Rabbi Daniel Walker said the sense of vulnerability had grown within the Jewish community
The Jewish community at a synagogue where two men were killed in 2025 feels less safe now than it did immediately after the attack, its rabbi has said almost one year on.
Rabbi Daniel Walker said rising antisemitism, combined with a lack of action to "deal with core problems", had left many members of Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Manchester – and British Jews more widely – feeling increasingly vulnerable as the anniversary of the attack approaches.
"I think we're actually almost in a harder position than we were even immediately after the attack," he said ahead of a memorial service for the victims and survivors which will take place later today.
"I think the sense of vulnerability has grown. It hasn't diminished."
Yoni Finlay said Jewish people are "having to hide their identity"
One of those injured in the attack said his son has since faced death threats and that overall "things don't feel safer".
Yoni Finlay was hit by a stray police bullet while helping to barricade the doors as Jihad Al-Shamie attacked the synagogue.
Ahead of a memorial service planned for Monday evening, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the past year had not been easy but he had been supported by friends and family.
Asked how the Jewish community was feeling almost a year on, he said: "I don't think things feel safer, I think we certainly live behind ever increasing gates, more security than we've ever had."
Finlay said that while more is being done to protect the Jewish community, "any event that we attend within the community, the address is never displayed on the poster".
"Jewish people are having to hide their identity," he said. "Even my own son, who's in college at the moment, has faced death threats."
Adrian Daulby, left, and Melvin Cravitz, right, were killed in the attack on the synagogue in Manchester
Two men, Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby, were killed and three others were injured as they tried to defend their synagogue from al-Shamie on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, on 2 October 2025.
A wave of worldwide attacks followed over subsequent months.
