The Religious Zionists of America-Mizrachi today (Sunday) expressed outrage and deep sorrow following the October 2 terrorist attack on worshippers outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Manchester, England, which left two Jews dead and several others wounded on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year.
Stephen M. Flatow, President of RZA-Mizrachi, condemned the attack and called on British authorities to move beyond expressions of sympathy and address the deeper causes of rising antisemitic violence across the United Kingdom.
“Words of condolence are not enough,” Flatow said. “Britain must confront the policies that have allowed radicalization and antisemitism to flourish in its streets — from uncontrolled migration without integration, to the normalization of hate-filled protests masquerading as political activism.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised to “do everything in my power to guarantee the security that you deserve.” RZA-Mizrachi welcomes the statement but urges concrete action to restore public safety and moral clarity.
Britain’s political choices — including the government’s recent recognition of a Palestinian state — have sent dangerous signals at a volatile moment, according to the RZA.
“By recognizing a Palestinian state without demanding the renunciation of terror or the release of hostages, the UK government emboldened extremists,” Flatow noted. “That decision, combined with permissive street demonstrations that glorify ‘intifada,’ has made Britain’s Jews feel isolated and exposed.”
RZA-Mizrachi urged the British government to:
-Enforce hate-crime laws and prosecute antisemitic incitement.
-Regulate demonstrations that glorify violence or target Jewish institutions.
-Invest in integration programs that teach civic responsibility and shared values.
-Affirm publicly that Jews are full partners in Britain’s national life, not a community to be “protected” from the outside.
“The Manchester attack is not only a Jewish tragedy; it’s a British one,” Flatow added. “If the United Kingdom cannot protect its Jews, it cannot protect its democratic values either.”