An Israeli man was attacked in London’s Golders Green neighborhood on Monday, sustaining severe cuts and bruises to his face and body, after he was heard speaking Hebrew by a group of Arabic-speaking men, in what police are treating as an antisemitic hate crime.
Police were searching for the attackers of 22-year-old Shalev Ben Yakar in the northwest London neighborhood, which has a large Jewish community. Last month, two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green in an antisemitic terror attack.
Ben Yakar, who often comes to London to visit family, was reported to have stepped outside his apartment to make a phone call around 2 a.m., so as not to disturb his roommates.
According to Ben Yakar, who spoke with Ynet, five or six men approached after hearing him speak Hebrew, and asked if he was Jewish. After Ben Yakar replied in the affirmative, he said, the men began “punching me, kicking me,” and screaming “Jew, Jew” in Arabic.
Ben Yakar said he was dragged across the road where the men tore at his clothes.
Get The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition
by email and never miss our top stories
By signing up, you agree to the terms
As someone who visits often, he said he sees London becoming more and more dangerous to the Jews who live there.
Another Antisemitic Attack in Golders Green, London: A 22-year-old Jewish man speaking Hebrew was violently attacked early this morning in London’s heavily Jewish Golders Green neighborhood by five masked men reportedly speaking Arabic, with the victim saying, “I felt like I was… pic.twitter.com/EjZ1bwpKx3
— Michael Dickson (@michaeldickson) May 18, 2026
“It’ll get worse. For sure. Something needs to be done here,” he said.
Police reportedly told him that some of the assailants are known to them.
UK lawmaker for Golders Green Sarah Sackman called the attack “intolerable” and said she spoke with Met Police Commissioner Mark Rowley.
“The recent spate of antisemitic attacks and terror have struck fear into the heart of our community and I am pushing for more action at every level,” she added.
The Jewish Leadership Council posted online that “this is yet another appalling attack in the heart of the Jewish community in Golders Green. Our thoughts are with the victim and his family. There must be a robust response from law enforcement which demonstrates that those who violently attack Jews will face the full force of the law.”
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer (left) meets first responders from Shomrim North West London, during a visit to Golders Green, northwest London, April 30, 2026, following a terror attack on April 29 in which two Jewish men were stabbed and seriously hurt. (Stefan Rousseau/Pool via AP)
A spokesperson for the nonprofit Community Security Trust said they were providing support to the victim.
“This was a violent and appalling attack in the heart of Golders Green. The incident is being treated by the Metropolitan Police as an antisemitic hate crime, and we thank them for their swift response. At a time of heightened antisemitism, incidents like this underline the very real dangers facing Jewish communities,” the group said in a statement.
The incident was the latest in a spate of attacks that have left Jewish communities fearing for their safety, prompting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to vow stronger action.
The UK’s terrorism threat level was raised three weeks ago to the second-highest level of “severe,” amid the attacks on the Jewish community, with security officials citing the “broader Islamist and extreme right-wing terrorist threat.”
In April, two British Jews were stabbed by an assailant outside a synagogue in Golders Green. On Yom Kippur, in October, two Jewish men were killed in a terror attack on the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester, northern England.
Which gorgeous bird do you prefer?
THIS MONTH ONLY: Join our reader support group for as little as $6/month and receive an exclusive tote bag featuring one of Israel’s native birds.
Choose between the Duchifat (orange), Israel’s national bird, or the Shaldag (blue), a beloved symbol of the Israeli landscape.
As a member of the Times of Israel Community, you’ll also enjoy:
An ad-free experience of our site and podcasts.
Exclusive access to award-winning films via DocuNation.
Weekly letters from founding editor David Horovitz.
Join ToI Community & claim my bag
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You’re a dedicated reader
That’s why we started the Times of Israel – to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel