Vigil held at Manchester synagogue one week after terror attack

Jewish people have stood in silence outside their synagogue to mark the moment a week ago when two of their community were murdered by an Islamist terrorist.

Dozens of local Jews, some with arms linked or hugging, paid tribute to father-of-three Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, the “quiet hero” who blocked the doors of the Heaton Park Hebrew Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, as it came under attack last Thursday.

Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, rang 999 during his deadly rampage, pledging allegiance to the so-called Islamic State terror group.

He drove his car at Jews gathering for the holy day of Yom Kippur then attacked others with a knife and tried to storm the synagogue, wearing a fake suicide belt, before being shot dead by armed police.

Amid a heavy police presence, families of both the men he murdered were present for a short vigil on the steps outside the synagogue led by Rabbi Daniel Walker, who was present at the time of the attack.

The rabbi told mourners that “evil tried to defile these steps” but that evil will not prevail.

Raphi Bloom, a board representative on the Jewish Representative Council for Greater Manchester and Region (JRC), said: “A week ago, at precisely this time, the moment we had all feared and warned our political leaders about occurred, with horrific consequences.

“Two kind, gentle innocent men, Melvin and Adrian… were murdered on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year, by an evil Islamic terrorist, simply because they were Jewish.

“As a Jewish community, we are mourning, we are scared, we feel isolated, and we are angry, very angry because we screamed this would happen and no one listened.”

Mr Bloom asked Jews not to be “cowed” and those of other faiths or none to call out antisemitism whenever or wherever they see it.

Marc Levy, chief executive of the JRC, said the fact that British Jews had to live behind gates and need security guards is a “moral failing in our society”.

He added: “To those who speak with forked tongues or are disingenuous, please know you will be called out.”

Local political leaders, including Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig, were accused of “gaslighting” Jews.

Manchester has seen weekly pro-Palestinian marches involving alleged antisemitic chanting and a row has broken out over a planned gig by outspoken punk duo Bob Vylan next month at Manchester University Students’ Union.

The JRC wants the event cancelled after the musicians caused controversy in chanting “death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)” during a performance at Glastonbury music festival in June, livestreamed by the BBC, which the corporation’s director-general Tim Davie subsequently said was “a very significant mistake”, and branded the performance “antisemitic” and “deeply disturbing”.

Mr Bloom said: “It is a failure of political leadership. Nationally and locally, absolutely it’s a failure of leadership.

“We’ve been screaming about these marches for two years. When youths chant to globalise the intifada for 104 weeks, somebody will globalise the intifada. And they did here at Heaton Park Synagogue a week ago.

“The fact that no one wants to take ownership of Vylan speaking in Manchester is a huge disappointment…

“We are angry about it. The combined authority won’t make a comment on it, Manchester council won’t make a comment on it, the university says it’s not their issue.

“The Student Union are ignoring us, which is shameful considering what our community has gone through.

“And actually, it’s gaslighting the Jewish community at the worst time in our history in this country.

“It’s not good enough, somebody needs to take leadership on this issue.

“We’re fearful. One of the reasons we’re fearful is because people like Vylan our coming to our city, exhorting their audience to go and hunt Zionists in the street.

“Enough is enough. Words are not good enough. We need actions.”

Mr Burnham and Ms Craig have not responded to a request from the PA news agency for comment.

The University of Manchester directed media calls about the matter to the Students’ Union, which declined to comment.