Attempted arson attack a bid to scare British Jews, says leader of London synagogue | London

The leader of a house of worship suspected of an attempted firebomb attack on a synagogue in north London said it was intended to scare British Jews and vowed to continue working to “build bridges”.

The Metropolitan police said the manhunt was launched after two men “wearing dark clothing and balaclavas” approached Finchley Reform Synagogue (FRS) just after midnight on Wednesday and threw a brick and two bottles suspected to contain petrol into the building.

Officers said none of the bottles caught fire and no damage or injuries were reported. The incident is being treated as an anti-Semitic hate crime.

Cantor Zöe Jacobs, a senior clergyman at the FRS, said the synagogue “is a proud, progressive and welcoming space for all”. We not only hold Jewish services and celebrations, but we also host a nursery within our community, a homeless shelter, and provide a safe place for refugees to gather.

“Last night two men tried to attack our synagogue but failed.

“This is clearly an attempt to intimidate the British Jewish community, but we will not back down from these cowardly actions. Instead, we will continue to prioritize building bridges within the wider Barnet community.”

The Community Safety Foundation (CST), which works to monitor and prevent anti-Semitic incidents, said it was working closely with the police and supporting the synagogue. Anyone with information was urged to contact authorities.

Franco Di Landro, 56, who lives nearby, said: “Last night I was lying on the sofa watching TV when I heard a huge explosion; it was very scary… It felt like a meteorite had hit the ground.”

Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy, co-leaders of the Movement for Progressive Judaism, of which FRS is a member, said: “This incident is part of a broader rise in antisemitism affecting Jewish communities across the country.

“We will continue to work with police and CST to prioritize the safety, resilience and trust of all our communities.”

The Jewish Leadership Council, which represents Jewish organizations in the UK, said it was “appalled” by the incident, while the Holocaust Education Foundation said the attempted attack was part of a “wider pattern of rising antisemitism that must be confronted with urgency”.

The incident is being investigated by detectives from the Met’s North West Command Unit, supported by specialist detectives from London Counter Terrorism Police.

Det Ch Supt Luke Williams, who leads policing in the area, said: “We are aware of the serious concern this incident will cause in the community, particularly following the arson attack in Golders Green last month.

“We are working with the affected synagogue and continue to meet with community leaders.

“I would like to reassure the community that we take incidents of this nature extremely seriously and detectives are working urgently to identify suspects. “If you have any CCTV, dashcam footage or information that may assist officers please contact police.

“Residents can expect to see an increased police presence in the area in the coming days. We have also deployed additional police officers and would urge anyone with concerns to speak to them.”

Sarah Sackman, MP for Finchley and Golders Green, said in a post on X: “This shocking attempt to damage a local synagogue follows a series of worrying attacks on the Jewish community in Finchley and Golders Green.”

He added: “As your local MP and member of the community I refuse to let this become the ‘new normal’.

“British Jews should be free to live their lives without fear, whether it’s taking their children to kindergarten or going to synagogue. We don’t want to live behind even higher walls.”

The road approaching the synagogue was cordoned off by police on Wednesday afternoon and three officers were seen patrolling the road. Outside the building, two security guards were seen standing at the door with a police van nearby.

Reacting to the incident in a post on the

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was grateful to police for their “swift response” to the “horrific” incident.

In a statement posted on social media Wednesday afternoon, the synagogue wrote that the “emotional and psychological impact” of the attempted attack on Jews in the community was “significant,” adding: “We are extremely grateful for the solidarity of our neighbors, local police and politicians. They help us remember that we are a community that always chooses to build bridges rather than walls.”

Anyone with information should contact police or contact Crimestoppers quoting reference 1685/15APR.