EDINBURGH, UK — Muslim leaders have offered to stand guard outside a Scottish synagogue after it was vandalised in an alleged anti-Semitic attack.
Two men have appeared in court in connection with the attack on the synagogue in Edinburgh last week, when several window panes were smashed.
Muslim Leaders Offer to Guard Scottish Shul
EDINBURGH, UK — Muslim leaders have offered to stand guard outside a Scottish synagogue after it was vandalised in an alleged anti-Semitic attack.
Two men have appeared in court in connection with the attack on the synagogue in Edinburgh last week, when several window panes were smashed.
Scottish Islamic Foundation chairman Ken Imrie has written to Rabbi David Rose of the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation to voice the group’s “revulsion and horror” at the attack.
“We trust you have adequate security arrangements in place, in line with places of worship across the country. If not, such is our strength of feeling on this matter, we would wish to physically guard the synagogue ourselves,” he added in the letter.
It is the second time the Newington synagogue, which serves an estimated 700-strong Jewish community in Edinburgh, has come under attack in seven years and comes amid a reported increase in the number of anti-Semitic attacks in Scotland and across the UK following the recent conflict in Gaza.
The Scottish Islamic Foundation’s offer to provide security at the synagogue is intended as a show of strength between the two religious communities in a bid to prevent further unrest.
Mr Imrie wrote in his letter: “We wish you to know that the Muslim community stand full square with you in revulsion and horror at this vandalism. To violently damage any building is wrong. That this is a respected place of worship, faith and spirituality makes the crime even more heinous.”
Mosque leaders are to be briefed on the incident so they can echo the sentiments of Mr Imrie’s letter during prayers tomorrow.
Rabbi Rose could not be reached last night, but other Jewish representatives welcomed the offer.
Mark Gardner, spokesman for the Community Security Trust, an organisation that protects British Jews against anti-Semitic attacks and helps with other security issues within Jewish communities, last night said Jews had reported a growing number of attacks in recent weeks.
“This was a disturbing incident. Scottish Jews do not expect to experience the relatively high level of anti-Semitism that has occurred during and since the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza at the turn of the year,” he said.
Mr Gardner added that the trust was aware of ten anti-Semitic incidents in Scotland so far this year. The number is what the group would normally hear of in a whole year.
“This statement and others like it around the UK will hopefully encourage both communities to regard each other as allies in the face of racism and extremism,” Mr Gardner said.
A man aged 22 and a 17-year-old male appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Friday on a charge of malicious mischief aggravated by religious prejudice in connection with the incident. They are also accused of possessing a baseball bat at the time.
They both pled not guilty and a trial date was fixed for 8 April.
???
are we allowed to trust them? if they really mean it then KOL HAKOVOD you guys rock!!! but if not then how do we know??
Milhouse
Ken Imrie is not an Arab name. Most Moslems in the UK are not Arabs, and from this guy’s name he’s probably not even Asian. So the klolim about Arabs don’t necessarily apply to him, and vice versa.
A Bit freaked but interesting!
To Millhouse
– Ken may not be a moslem/srab name but Imrie is!!!
Unfortunately you can’t come to the conclusion that all is fine and dandy because his name seems ok!
Milhouse
No, Imrie is NOT an Arab name. Where did you get the idea? Whoever heard of an Arab called Imrie? I’ll bet this Imrie is not an Arab.
Pinchos Woolstone
there are many Jews who have anglicized names especially in the UK.
The is true most probably for many second and third generation Arabs and Moslems.
There are numerous anglo-Saxon converts to Islam in Britain, a catergory in which Mr Imre probably falls into.
Further, such non Jews should be encouraged if they are genuine in their expressed feeling
Milhouse
Exactly, he’s probably a Scotsman who converted to Islam. Imrie is a Scottish name, not an Arab one. Which means he’s likely to be a civilised person and not an Arab. That was my entire point. Then this “a bit freaked” person comes along and claims that it’s an Arab name; if so, please mention any well-known Arab with that name.
Milhouse
Pinchos, that’s exactly my point. This Imrie is almost certainly not an Arab but a Scottish convert to Islam, and therefore a civilised person. Nothing can be deduced from him about Arabs, or from Arabs about him.
Julia Dickinson
As a non jew,living in the United Kingdom/Great Britain? in what is perceied as a multi-cultural society, I have my reservations.I do believe that Scotland, in general, is a far more tolerent society when it comes to ‘colour’of skin rather than ‘religon’.However,what is the motive?What would be expected in return?Trust?Some sort of alliegience?Sorry.I don/t buy it.I lived in Stamford Hill as a student (my landlady was jewish),& I will never forget the warmth,advice etc that she gave me as an 18 yr old away from home for the first time.These guys appear straightforward,don’t believe it.