‘It’s going to be a rough few years’ – Jewish residents of Hackney voice concern as Greens claim historic victory

One local Jewish woman, Zahava told the JC: “The new mayor Zoë Garbett has said she's not happy with the way the police have dealt with the right to protest about 'genocide in Gaza'.

“I worry a lot about what happens next. Most people around me sadly have their heads in the sand. I do feel we are in for a rough few years now.”

In October, as a councillor, Garbett caused uproar at a council meeting when in supporting a motion to cut ties with Israel she said: “I want to be really clear what we are talking about... a genocide, apartheid, a system of oppression and domination against the Palestinian people."

At its autumn conference, the Green party is expected to consider a motion equating Zionism with racism.

Zahava expressed her fear that the bias against Israel may inflame antisemitism.

She said: “I am very concerned. Their idea of Zionism equalling racism is going to make hate crimes much worse in my opinion.”

Zahava is worried that this underlying issue could leak into the local politics of Hackney.

She said: “The whole Gaza manifesto to me means that there will be a lot more protests in the area.”

Another Charedi resident who wants to remain anonymous told the JC: “There is concern that local politics should not become dominated by divisive debates about the Middle East.

“In Stamford Hill, Jewish and Muslim neighbours have lived alongside each other respectfully for many, many years. On my road, a mosque and a synagogue sit close to each other, and relations have remained positive because people have focused on being good neighbours locally, rather than importing overseas conflict into local community life.

“We hope the new mayor and her administration will keep that spirit and focus on practical local issues that bring communities together.”

The resident added that local Jews want the new council to focus on the local concerns such as housing, bin collection, and streets, not international politics.

Local issues loom large also for Hackney resident Levi Schapiro, founder and head of the Jewish Community Council (JCC).

He told the JC: “The main concerns, obviously, is that the Greens are very focused on the climate and reducing emissions. In trying to do that, they close roads and try to pedestrianise and want everyone riding bikes.

“For us, closing roads is a nightmare. Jewish people in our community don't drive because it's a luxury, we drive because it's a necessity. We have large cars because we have large families. None of us are driving fancy sports cars – everyone is driving big seven-seaters or minivans because we have a lot of children.

“We need to be able to take them to school, to shul, pick them up, take them home, and go to the grocery store.

“What are we going to do if they close the roads? Carry around seven children on the back of a bicycle?”

Other Jewish residents are more positive about the prospect of the Greens in power. Motty Pinter, director of communal affairs Orthodox network The Interlink Foundation, believes that the community can work successfully with any administration.

Pinter spoke of outgoing Labour Mayor Caroline Woodley as a “dear friend of the Jewish community”, but looked also to the future with her successor.

He said: “We congratulate Zoë Garbett on her election as Mayor of Hackney. Stamford Hill is home to the largest Charedi community in the UK, and we look forward to working constructively with her administration on the issues that matter deeply to our community, including housing, education, planning, traffic and community infrastructure.

“Zoë has visited Stamford Hill before, and Green councillors in Hackney have engaged positively with the community. We hope to build on that relationship and continue the longstanding, constructive partnership we have had with Hackney Council over many years.”