Historic synagogue 'attacked with fireworks' during Jewish New Year, just days after Miliband unveils Israel sanctions

A group of youths blasted ‘rocket fireworks’ at a synagogue as the community celebrated the Jewish New Year.Security footage reportedly shows five youngsters - with dark hair and wearing hoodies - outside the building in Maida Vale, north-west London, on Sunday afternoon.As one kept lookout, two others hurled objects towards Lauderdale Road Synagogue causing smoke and loud bangs, before the group ran away.It came just moments after a family with young children walked past, having attended a lunch nearby to celebrate the second day of Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish New Year.The S&P Sephardi Community (S&P), which oversees the grade II-listed Lauderdale Road Synagogue, later told its members that two ‘rocket fireworks’ had been let off.In a statement, it said: ‘We are writing to let you know about an incident at the Lauderdale Road Synagogue this afternoon, and to reassure you that it is being handled.‘Two rocket fireworks were let off towards the synagogue by a group of young people. The building was empty at the time, no one was hurt, and there was no damage to report beyond the incident itself.‘There is no reason to change your plans to attend the synagogue, and we want you to feel confident coming to our buildings as usual.’ The Lauderdale Road Synagogue is grade II-listed and dates back to 1896It added that the incident had been reported immediately to police and the Community Security Trust (CST) - an anti-Semitism watchdog and security provider.‘As always, we ask everyone to stay aware of their surroundings when arriving and leaving, and to follow the guidance of our security team,’ S&P said. ‘If you notice anything that concerns you, please let [them] know straight away.’Rabbi Amir Ellituv, a senior rabbi at the synagogue, built in 1896, said: ‘Jewish families should be able to come together to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, safely, openly and without fear.‘Our synagogue is a place of prayer, community and celebration, and no one should feel intimidated or afraid when coming to worship.‘At a time of heightened concern within the Jewish community, it is more important than ever that people feel confident gathering together, safe in the knowledge that the police, Government and wider authorities will stand with us and protect our right to practise our faith freely.‘We will not allow incidents like this to deter us from coming together as a community.’ It comes days after Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband was accused of putting British Jews at risk by declaring a trade ban on Israeli settlements in the West Bank.The UK's Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis branded the move ‘gesture politics’, and warned that announcing it days before the New Year celebrations would ‘further embolden those, at home and abroad, who use hatred as a weapon against Jews’.The incident in Maida Vale also comes ahead of next month’s anniversary of the Heaton Park attack, in Manchester.Two died and three were injured at a synagogue there last year on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.A spokesman for the CST said of the most recent attack: ‘We are aware of an incident in which a group of youths reportedly set off fireworks towards the synagogue premises.‘This did not occur during services and we do not believe that anybody was hurt, but it is nonetheless a serious incident that will undoubtedly cause concern.‘CST attended the scene and is in contact with the synagogue, and is working closely with the police to establish the full circumstances. We urge anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has any information that may assist the investigation, to contact the police and CST.’The CST recorded 1,926 antisemitic incidents across the UK in the first six months of 2026 – a 21 per cent increase on the same period last year and the second-highest January-to-June total ever recorded. Of those, 96 incidents targeted synagogues, including their buildings, congregants and staff.The Metropolitan Police was approached for comment.