Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By richards on February 6, 2015

At least two Kingston schools have cancelled visits to synagogues due to fears of a potential Paris-style terrorist attack on Jewish places of worship.

In what a leading Jewish figure described as "a three-fold victory to perpetrators of terror and extremism", the Coombe Federation - Coombe Boys and Girls Schools, both in New Malden - withdrew from a planned visit to one of the borough's two synagogues as part of events marking the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

But the federation said the decision was influenced by the synagogues' announcement that security was being stepped up in the wake of the Paris atrocities.

Rabbi Samuel Landau from Kingston, Surbiton and District United Synagogue, said: "Members of the community were told they [schools] were no longer coming due to concerns over safety of the children.

"They put it down to what is happening around the world. They did not feel comfortable coming down."

In a letter to the Surrey Comet, Rabbi Landau said he believed the reason the for the cancellation was "fear of the children being in a synagogue, fear of association with Jews".

Explaining his letter, he added: "I can understand a governor or a head is responsible for looking after their children - but to take that position.

"We as a community are being marginalised.

"We never wanted it to be about bringing this into the press but when another school cancelled there was growing concern that kids are being stopped an opportunity to learn."

Rabbi Landau said another Kingston school, a primary, had also cancelled but he would not reveal which one.

More here:

'A victory for extremism': Schools cancelled synagogue visits because of terrorism fears, claims Kingston rabbi

Category: Synagogue
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