Britain’s King Charles has agreed to become the patron of one of the country’s largest Jewish charities, it said on Tuesday, a day after the suspected antisemitic arson attack in north London.
The Community Security Trust, which advises Britain’s estimated 280,000 Jews on security matters, said the king had accepted its invitation to be its patron, reflecting the monarch’s “longstanding commitment to promoting tolerance, inclusion, and interfaith understanding.”
“This is a powerful recognition of [the King’s] longstanding support for the Jewish community and the fight against antisemitism,” said CST.
The King's long-standing support for the Jewish community
The Royal Communications at Buckingham Palace told The Jerusalem Post that His Majesty has accepted the patronage and that it has been in the works for some time. It added that the patronage was not in direct response to Monday’s arson and that the King’s support for the Jewish community is well documented.
Last year, Charles visited a synagogue in northern England following an attack that left two Jewish worshipers dead. He said at the time he was “deeply shocked and saddened” and met some of those who had been inside when it took place.
In the early hours of Monday, four ambulances belonging to Jewish charity Hatzalah were set on fire in an attack that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said was “deeply shocking,” while police are investigating a possible link to Iran.
In Britain, concern has mounted about rising levels of antisemitism, and the CST said that last year was the country’s second worst on record for incidents.
“It is too early for me to attribute last night’s attack in Golders Green to the Iranian state... but whoever was responsible, the impact is serious,” London police chief Mark Rowley told the CST’s annual dinner on Monday.
He said counter-terrorism police were looking into an online claim of responsibility by an Islamist group, which has said it was responsible for other attacks across Europe and has Iranian state links.
Lord Daniel Finkelstein, a trustee of the CST, told the dinner crowd that the King is the community’s “greatest ally.”
Referring to the arson, he said, “We are not just Jews; we are British Jews. We stay strong, and we stay here. We have seen worse, and we have come through it.”