The Jewish community’s strength is real and growing

There are many moments and images that stick in my head from the last three months.

Protesters holding placards take part in a demonstration in central London on November 26, 2023 (Photo: Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images

Standing alongside our CST chair, the incomparable Gerald Ronson, and we addressed the first class of 175 people (out of over 1,100) to come forward and join CST in this time of crisis.

Fighting back my tears as I stood in the middle of the Mall, alongside about 20 CST volunteers and staff, whilst the last of the demonstrators drifted past us through the dark and the drizzle, leaving our community’s biggest protest against antisemitism in many a generation.

Every Friday afternoon since the war began I have hugged my colleagues here at CST, thanking them for another week of tireless effort, with more work to come through the weekend and into the week ahead.

 Above all, when I realised that our strength is real. The strength we have built over decades. Our strength at CST, but also our increasing strength as a community. I sense that people are moving from their initial paralysed fears to an energising righteous anger at what we are going through. It is bringing a steely determination to stand up and be counted.

There is more to come. CST will not let you down and you won’t let us down either.

 Mark Gardner is the Chief Executive of the Community Security Trust