may choose to follow Havering's lead.
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