Rabbi vows to defy far-right harassment of Jewish-based refugee support work

"It's to frighten us, he said, adding that such abuse would not deter them from their work. It's a badge of honour, in a way. I'm doing something and I'm determined, as a Jew and as someone who believes in a strong, cohesive Britain."

"Some of the hostility was driven by conspiracy theories such as the great replacement, which falsely claims that Jews are orchestrating migration to undermine western societies. Similar antisemitic conspiracies were cited by the gunman who attacked three Jewish congregations in Pittsburgh, US, in 2018."

"Many Jewish synagogues and community groups across the UK were continuing to support refugees, though this work was often less visible because of security concerns and rising antisemitism."

Jewish refugee advocacy organizations in the UK, particularly HIAS+JCORE, continue supporting asylum seekers despite escalating harassment from far-right activists. Rabbi David Mason affirms their commitment will not be deterred by antisemitic abuse and conspiracy theories, including the false 'great replacement' narrative claiming Jews orchestrate migration. This conspiracy theory motivated the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooter targeting Jews he believed supported refugees. Many UK synagogues and community groups maintain refugee support work, though often with reduced visibility due to security concerns. A Refugee Shabbat event in London brought together Jewish leaders, faith groups, refugee organizations, and politicians to highlight Jewish solidarity with asylum seekers, with at least 60 synagogues and Jewish student societies participating through sermons, discussions, and exhibitions.

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