It was the second night of Chanukah

 It was the second night of Chanukah

It was the second night of Chanukah and once again we were united, defiant and harmonious, one big happy family, a religion undaunted by yet another tragedy and convinced that with constructive dialogue, amicable negotiation and just a large helpful of understanding we can get through this one. It doesn't matter how long it takes but we will stop this madness, mayhem, bedlam, this downward spiral into multiple murders, traumatic and unnecessary deaths and, above all, we will achieve peace in our times.

On Sunday morning we awoke to discover that terrorism had reared its ugly head for what seem likes the umpteenth time. In fact it felt as if yet another violent violation of our civil liberties had been snatched away, a crime perpetrated for a figure that is now dangerously close to the hundreds of thousands in recent years. These are undeniable facts.  It could have been happened in any corner of the universe, some random location in any country or state, town, city or village but this time it was Australia. Why Australia. It's inexplicable and unforgivable.  

The setting was Bondi Beach in Australia, the other side of the world if you happen to live in the UK but so close to home for the beautiful Jews of both Europe, Asia, Africa or anywhere on the map of the globe. Once again the despicable scum who tread this Earth are determined to eliminate all Jews and they have failed miserably because we're stronger, prouder, fitter and, above all louder in our condemnation of what took place on an Australian beach as far away from London and Britain as it could possibly be. 

But here we were huddling together next to Parliament Square in the heart of London's political discussion rooms and this was Westminster at its most impassioned, fervent, angry, almost revolutionary. We could hardly have done anything more to express our most innermost emotions. This was the place to remind those who walk the hallowed corridors and lobbies of the House of Commons that the Jews will never go away because we are here to protest against their complete indifference, their pathetic passivity. 

Politicians it would seem can never seem to get it right. If there had been even been the remotest hint of compassion and a genuine commitment to eradicating the horrible cancer of hatred and antisemitism then surely we would have heard about it by now. And yet we were still waiting last night, flying Israeli flags, even the Union Jack and fighting back against the evil and malicious forces of relentless terrorism. We are now slowly recovering from the catastrophic events in the Middle East and we are back where we belong.  

There is though, a deeply uncomfortable silence in the heart of Westminster and all of the mainstream political parties are either world weary, tired or just being plain heartless. Their admittedly sympathetic responses are all well and good but you begin to think that all of these talking heads are just sycophantic outbursts simply designed just to make us believe that they do care. Last night demonstrated an obvious unease, a fury and exasperation aimed at the very people who should be doing a lot more than has hitherto been the case. 

All three parties including Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem, stand on their respective soapboxes and immediately send out their heartfelt condolences, those endless commiserations about the outrageous losses of life, their unyielding support of all Jews across the world. They are more than ready to wrap warm arms around the people of Israel and the Jewish religion and just hug them deeply, resonantly and affectionately because they must know what they're going through. However, it all seems very dutiful and respectful, a touching gesture of course but, after all, we were here to celebrate Chanukah. 

Instead, we had Chief Rabbi Mirvis, a solitary but noble figure desperately appealing for a line to be drawn under the sand, no more war, anguish, bloodied clothes, dying children or broken families. The Chief Rabbi is head of a community crying out for no more incidents like the one in Australia and he must be heartily sick of this mass slaughter. We all want this to end now and never ever happen again. And, if any killing machine is ready to take up arms, this humble little writer would like to remind you that he is the grandson of a Holocaust survivor and we never ever want to see a repetition of what happened during the Second World War. 

Here are moral, ethical and spiritual boundaries that are just being trampled into the ground. We detest violence, we are revolted by the spite, the almost medieval brutality of it all. What unfolded in Australia was symptomatic of a much deeper disease that refuses to go away. We know we can do nothing as such but we were in Westminster and we were livid, incensed, incandescent, fuming, storming the barricades, shouting purposefully to be heard. 

We were surrounded by dogs, the massive presence of the CST, the Jewish security organisation who have always kept us safe. People were wandering around the solemn introspection of a Monday evening in Westminster, searching for answers and not getting the ones they so richly deserved. They listened to the dignitaries but then turned their wrath and disgust on the so called politicians, those angels of good or allegedly so. They roared over and over again almost incessantly when the name of London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan was mentioned. Here was a man who deliberately polarises opinion and now, in the eyes of some maybe emerges as the most wicked man in the world. But this may be too extreme. To all intents and purposes, this does seem to be the case but you couldn't possibly comment. Mr Khan, you're being held to account. 

Khan has made no secret of the fact of his disapproval of last night's events in Westminster. Khan went on record as saying that he didn't want last night's gathering to take place. It hardly seems possible that one man could be so rigidly opposed to not only a meeting place for peace but the celebration of  Chanukah. So we sighed with righteous indignation yet again and demanded the immediate dismissal of Khan as Mayor of London. The man, we believe, is insufferable.

But can we really place in our implicit trust in a body of men and women who burn the midnight oil, passing legislation during the day and then reassuring the Jewish community that they have them onside when it comes to much more serious issues? There is an almost reluctant and grudging acknowledgement of the gunfire at Bondi Beach, the shrieking bullets that so cruelly took the lives of a Holocaust survivor and then are yet more victims of circumstances. We must all take to the streets over and again and say no more please. It has to end now because this now very powerful campaigner on behalf of peace has said enough is enough because we cherish the gift of life. No more and never again.