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Rabbi says Jewish community feels less safe nearly a year after Manchester synagogue attack

Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation holds a memorial service amid rising reports of antisemitic hate crimes across England and Wales.

The short version

  • Rabbi Daniel Walker stated that the Manchester Jewish community feels more vulnerable now than immediately after the October 2025 attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation.
  • The attack on Yom Kippur in 2025 left two dead and three injured, which was followed by additional antisemitic incidents internationally and across the UK.
  • Police figures obtained by the BBC indicate violent hate crimes targeting Jewish people across 33 police forces in England and Wales have increased by nearly two-thirds since 2022.

Key facts

  • Rabbi Daniel Walker of Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation stated that rising antisemitism and unaddressed core issues have left the community feeling increasingly vulnerable.[BBC News]
  • The October 2025 attack by Jihad al-Shamie resulted in the deaths of Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby and injured three others.[BBC News]
  • A BBC Freedom of Information request revealed that violent hate crimes targeting Jewish individuals across 33 police forces in England and Wales rose by nearly two-thirds since 2022.[BBC News]
  • Greater Manchester Police recorded 150 antisemitic hate crimes in the first seven months of 2026, compared to 182 total recorded in 2025.[BBC News]

Sources