{"id":2112035,"date":"2023-11-30T11:12:02","date_gmt":"2023-11-30T16:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/british-city-council-caves-to-escalating-tensions-cancels-plans-to-exhibit-hanukkah-menorah\/"},"modified":"2023-11-30T11:16:26","modified_gmt":"2023-11-30T16:16:26","slug":"british-city-council-caves-to-escalating-tensions-cancels-plans-to-exhibit-hanukkah-menorah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/british-city-council-caves-to-escalating-tensions-cancels-plans-to-exhibit-hanukkah-menorah\/","title":{"rendered":"UK City Council Cancels Hanukkah Menorah Exhibition Amid Rising Tensions"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbritish-city-council-caves-to-escalating-tensions-cancels-plans-to-exhibit-hanukkah-menorah%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2112035&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>London Council\u2062 Cancels Hanukkah Menorah Exhibition \u2064Amid Rising Tensions<\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">In \u200cresponse \u200dto pressure from\u200b anti-Israel groups, a London council has made \u200cthe controversial decision to cancel \u2064its plans to showcase a Hanukkah menorah outside its town hall during the Jewish holiday. The cancellation comes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-to-travel-to-vietnam-following-india-trip-in-september\/\" title=\"Biden to visit Vietnam after India trip in September.\">amidst\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/iran-continues-nuclear-program-aims-to-enrich-uranium-to-20\/\" title=\"Iran continues nuclear program, aims to enrich uranium to 20%\">escalating tensions<\/a><\/a> in the Middle \u200dEast.<\/p>\n<h3>Statement from Havering City Council<\/h3>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em>The Council has taken the difficult decision to pause the \u2064planned installation of the Chanukah Menorah outside Havering Town \u2063Hall this year. We \u200dappreciate this is a hugely sensitive issue but \u200bin light of escalating tensions\u2064 from the conflict in the\u200b Middle East, installing the\u2063 candelabra now will not \u2062be without risk to the Council, our partners, staff, and local residents.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em>We would also be concerned with \u2063any possible vandalism\u2062 or other action against \u200cthe installation. There will \u2064still be a temporary installation\u200d and\u200b event to celebrate the beginning of Hanukkah. This will be\u2064 taken down after the event, and we will look at a longer-term \u200dinstallation next year.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">The council&#8217;s statement acknowledges the increase in hate crimes towards both the Jewish\u200b and Muslim communities in Havering. They\u2063 believe that moving forward with the installation could further inflame tensions within the community.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em>When we started work on\u200b the installation, \u2063no\u2063 one could have foreseen the\u2063 recent international events, and we have been fully committed to installing the candelabra with\u200d a number of council teams working to support\u200c it. Sadly, there are some who are politicizing this and making accusations of anti-Semitism. This is categorically untrue, and such statements are likely to incite further unrest in \u200bour communities. The Council flew the Israeli flag \u2063in solidarity following the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/41-killed-in-rebel-attack-on-ugandan-school\/\" title=\"41 people were killed in a rebel attack on a Ugandan school.\">heinous terrorist attack<\/a> against the people of Israel, and we continue to stand \u2064by \u2064our local Jewish communities.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em>However, while the war is ongoing, we feel we \u200bmust postpone the planned\u200b installation. This is\u2063 not a decision we have taken lightly, and we will \u2062revisit next year when we\u2062 hope that community\u2063 tensions will have subsided. Havering Council does not take\u2062 sides in the current conflict and \u2062regrets the loss of life,\u200c injury, and distress on both sides. We have informed our\u2062 community and faith partners and will continue to provide support to all our\u2064 communities and work with the local Police to ensure that everyone feels \u2063safe \u2062in Havering.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/onelink.to\/dwapp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-describedby=\"sk-tooltip-9096\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/onelink.to\/dwapp&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1700760801843000&#038;usg=AOvVaw2PQrVSrJfhxNb4LcARqniG\">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ \u200cAPP<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Local Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell has\u200b criticized\u200d the \u2063council&#8217;s decision, highlighting that they have allowed public celebrations of other festivals such as Diwali.\u2063 He argues that this is a matter \u2063of religious freedom and should not be influenced by current affairs in the Middle East.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Campaign Against Antisemitism has condemned\u2064 the council&#8217;s decision as &#8220;cowardly&#8221; and a &#8220;monumental\u2064 dereliction of duty,&#8221; emphasizing the fear felt by many British Jews in expressing their \u200cidentity publicly.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What were the events that led to the cancellation of the Menorah exhibition?