Top Hasidic singer’s UK show cancelled due to security fears, moves to new venue

After Benny Friedman’s concert in London was canceled due to security fears related to antisemitic threats, a show by the American Hasidic singer will go on at a different, larger location.

Friedman was scheduled to play at the Clapham Grand, a refurbished Victorian music hall, as part of his “Am Yisrael Chai” tour on January 6, 2025. But just one day after tickets went on sale, the music hall pulled out.

The show has now been rescheduled at the Lighthouse Theatre in London’s Camberwell, which Friedman said has a 50 percent greater capacity.

Friedman initially blamed the decision on political factors, writing on his Facebook page that, “despite strong ticket sales, the theater hosting the event has chosen to rescind their agreement due to Benny’s vocal support of Israel.”

However, ACM Events clarified on its own Facebook page that the Clapham Grand’s decision to cancel was not because of antisemitism, but due to “security concerns surrounding non-participants of the event.” It added that the Clapham Grand was the only theater that had initially accepted to host the show, while other theaters were unwilling to even consider it, due to fears of protests by anti-Israel groups.

Since October 7, 2023, many Jewish and Israeli performers have found their events canceled by venues concerned about violent anti-Israel protesters. Antisemitic events in the United Kingdom have surged since Hamas terrorists launched their war against Israel, infiltrating towns, killing some 1,200, and kidnapping 251. Anti-Jewish attacks more than doubled in the UK in the first half of 2024 to 1,978, according to the Community Security Trust (CST), a non-profit organization working to secure British Jewry.

Friedman called on his fans to avoid targeting the Clapham Grand with negative comments. “As the Lubavitcher Rebbe [the late head of the Lubavitch Chabad Hasidic group] taught us, rather than combating darkness, we should focus on increasing the light,” he wrote.

Friedman is an immensely popular singer in the Orthodox music world, with bouncy, inspiring songs like “Yesh Tikvah” (There Is Hope), “I’m a Jew and I’m Proud,” and “Todah” (Thanks), streamed millions of times on social media.

The Am Yisrael Chai tour is also scheduled to visit Brazil, Canada, and the United States in February.