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Squatters take over artist’s flat

An Israeli artist has been left homeless and penniless after a gang of squatters invaded his home in South London.

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An Israeli artist has been left homeless and penniless after a gang of squatters invaded his home in South London.

His troubles were compounded after he developed septicaemia and was admitted to hospital in north London.

The artist, who has not been named, had returned to Israel six months ago to visit his wife, who had given birth to a child. When he returned to his London home, he found that it had been broken into and occupied by a number of Polish men. Inside, were all his possessions, including original works of art.

He went to stay with relatives in north London and it was while he was staying with them that he was admitted to the Whittington Hospital suffering from septicaemia.

The artist has been told that he can hire bailiffs to eject the squatters from the property because it was owned and lived in, rather than being empty and owned by an absentee landlord. However, the JC understands that he has reached an impasse because he has no money to pay legal fees.

The artist's plight has been brought to the attention of New North London Masorti Synagogue in East Finchley. Minister Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg said: "We heard about this man through a member and a couple of members have given him some help."

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