A Passover gift box sent to the Jewish community in Greenwich and Docklands arrived with the words “Free Palestine” and “Gaza” scrawled on it.
The package was part of a Europe-wide matzah distribution campaign organized by the European Jewish Association (EJA), in collaboration with the Rabbinical Centre of Europe (RCE) and the BASSAD community organization. This initiative distributes 160,000 boxes of matzah to over 600 Jewish communities across the continent.
Rabbi Ephraim Carlebach of Greenwich told Jewish News that the local community, supported by volunteers, delivers about 300 boxes to families and individuals in the area. He believes the defacement occurred at the warehouse where the parcels were collected and confirmed the incident is under investigation.
“While it’s a bit disheartening to experience something like this during Pesach, it only strengthens our resolve to continue supporting the community,” said Rabbi Carlebach. “The message of Pesach is resilience—no matter the challenges, we will continue to grow and thrive.”
EJA chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin described the act as “troubling,” emphasizing that using a religious delivery to send a political message—especially during a sacred holiday—is both “inappropriate and unsettling.” He called for respectful dialogue and coexistence, expressing hope that this incident remains isolated.
Although most deliveries went smoothly, the incident has sparked concerns over rising tensions and the challenges Jewish communities face in some parts of Europe. Photo by Jonathunder, Wikimedia commons.
