- Sadiq Khan says the 310 bus was introduced to make Jewish Londoners feel safer, connecting Golders Green and Stamford Hill.
- This article examines the assimilation of the Jewish community in London into the wider community.
I mean, I don’t know about you, but I didn’t see any boys wearing yarmulkes being attacked during the London riots a few weeks ago. Instead, I saw Mosques being attacked, a Black man and an Asian taxi driver being pummelled by a group of thugs, predominantly Muslim areas having their house and car windows smashed, and fanatic EDL supporters bellowing Islamophobic chants in the streets of the UK.
Despite all this, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan’s latest chess move is the launch of the 310 bus, a direct link between Golders Green and Stamford Hill, areas with significant Jewish populations.
Wait, hold on. Let’s put this on the table at speed before the inevitable happens: I am not an antisemite for saying I don’t get it. Of course we want the safety for all Londoners, the Jewish community included. However, this seems somewhat bizarre.
The Ham & High, a local North London newspaper write:
“The bus was introduced after a 16-year campaign from the Jewish community which said there was a need to connect the two neighbourhoods to help tackle “a terrible rise in antisemitism…..The Ham & High has been told of a spate of muggings at some bus stops as school children wait long periods for the next bus, and fears of safety when its dark during the mornings and evenings in the fall and winter.”
Hold your horses, muggings in London? And now Jewish school kids are supposedly targeted for antisemitism? You’re kidding, right? Kids waiting for the bus at 4pm in the dark in December?What’s next, rain in London?
Moreover, you should tell all of this to 14 year old Kwame from Brixton. Why did he not get the same special bus service? He’s not just at risk of getting mugged but severe risk of being stabbed on his way home from school. His best friend was killed in a knife attack. Moreover, his parents can’t afford a car to get stuck in the school run. This is his reality.
My point is, all children should be protected from harm and kept safe. It’s great that Khan is processing extra measures to keep the Jewish community safe but why are they receiving preferential treatment? I’m no Sherlock Holmes but under the circumstances, perhaps we ought to look at the facts and figures here?
Anti- Muslim hate and anti Migrant hate on Telegram spiked by 246% and 276% respectively after the Southport attack, with calls for violence peaking on August 4 and 5.
Islamophobic attacks have more than tripled in the four months following October 7, according to a UK charity. Tell Mama has documented 2,010 incidents of Islamophobia between October 7 and February 7—a significant increase from the 600 reported during the same period the previous year. Additionally, the charity recorded numerous cases of physical assault, abusive behaviour, threats, and vandalism, with the majority of incidents—576 cases—occurring in London. The charity noted that Muslim women were the targets in two-thirds of these recorded incidents.
There have been reports of increased antisemitism, but these are pale in comparison to the threats faced by the Muslim community, which were evident during the London riots.
Then there’s the matter of assimilation. Surely, the introduction of the 310 bus will only serve to further exacerbate this issue. A Guardian article highlighted how Haredi Jews in Stamford Hill do not integrate with the broader community. Furthermore, the middle class often remains distinct from the working class.
Similarly, a Sunday Times investigation by Andrew Norfolk, first conducted in 2015 and revisited in 2023, revealed that Yeshivas in Stamford Hill, which focus exclusively on Torah instruction for boys, offer no secular education. Norfolk also uncovered that many teachers in these schools speak only Yiddish, with little to no proficiency in English. This has resulted in many Jewish boys leaving school with a limited command of the language. Despite the Department for Education’s awareness of these unregistered schools since 2015, no action has been taken. Norfolk highlights that, while the government has shown a keen interest in regulating private Islamic schools, it has not applied the same level of scrutiny to Jewish institutions. Consequently, I’m unsure how the new 310 bus will help young British Jewish boys in London integrate and improve their English language skills.
In addition, The Royal Free hospital in Belsize Park caters to the Jewish community only. There is also a “Jewish Ambulance” available in the locality and a “Jewish police service”.
