Manchester Jews Fight Hate Amid Rising Antisemitic Attacks

0:00On April 26, anti-Semitic incidents in the UK have spiked since the October 7th attacks and Israel's war in Gaza. The community security trust tracked 3,700 cases last year alone. In Greater Manchester, home to 30,000 Jews, the UK's second-largest community. A brutal attack hit Heaton Park synagogue on October 2nd, killing two people and seriously injuring three others. Recent weeks brought more violence, with arson strikes on two London synagogues, a Jewish charity and four community ambulances in North London. These follow a pattern of rising hate targeting Jewish sites across the country. Local Jews in areas like Salford and Presquitch say the fear feels normalized now. Folks like 24-year-old shop workers describe hiding kippas in sketchy spots, dodging abuse from passing cars or just staying extra. Vigiland. One guy noted everyone knows someone touched by the synagogue attack, turning daily life into a constant watch.

1:02Community leaders echo that unease. Rabbi Dovid Lewis worries about his kids safety and locked doors. But vows not to let haters dictate their lives. His family fought in World War II. And they're staying put. The Jewish Representative Council calls it a tsunami of hate, slamming high security schools as a disgrace while urging government and Brits to tackle. Rube causes. This resilient Manchester Jewish scene won't back down, but they're calling on everyone to step up and shut down the hate for good.