Leeds Jewish University Chaplain Receives Death Threats

By Vicki Belovski

A British university chaplain and his family were advised by police to live in a safe house after receiving repeated death threats.

Rabbi Zecharia Deutsch and his wife, Nava, the Jewish student chaplaincy couple at Leeds University, and their two children are currently residing in a secret house following a mounting campaign of abuse, culminating in death threats made on the entire family. 

Rabbi Deutsch, originally from Israel, returned there after Oct. 7 to serve in the IDF as a reservist, and since then he and his young family have been targeted by anti-Israel campaigners, who accused him of “genocide” and ultimately made threats kill him and his family. In a separate, but related incident, the Leeds Hillel House – the main Jewish community center for students – was defaced with antisemitic graffiti.

More than 500 current and former students of Leeds University, both Jewish and non-Jewish, have written an open letter to the vice-chancellor, Professor Hai-Sui Yu, saying they were “shocked and saddened” by the antisemitism on campus.  The letter says, “The university has a duty – both morally and legally – to report and prevent extremist behavior, which no doubt includes defacing a Jewish community center for students. We expect to see the university wholeheartedly condemning this behavior – and acting decisively to curtail it.”

Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education MP Robert Halfon met with Rabbi and Rebbetzin Deutsch, at his own request, to express “his utmost support for the couple and their continued role at the university.” During the meeting, Mr. Halfon also reaffirmed the Government’s commitment “to do everything possible to combat antisemitism on campus.”

Leeds University issued a statement in which they said, “We totally condemn the antisemitic abuse and threats directed towards the chaplain and his family – such attacks on any individual are unacceptable and will not be tolerated from members of the public or our University community.” The statement also said, “We are appalled that our Jewish student community was also targeted by a criminal act at Hillel House and share the concerns expressed for their safety and wellbeing. The University is actively supporting West Yorkshire Police and the Union of Jewish Students as the property owners as they investigate this incident as a hate crime.”

The statement continued to list the efforts which the university has made to protect the safety and wellbeing of Jewish students on campus, including liaising with the local police, increasing patrols in the area, and working with University Jewish Chaplaincy (UJC) and CST.

A spokesperson for UJC said, “We are deeply shocked and appalled by the despicable torrent of antisemitic hate and threats of violence being directed at Rabbi Zecharia Deutsch and his family … to find ourselves in this situation in the UK in 2024 marks a dark period for British Jews.

“We wholeheartedly support Professor Hai-Sui Yu’s commitment to root out antisemitism on campus and look forward to working with him to re-establish a safe an welcoming environment for all Jewish students in Leeds, under the leadership of the Deutschs.”