She spoke at the reception in front of dozens of MPs and peers, including Emily Thornberry, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary; Tzipi Hotovely, Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister, and Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis.
Ms Thornberry said Chanucah was one of her favourite festivals, but added: “The events of the last year have had enormous ramifications for our communities and there has been a rise in racism and particularly antisemitism.
“We need to have faith in one another and respect for one another.”
She was heckled by Conservative MPs, with one Tory saying in response: “What about in your own party?”
John McDonnell, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, attended the event, as did Dawn Butler, the party’s Shadow Minister for Minority Ethnic Communities.
Rabbi Mirvis’s address was warmly received by the 150 attendees when he urged communities to harness the spirit of both Chanucah and Christmas throughout the year.
He said: “Let us dedicate ourselves to ensure that the spirit of Chanucah stays with us for the entire year. Never underestimate the power we have to ensure that light prevails over darkness.”
Guest speaker Robert Peston, ITV political editor, who said he was a non-practising Jew, described his own experiences of antisemitism.
