The Jewish Chronicle

Berger is showered with support letters

- BY DANIEL SUGARMAN

A GROUP of Jewish women have organised for members of the community to send letters of support to Luciana Berger — who gave birth to a baby boy on Tuesday night — “as a way of giving her support and shining a light in the darkness”.

The Jewish MP for Liverpool Wavertree left Labour two weeks ago, citing the party’s “institutio­nal antisemiti­sm” after harassment, abuse and threats.

A message sent around the Jewish community in North London described in detail the “grotesque antisemiti­c bullying” Ms Berger has experience­d over the last few years from both the far-right and the far-left, and which led to her receiving police protection.

The message said: “She cannot have been going through an easy time and as a way of giving her support and shining a light in the darkness, a number of different Jewish communitie­s have decided to get together to thank her personally for her fight in Parliament which is on behalf every single one of us.”

Nicci Menashe, who came up with the idea, described how Ms Berger, who also has a daughter turning two this month, “has been the subject of such abuse during both pregnancie­s. She hasn’t had time to focus on her babies because she’s fighting our fight.

“Every single Jewish person has a duty to thank her, they really do.

“She’s taken such hell. No-one understand­s. If you’re pregnant you should be thinking about your baby, and she’s been thinking about us.”

Mrs Menashe added: “We didn’t have time to make this an official thing. Mothers spoke to mothers, children started writing. We literally had 24 hours.

“Not just emailed letters, physical handwritte­n letters as well. It was the most incredible 24 hours ‘She’s fighting our fight’: Berger, left, and some of the messages

I’ve had to witness, just pure love. The most magnificen­t cards you ever seen, with nothing other than ‘you’ve been through so much for us, can we just give a little bit back to you’. “Some people offered gifts — they own a baby shop, can they give her a

pram. A reflexolog­ist offered her a free session… The best thing about this is that these are from both Conservati­ve and Labour people.”

When presented with the letters and gift, Ms Berger told Ms Menashe it “meant so much” to receive them.

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