United Kingdom

First Rabbi arrested since the Nazis for performing circumcision – in Ireland.

“You cannot imprison the Jewish faith” say European Jewish Association, calling for Rabbi’s immediate release.

The Chairman of the ‏European Jewish Association (EJA), Rabbi Menachem Margolin, is demanding the immediate release of a British rabbi who was arrested in Ireland for performing circumcision.

Rabbi Margolin is calling on the President of Ireland, Michael Higgins, Prime Minister Simon Harris and the Speaker of the Irish Parliament to intervene for the immediate release of the certified Mohel who was arrested yesterday in Dublin, Ireland, without bail, for performing circumcision.

The certified Mohel, Rabbi Yonathan Avraham, 47 years old, father of 10 children, who works legally in England, arrived in neighboring Ireland, was arrested in a raid by the Dublin police on the house where the religious ceremony was performed. He has decades of experience, has performed circumcision all over Europe and is recognised as leading expert and practitioner of this important rite.

“circumcision is not a crime but a commandment practiced by the Jewish religion for more than 3000 years said Rabbi Margolin.

The last time anybody was arrested for performing circumcision was under the Nazis, whose first laws in their blind and irrational hatred of the Jewish people targeted this practice. That the Irish legal system is now second to Nazi germany is a sad and incongruous indictment.

Circumcision has been adopted by other religions and recognized as a practice by the World Health Organization, which recommends in many cases the circumcision of boys. About thirty percent of the men in the world – and not only Jews, are circumcised and live healthy lives,” notes Rabbi Margolin.

The chairman of the ‏European Jewish Association stated that the arrest sends a clear message that Jews are no longer welcome in Ireland and demands that the Mohel be released even before Shabbat begins on Friday evening.

“The arrest not only infringes the fundamental right of freedom of religion but it also humiliates the parents involved by suggesting that they do not really care for their children. All those parents who circumcised their children, went through the same procedure themselves and of course they would not have done so if it involved “physical or mental harm to the newborn, above all a mohel such as Rabbi Yonathan goes through many, many years of study and training before even being allowed to practice. We are not barbarians!”

Rabbi Margolin appealed to the Speaker of the Irish Parliament, who at the beginning of the year was hosted by EJA at Auschwitz, to act for the immediate release of the Mohel and promote legislation that would prevent such an arrest in the future.
Rabbi Margolin also appealed to the President of the State of Israel, Yitzhak Herzog, whose grandfather served as the Chief Rabbi of Ireland, with a request that he work this morning with the heads of the Irish government for the immediate release of the Mohel

Our UK Media Advisor for EIPA, Tovi Borins, recently hosted a roundtable briefing in collaboration with UK Israel Future Projects, focusing on ‘The Iranian Regime’s Terror Network and IRGC Infiltration into the UK.’

The event featured distinguished speakers Mr. Kasra Aarabi, Director of IRGC Research at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), and Mr. Beni Sabti, Researcher in the Iran Program at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). Kasra unveiled recent findings regarding Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) infiltration into the UK, offering detailed insights from his newly published report.

Additionally, he addressed the Iranian regime’s reckless calculus against Western interests and delved into the critical importance of the next nine months in their pursuit of nuclearization. Beni, who traveled from Israel for the event, shed light on the Iranian regime’s strategy to expand its hegemony and revolution throughout the Middle East via proxies and propaganda apparatus.

The roundtable briefing was a resounding success, with attendance from top journalists, leading UK think tanks, analysts, and diplomatic representatives from various countries.

—————————————————————————-

The European Jewish Association is a prominent and influential organisation dedicated to representing, advocating for, and fostering the interests of the Jewish community across Europe. Founded on unity, tolerance, and inclusivity principles, the EJA bridges diverse Jewish communities and European societies.

#BringThemHomeNow #NeverAgainIsNow #NotOnMyWatch

Linkedin: @european-jewish-association
Instagram: @ejassociation
Facebook: @ejassociation
X: @EJAssociation

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