Safety is not only one of the recurring themes of Jewish festivals — it is a theme of much of Jewish life today, and of our people’s history.

Over the chagim, our safety has been protected by the wonderful CST volunteers — just as it is throughout the year.

The safety of our community was an all too pressing concern during the years of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party. And next week, as we celebrate Succot, temporary buildings remind us of the relative lack of safety of the Israelites during their four decades in the desert after the Exodus.

Many of these issues are raised by Jonathan Freedland’s new play, Jews. In Their Own Words. Its performance on the stage of the Royal Court is an important step in its own right, especially given that theatre’s own history with regard to antisemitism.

But — as Kate Maltby writes this week — the issue stretches far beyond the Royal Court. Nothing, however, better illustrates the depth of the problem than the battering the Royal Court has faced since the announcement of the play, with its switchboard and social media channels flooded with abuse, much of it antisemitic.

It is a perfect example of what was once described as English irony, which Jews understand well: the theatre staging a play highlighting antisemitism is attacked for being in the pockets of the Jews.

It is to the Royal Court’s credit that it is performing Jews. In Their Own Words. But it is a further irony that those most in need of seeing it will likely go nowhere near it.