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In Golders Green, northwest London, the air remains heavy with the scent of smoke, a lasting reminder of the recent arson attack on Jewish charity-run ambulances. Early on Monday morning, four vehicles belonging to Hatzola—a Jewish volunteer emergency medical service—were deliberately set on fire in a car park adjacent to a synagogue. The blaze led to several explosions which shattered windows in nearby buildings and prompted the evacuation of residents in the area. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but the event has significantly heightened anxiety within the local Jewish community and is currently being investigated as an antisemitic hate crime by counter-terrorism police.
Members of the community have expressed their shock at the incident while acknowledging an uncomfortable sense of grim expectation. Jack Taub, a leader at Machzike Hadath Synagogue—the site of the attack—described the event as a “shock,” yet admitted, “I can’t say no-one was expecting it.” Similar sentiments were shared by others, including Golders Green councillor Shimon Ryde, who noted the Jewish population is acutely aware of the threats they face. A resident named Ben added, “I think I can speak for the community [that] it’s been in the back of all our heads that something somewhere is going to pop off,” reflecting the emotional toll the attack has taken.
The arson destroyed three of Hatzola’s five ambulances entirely, with a fourth severely damaged. The subsequent explosions disturbed local residents, with some 30 people relocated to a shelter in the early hours for their safety. The nearby synagogue sustained considerable damage, including blown-out stained-glass windows and harm to its roof. Yehoshua Posen, whose daughter witnessed the attack from her neighbouring flat, recalled how terrified she was to see the ambulances set alight. Posen stated, “For this to happen on something which is just there to save lives is quite telling and shocking. It’s time that people wake up and realise that you can allow hatred only so long, but eventually it catches up.”
The attack has drawn condemnation from a wide range of figures. Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis called it a “particularly sickening assault—not only on the Jewish community but on the values we share as a society,” praising Hatzola’s life-saving work which supports both Jewish and non-Jewish residents alike. Damon Hoff, president of Machzike Hadath Synagogue, described Hatzola as the “backbone of the community,” highlighting how the organisation serves a diverse population—approximately one third of whom are not Jewish. The Jewish Leadership Council condemned the attack as a consequence of growing antisemitic hatred, describing it as “particularly sickening that someone’s hatred of Jews drives them to target vital ambulance services.” According to the Community Security Trust (CST), reports of antisemitic incidents have escalated across the UK since the conflict in Gaza intensified in late 2023, with 3,700 such incidents recorded in 2025 alone, a significant increase compared to prior years.
Official data released by the Home Office demonstrates that Jewish people face the highest rate of religious hate crimes in England and Wales, with 106 incidents per 10,000 population in the year up to March 2025; this rate surpasses that of other faith groups by a wide margin. As tensions remain elevated, security measures have been reinforced across various Jewish institutions. Past events, such as the fatal synagogue attack in Manchester on Yom Kippur in 2024 and rising antisemitic incidents at schools, universities, and healthcare settings nationwide, further underscore the urgent need for a coordinated response. Gideon Falter, chief executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, emphasised the severity of the problem, asserting to the BBC that “not enough is being done” and calling on the government to act decisively against hate marchers, extremists, and inflammatory figures, describing antisemitism as “a systemic, society-wide problem.
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