The Chief Rabbi of Britain, Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, said on Thursday night that the ongoing wave of hatred against Jews in Britain made the terrorist attack in Manchester, during Yom Kippur, inevitable.
“Our hearts are shattered. Emerging from the holy fast of Yom Kippur, British Jews are now grasping the full extent of today’s terror attack at the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester,” Rabbi Mirvis wrote in a post on X.
“This is the day we hoped we would never see, but which deep down, we knew would come. For so long we have witnessed an unrelenting wave of Jew hatred on our streets, on campuses, on social media and elsewhere - this is the tragic result,” he added.
Rabbi Mirvis pointed out that the attack is “not only an assault on the Jewish community, but an attack on the very foundations of humanity and the values of compassion, dignity and respect which we all share.”
“I have spoken this evening to Rabbi Daniel Walker, the spiritual leader of the Heaton Park Synagogue. His courageous leadership, together with the resilience of his congregation, are an inspiration to us all,” he continued.
“May the victims’ memories be for a blessing and may the injured be granted a swift recovery. I pray that this tragedy strengthens our collective resolve to confront antisemitism, in all its guises, once and for all,” concluded Rabbi Mirvis.
Two Jews were murdered and three others were seriously injured in Thursday’s attack outside a synagogue in Manchester.
Eyewitnesses said they saw a car speeding toward a gathering outside the building. After ramming into people, the driver exited the vehicle and began stabbing those nearby before being neutralized. The bomb disposal unit was called to the scene, and the police confirmed it was a terrorist attack, noting that two individuals were arrested.
Rabbi Daniel Walker saved dozens of worshippers when he blocked the synagogue doors as the terrorist tried to enter after ramming and stabbing worshippers outside the building.