London school asks students to fast for Gaza

Tower Hamlets school faces criticism over planned "fast for Gaza" to raise money for UNICEF as Jewish families raise concerns about their children's safety in the school.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF DECEMBER 13, 2024 02:29

An illustrative image of a class in an elementary school. (photo credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)

A London secondary school has asked students and staff to “come together in a collective fast” to support the people of Palestine, according to the school's website.

The “fast for Gaza” is set to take place on Friday, December 13, at George Green’s School in Tower Hamlets, a school where more than half of students qualify for free school meals.

The school’s website featured a post promoting the fast, along with two bake sales and two sports tournaments, with the aim of raising money for UNICEF. 

An anonymous parent of a Jewish student reportedly told The Jewish Chronicle that her child has been hiding their identity and has been made to feel that being Jewish at the school is “subversive.”

“The school organizing something like this causes a sense of shame for the [Jewish] kids. The school has a point of view, and it is against Jewish students,” the parent was quoted as saying.

“The school has decided who is good and who is bad. Judaism has been portrayed as bad. No one is going to go out and announce [they are Jewish] at that school," the JC further cited the parent as saying. 

According to the parent, a Palestinian flag had been placed outside the school for the month after October 7. The parent also reportedly added that there had been incidents in which swastikas were inscribed in some classrooms and stairwells.

Previous fast 

Jon Ryder, the school’s principal, told the publication that the "collective fast event" was “organized in response to student voices on this issue and follows on from a similar event we ran a year ago, which raised several thousand pounds.”

“As a Unicef Gold Award Rights Respecting school, we take any acts of discrimination incredibly seriously and will always investigate and take appropriate action if we are made aware of it, in line with our behavior policy,” he reportedly added.