William Eichler 30 November 2023

Hanukkah installation paused due to rise in hate crime

Hanukkah installation paused due to rise in hate crime  image
Image: tomertu / Shutterstock.com.

The London borough of Havering has paused the installation of a Hanukkah Menorah in its town hall due to an increase in hate crimes relating to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The war between Israel and Hamas, and the upsurge in violence in the occupied West Bank, has led to an increase in anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim crimes in Havering.

Installing the candelabra now ‘will not be without risk to the council, our partners, staff and local residents,’ a council spokesperson said. The Hanukkah Menorah is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

‘There will still be a temporary installation and event to celebrate the beginning of Hanukkah. This will be taken down after the event and we will look at a longer-term installation next year,’ the spokesperson commented.

‘When we started work on the installation no one could have foreseen the recent international events and we have been fully committed to installing the candelabra with a number of council teams working to support it.’

The spokesperson added: ‘Sadly, there are some who are politicising this and making accusations of anti-Semitism. This is categorically untrue and such statements are likely to incite further unrest in our communities.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Senior User Centred Designer

Essex County Council
£60049 - £70645 per annum + Hybrid Working
Interviews will be held on 29th and 30th October 2025.*Experience the best of both worlds with our flexible hybrid working arrangements. Enjoy the fr England, Essex, Chelmsford
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Flood Risk Engineer - Epping Forest District Council

Essex County Council
£40.0000 - £45.0000 per hour
Flood Risk Engineer Epping, EssexFull-Time, Temporary 37 Hours per Week 3 Months Contract* £40-£45 per hour, Umbrella Closing Date
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Senior Product Support Analyst

Essex County Council
£33512 - £39425 per annum + Hybrid Working
*Experience the best of both worlds with our flexible hybrid working arrangements. Enjoy the freedom to work from home while still benefiting from in England, Essex, Chelmsford
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Security Architect

Essex County Council
£60049 - £70645 per annum + Hybrid Working
This is a 12 month fixed term contract or secondment opportunity.*Experience the best of both worlds with our flexible hybrid working arrangements. E England, Essex, Chelmsford
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Control Officer

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
£37602 - £45564 plus shift and weekend allowance
Are you looking for your next opportunity to work as part of a team in a 24-hour emergency control room covering the Boroughs of Richmond and Wandsworth. To be responsible for receiving and logging calls from the public, outside agencies and partners. Use Wandsworth, London
Recuriter: London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
Linkedin Banner