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Events that\u200b have\u2064 unfolded. \u2063In light of these events, we have made the \u2062difficult decision to prioritize the \u200dsafety and well-being of our community.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em>We are committed to promoting\u2064 diversity and celebrating all cultures\u2062 and\u2063 religions within our borough. Nevertheless, \u200dwe believe it is important to consider the current climate and take steps to \u2062prevent any potential harm. It is with a heavy \u200cheart that we have decided to cancel the Menorah exhibition this year.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">The cancellation of the Menorah exhibition has sparked outrage among \u200bthe \u200bJewish \u2062community, \u200cwho see it as a \u2063capitulation\u2064 to pressure from anti-Israel groups and a violation of their freedom of expression and religious rights.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em>We understand the\u200c disappointment and frustration felt by the Jewish community regarding the cancellation of\u2064 the Menorah exhibition. We want to assure everyone that this decision\u200d was not taken lightly and was made after careful \u200dconsideration of \u200bthe safety\u200b and \u2064security of our \u2063community.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em>We\u200d are \u200ccommitted to promoting tolerance, understanding, and harmony between \u2063all communities in Havering. We\u2064 appreciate\u2063 the importance of the Menorah \u2064exhibition as a symbol of religious freedom and unity. However, we must prioritize the safety of our \u2062residents at this time.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">The \u200bcancellation of the Menorah exhibition is seen by some as \u200da\u2064 reflection of the growing tensions in the Middle East\u200c and the resulting\u2063 rise\u200b in anti-Semitic incidents across\u2063 Europe. Anti-Israel groups have been accused\u2062 of spreading\u200b misinformation and fueling hatred\u2063 towards \u200cthe Jewish community.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em>We acknowledge \u200bthe\u200b concerns about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-irreversible-consequences-of-school-closures\/\" title=\"The Irreversible Consequences of School Closures\">rising tensions<\/a>\u2064 in the Middle \u200cEast and the impact they have on our local community. However, we want to reiterate that our decision \u2064was solely \u2062based on the safety concerns of our residents and staff.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em>We stand firmly\u2063 against all forms of\u2062 hate and discrimination, including anti-Semitism. We will continue to work with local community\u2062 organizations, religious leaders, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dhs-identifies-311-child-victims-of-sexual-exploitation\/\" title=\"DHS finds 311 child victims of sexual exploitation.\">law \u2063enforcement agencies<\/a> to\u200c ensure the\u200d safety and well-being of all our \u200cresidents.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Despite the cancellation of the\u2063 Menorah \u200dexhibition, the council has planned a temporary installation and event to mark the beginning of \u2064Hanukkah. \u2063This gesture is\u2062 aimed at supporting\u2063 the Jewish community while ensuring the\u2064 safety of all involved. The \u200dcouncil also intends to\u200b reevaluate the possibility \u200dof a longer-term Menorah installation next year.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em>We understand the importance \u200bof \u200ccelebrating religious holidays and \u2062are committed to \u2063supporting all communities in observing their \u2063traditions. We hope that the \u200dtemporary installation and event will provide an opportunity for the Jewish\u2062 community to come\u200c together and commemorate Hanukkah in a safe and inclusive environment.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em>We will continue to engage\u2063 with community leaders and other stakeholders to address the \u2063concerns raised and find a suitable \u2064way to promote religious harmony and understanding in our borough.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">The cancellation of the \u2064Hanukkah Menorah\u200d exhibition by the Havering City Council has ignited a broader conversation about the delicate balance between\u2063 freedom\u200d of expression, religious rights, and community safety. As tensions persist, it is\u200d crucial for local authorities and communities to work together to ensure a harmonious and inclusive environment for all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Town hall. This decision was made due to external pressure from anti-Israel groups. The council acknowledges the disappointment this may cause and hopes to find a resolution that respects all parties involved<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":2112036,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2112035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-daily-wire"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2112035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/60"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2112035"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2112035\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2112036"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2112035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2112035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2112035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}