Ben Grossnass, a volunteer with the Jewish security group Shomrim, described the routine of responding to emergencies. On Wednesday, a minute after stabbings were reported in Golders Green, a Shomrim volunteer was on the scene, using his car to block the attacker before police arrived.
Rapid Response in Golders Green
Five weeks ago, Grossnass was woken by a phone call at 1:30 am to find four Jewish volunteer ambulances torched. On Wednesday, at 11:20 am, a panicked caller reported a man with a knife chasing people. Within a minute, a Shomrim volunteer blocked the attacker, slowing him down until officers apprehended him.
"Whenever the call comes through, even if I'm sleeping at 5 am, I will jump up and be there," Grossnass said. Shomrim, established in 2009, runs a 24-hour community emergency hotline and rapid response service. Volunteers in high-visibility yellow vests are a visible presence on the streets, often arriving before police.
Overwhelmed by Surge in Incidents
The service is overwhelmed. Grossnass reported a 500-fold increase in antisemitic incidents since 7 October 2023, after the Hamas attacks. "Five weeks ago, people woke up to huge explosions. Since then, arson attack after arson attack on local synagogues. And then a man running around trying to kill anyone visibly Jewish," he said.
"We are very stretched," Grossnass added. "We have not received government funding, which we would very much welcome." Political leaders, including Kemi Badenoch, called for government funds, describing it as a national emergency.
Volunteers Committed to Community Safety
Grossnass has volunteered for 15 years, balancing his day job in furniture sales. "For me, when someone's in distress, I want to drop everything and be there," he said. Steven Bak of Shomrim North West London said they remain unbowed: "We run towards danger to protect the community. Nothing will stop us. No fear, no hate."
Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a roundtable with Shomrim and first responders Hatzola, joined by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, MP Sarah Sackman, and Met Police Commissioner Mark Rowley. Grossnass raised issues of proscribing Iran's Revolutionary Guards and tackling antisemitism on university campuses.
Call for Public Support
"It's not about more policing, it's about stamping out where it's all coming from," Grossnass said. He urged ordinary people to speak up against hate crimes, citing an incident in Slough where bystanders intervened. "If you see something, stand up and be there for those being attacked."
