by Kathy Shaw, SPARK Manager
I read an interesting article this week on the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Network by Simon Phillips; he works at Leeds Jewish Housing Association.
Living as a Jewish person in Britain must feel anything but safe after the horrific stabbing of two Jewish people in Golders Green a few weeks ago. There has been an unprecedented increase in antisemitic incidents in the last year.
The Community Security Trust monitors and responds to antisemitism and reported 3,700 incidents in 2025. Police recorded religious hate crimes in England and Wales reached a record high of 7,164 in the same period, an increase of 3%.
The real-life impact for people living in fear because of their religion includes thinking carefully about where you live, where your children go to school and how you can safely socialise.
Leeds Jewish Housing Association has removed signs from some of their offices and locations to reduce the risk of being targeted, windows are covered with special film to minimise the impact of criminal damage.
In some areas of Leeds, adults and children seeking asylum are subjected to a torrent of abuse from people shouting in front of their accommodation.
How can this be right in Leeds, a City of Sanctuary?
Wherever we come from, whatever our faith or belief, we all have a right to feel safe.
In cities around the UK, individuals and communities are rejecting messages of discrimination and harassment and stepping up to support people seeking sanctuary, making sure they have the connections and practical help to rebuild their lives. With this in mind, let’s be part of a more confident and positive message of hope and counter these messages of division.
Simple acts can make a difference.
- Recognise our shared humanity and approach each interaction with solidarity and compassion
- Reflect on and challenge harmful narratives, actions, words or phrases that feed into a culture of ignorance and lack of inclusivity
- Ensure EDI and racial justice training in workplaces, education and faith settings reflects the lived experiences of people who are marginalised
- Plan or attend an event during Refugee Week 15-21 June 2026 – sharing experiences and culture through food, art and activities to encourage understanding across our communities
Pope Leo has frequently spoken about the need to break down barriers between class and race, urging us to move beyond the fear of those we see as different. Faith should never be used to drive people apart and Pope Leo calls on all believers to mobilise their faith to unify with others, regardless of nationality or religious background.
At SPARK Social Justice, we believe our strength lies in honouring every person’s equal dignity and worth, especially during these times of conflict or challenge. We hope we can be part of a message which challenges prejudice, oppression and persecution against every human being.
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