Anti-semitism in Manchester still rising one year on from synagogue terror attack

It has been a year since a terror attack at a Manchester synagogue left two men dead and shook the city's Jewish community, but anti-semitic attacks are up on last year and members of the Manchester Jewish community tell us they're scared.

One of the people we spoke to told us that about the fears of violence or another attack on the jewish community, saying it's "not if something is going to happen, its when something will happen"

We've returned to a community still living in the shadow of the attack, where rising antisemitic incidents are changing daily life.

We hear from a mother who hides her Star of David, and from one of the people who helped hold the synagogue doors shut as the attacker tried to force his way inside. Listen to our documentary here:

What happened at Heaton Park Synagogue?

Last year, on the 2nd October Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old Syrian-born UK citizen, drove his car into the gates of Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall on 2nd October last year.

He then attacked people at the scene with a knife.

The attack happened on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Al-Shamie, who was wearing a fake suicide vest, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in a 999 call made moments after the attack began.

He was shot dead by armed police seven minutes after officers were alerted.

Two men died in the attack.

53-year-old Adrian Daulby had been helping to hold the synagogue's main doors shut as Al-Shamie tried to force his way inside.

He died from a single gunshot wound to the chest, fired by an armed police officer during the incident.

66-year-old Melvin Cravitz died from multiple knife wounds inflicted by Al-Shamie.

Inquests into both deaths are due to take place, although a date has not yet been fixed.

Manchester families forced to live with security at school

One mother, who asked not to be named because of fears for her family's safety, agreed to speak about what life has been like for her and her children since the attack.

She described the level of security that now surrounds everyday Jewish life in Manchester.

"Everywhere we go that's a major place of education, worship, there is security everywhere. And I cannot tell you how that makes you feel," she said.

"The other night at the memorial service, it was like being in a Hollywood movie. The amount of armed response and police units and drones that were having to walk us and stand guard whilst we went to a synagogue for a memorial service, I can't tell you how that made me feel. I felt sick inside."

She also spoke about the small, everyday compromises she now feels forced to make, including hiding her religion in public and asking her son to hide his.

"I go to the doctor's surgery and I take off my Star of David," she said.

"My son, I have to quell his excitedness when he wants to talk about being Jewish because he's learnt something or there's a festival coming up and we're in public and I've had to quell his excitement. I mean you don't quell a kid's excitement about anything and yet we've had to do that."

Anti-semitism figures increasing in Manchester

A year on, figures show antisemitic incidents in Manchester have continued to rise.

In the first eight months of this year alone, 221 incidents were recorded in the city, already more than the total figure for the whole of last year.

Marc Levy, from the Jewish Representative Council for Greater Manchester and Region, said the fact someone living among the Jewish community had been radicalised enough to want to kill people on their holiest day should alarm wider society.

"The fact that an individual living amongst Jewish people in North Manchester was radicalised and motivated to want to murder Jews on the holiest day of the year is something that should send shockwaves through the whole of society," Mr Levy said.

He said the community needs more support, pointing to recent arrests under the Terrorism Act and what he described as foiled plots against the Jewish community in the region.

A campaign for positivity one year on from the attack

As the anniversary approaches, the family of Melvin Cravitz are campaigning to build a positive legacy from his death.

His stepdaughter, Sherelle Dresner, from Bury, wants 2nd October to become 'National Mensch Day' in his memory, and is setting up a charity called Mensch Like Melvin.

Despite the fear that has followed the community over the past year, those affected say there is still hope, pride and defiance a year on from the attack.

What it was like inside the Synagogue

Ivor Rosenberg, 78, was working alongside paid security guards at the synagogue ahead of the Yom Kippur service when the attack began.

He said: "I think I probably remember every minute of it. I could see him through the window banging on the doors.

"He appeared to have a knife in his hand. He was shouting let me in, I'm coming in to kill you all.

"Fortunately, he was a big strong guy and he was pushing with all his might against the doors. We were all holding the doors but fortunately what he didn't know was the door opened outwards. So he couldn't get in.

"He started throwing plant pots at the windows to try and break them.

"The next thing I knew the police had arrived and they were armed and they came into the yard.

"There was one at either end and they shouted at him, put down your weapon and get down. And he got up and they shot him.

"He went down and got up again. And they shot him again, and this time he didn't get up."

Mr Rosenberg said the memories of that morning will always stay with him.

"Yeah, the memories there will always be there, but it certainly won't stop me going to synagogue for the holy days," he said.

"I mean, I go every day anyway. So, I certainly wouldn't think of not going because of what happened. It would make me even more determined to go."

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