Labour councillor under investigation over pictures of him in an Adolf Hitler costume for children’s hospice fancy dress fundraiser

Every Day during the Corona crisis our Advisory Board Member Chief Rabbi Jacobs (NL) writes a diary, on request of the Jewish Cultural Quarter in Amsterdam, which is published on the website of the NIW, the only Jewish Dutch Magazine. Rabbi Jacobs is the head of Inter Governmental Relationships at the Rabbinical Centre of Europe. We will be regularly publishing a selection of his informative, sometimes light hearted, but always wise pieces.
Here, the Rabbi offers his unique and refreshing take on the portion. For our Dutch readers you can follow the diary every day at NIW home page: https://niw.nl and then: scroll down.
Caught with a cap!
It’s hard to find the right balance between exaggeration and naivety. The happy medium is the right way to walk, that should be clear. But where does that sweet spot lie?
I had not heard from an older intelligent lady, a brave woman, for several weeks. And so I called her up and it turned out that she had been struggling a bit with her health for a while.
Good that I called her, but I do feel guilty that I had only noticed her absence now, after a few weeks. In the meantime, since I called her, she has started reading some of my diaries and sends me the following response:
“Dear Rabbi Jacobs. I read in your diary pieces that you meet many people with personal problems and are very concerned about the rising anti-Semitism. That seems very difficult. I find it terrible to read those experiences. It’s too much for me. And after the war I had to hear in technicolour stereo about all the horrors of survivors of the camps. For me, the war started after May ‘45. I’d rather not read all that misery you have to hear and deal with. ”
And so, after this response, I wonder what the happy medium is. I try to warn against  rising anti-Semitism, but I absolutely must. Conversely I do not want to cause more pain to anyone who is already in pain.
I received a lot of WhatsApps to make “the Jewish voice” heard about the riot around Forum for Democracy. But what is “the Jewish voice”? And am I then “the Jewish  voice”? But keep silent? I presented my problem to a good friend of mine, a non-Jewish psychiatrist. When I open my mouth, some of them start to scream or I, for example hurt this brave woman unnecessarily. And when I remain silent, I get complaints that I am not speaking. His response was very clear:
“If you don’t open your mouth now, you’re no longer a rabbi to me. And if your comments make people sad, help them. That is your primary task as a rabbi. ”
But in addition to concerns about rising anti-Semitism and all the tensions associated with it, Hanukkah is getting very close. Today a phone call from Jerusalem to make a video while lighting the menorah at my house, without guests, with a call to light the menorah outside even if it is not possible outside due to corona, especially to do it indoors.
The call must be in Dutch after lighting the third light. A second phone call, also today, from Brussels to, even after the third light has been lit, a message in English about a non-religious subject, but about Hanukkah.
And the third assignment, a request came from South America to give a speech in Dutch of 25 minutes. That will be asked of another seven Chief Rabbis. Every evening a rabbi from another country will speak and subtitles will be provided. Apart from this I also have three TV recordings about… Chanukah next week! After all those telephone requests for TV, zoom, videos, Whatsapps and YouTube, I wonder if I could become a better director.
But in the meantime I will have to work very hard on the preparations for the coming week. I have already found a volunteer professional to record the videos. But the words are on me. That is a nice bit of creative tension.
Yet all these problems create tension, sadness and disappointment. It got a bit too much for me. And so I skipped schul tonight. My wife and I took the car to the beach.
Of course I didn’t wear my hat, but a cap. Just incognito. Get some fresh air. Delicious! We walk on the boulevard for less than twenty minutes, smell the water, feel the wind or suddenly someone behind me shouts: Rabbi Jacobs! Why don’t you wear a hat? You always say that we should not give in to anti-Semitism and keep our Jewish clothing like our ancestors in Egypt. You always say you are not willing to exchange your hat for a baseball cap! I didn’t know what to answer for a moment, I felt caught with my cap, but the walk was very refreshing…
 

Privileged to witness a moment of unity at EuroChanukah with the esteemed presence of President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the Mayor of Brussels, and EU Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas.

In times of tension, celebrating our shared traditions becomes even more crucial.
EuroChanukah stands as a beacon of resilience, transcending boundaries and fostering understanding. President Ursula von der Leyen presence underscores the significance of coming together in solidarity.

As the menorah’s flames dispel darkness, let this celebration remind us that unity is our greatest strength. In facing challenges, may EuroChanukah inspire hope, tolerance, and a shared commitment to building bridges.

The EJA warmly thanks H.E. Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland, for His Excellency’s kind wishes to the European Jewry in light of the upcoming holiday of Rosh Hashanah

Community Security Trust has recorded 4,103 antisemitic incidents in the UK in 2023, the highest total ever reported to CST in a single calendar year and an increase of 147% compared to 2022., especially since the October 7 attacks and the war between Israel and Hamas.Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced an extra funding of 54 million pounds (€63 million) to protect Jewish communities in the country against antisemitism over the next four years.“It is shocking, and wrong, the prejudice, the racism we have seen in recent months,” Sunak said in an address to the annual dinner of Community Security Trust (CST), a British charity which provides security and advice to the UK Jewish community. It also records antisemitic incidents in the country.“It is hatred, pure and simple. An assault on the Jewish people. We will fight this antisemitism with everything we’ve got,’’ he added.CST has recorded 4,103 antisemitic incidents in the UK in 2023, the highest total ever reported to CST in a single calendar year and an increase of 147% compared to 2022., especially since the October 7 attacks and the war between Israel and Hamas.Sunak said that Jewish schools, synagogues and other community centres are to be given the additional funding for security guards, CCTV and alarm systems. There are 250 synagogues in the UK.He said, ‘’it is shocking, and wrong, the prejudice, the racism we have seen in recent months. That Hamas attack of October 7 was the most abhorrent act of terrorism against Israel that any of us have ever known. And it’s been followed by record levels of antisemitism in this country that are utterly, utterly sickening.“As prime minister I will lead this government in a long-term effort to strengthen your security, defend our liberal democratic values and change our culture so we tackle the root causes of this hatred,’’ he added.Also on Thursday, Prince William said he was extremely concerned about growing antisemitism in Britain as he visited the Western Marble Arch Synagogue in London.A week after the heir-to-the-throne called for an end to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza saying “too many have been killed”, Prince William met young ambassadors from the Holocaust Educational Trust who are seeking to tackle hatred amid soaring abuse and attacks on the Jewish community.“Both Catherine and I are extremely concerned about the rise in antisemitism that you guys have talked about this morning and I’m just so sorry if any of you have had to experience that,” the prince said.“That’s why I’m here today to reassure you all that people do care and people do listen.”Wearing a kippah, William met Holocaust survivors and listened as Jewish students recounted how there had been what one described as an “explosion” in antisemitism, including death threats and assaults.

British PM Sunak announces extra funding to protect Jewish community sites as antisemitism is soaring