The cancellation of the Chanukah celebration at the borough of Havering at East London, England, a topic of controversy, has been reversed, the Sun has learned, after a meeting between borough leaders and key rabbis.

The Havering Council, according to the Independent newspaper in Britain, had canceled the event “due to fears that a giant menorah” would “become the target of vandalism amid the war in Gaza.”

The London Jewish Forum, in remarks posted on X, reported that the council had “listened to the Jewish community and will be going ahead with the planned Chanukah Menorah installation,” extending thanks to “Leader Ray Morgon” and the Havering Council.

According to the account in the Independent, the Council had said it would be “unwise” for the traditional menorah to be installed outside Havering Town Hall. Going ahead, the council had concluded, could “risk further inflaming tensions within our communities,” the Independent reported.

That, however, was met with accusations of “capitulating to terrorism.” A member of Parliament, Andrew Rosindell, condemned the move.

Today, after a meeting between the leader of the Havering council and key rabbis, Rabbi Ayre Sufrin, in an email to the Sun, reported that agreement had been reached for the menora to be installed. 

The Sun was unable to reach Rabbi Sufrin by phone. In a message he sent to peers and was seen by the Sun, though, the rabbi praised the council and called the decision of the council to permit the menorah “a local Chanukah miracle.”