'Greatest tribute to victims is solidarity': Manchester responds to synagogue attack
The area of north Manchester, where the synagogue attack took place, has long been home to many faith groups who live, work, and worship alongside each other in what has been described as
strengthened by the countless expressions of love that had pour in.unapologetic plurality. Following the deaths of worshippers Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz on Thursday, Heaton Park Synagogue's leaders said they had been
they said. People in the area have been reflecting on what happened and expressing their hopes and concerns as the year progresses.The greatest tribute to the memory of Adrian and Melvin will be for communities around the country to come together in peace and harmony,
At a local vigil on Friday, Anna Bergson, who is married to a rabbi and whose children attend Jewish schools, said antisemitic hatred had been brewing
before the assault.
she said.You could tell it on the air that something tragic was going to happen,
punched in the stomach and [feeling that] everyone hates you. However, she said it wasWe've never been completely relaxed, we've always been on alert, and now it's just very strange. Shelley Ferster said it felt like being
heinous act,good to see all the support from people of all faiths here. Jihad Al-Shamie, the assassination attempt, was a British citizen of Syrian descent. His family released a tweet to condemn his
adding that theirhearts and thoughts are with the victims and their families. Rethink Rebuild, a Manchester-based charity that mainly supports local Syrians, has expressed
not allow this tragedy to give rise to racial incidents directed at Syrians, Muslims, or migrants.full sympathy with our Jewish neighbors. People were encouraged to
Since Irish Roman Catholics immigrated to north Manchester in the 19th century, Crumpsall, Prestwich, and Cheetham Hill have been home to migrant populations ever since. It hosts synagogues, churches of various faiths, mosques, and Sikh gurdwaras. I've never had problems as a Muslim where I live,
shop owner Javed Fozdar, who lives and works in the area, says. On the corner of my road, I have Jewish neighbors and a synagogue.
that something like this occurs in this region.We all live side by side peacefully, so it's very surprising
He wasEven with all the events going on in Gaza, the overwhelming majority of the people I know had no reason to use it at all.
worriedabout the attack's effects on the area, adding, "Let's hope an idiot doesn't ruin what we've got here and we all live peacefully.
I believe in compassion,
Safoora, a Crumpsall resident, said. Although we belong to various nations and various faiths, here in England, humanity ranks at the top of the list. The synagogue attack
disturbed everybody,she said, adding:
These kind of attacks have occurred in the past, and different people react in different ways. Safoora said she had not had many one-to-one
interactions with her Jewish neighbors, well-mannered.
The Jewish community in those areas is extremely close and tight, and there can be Asians like that,
People feel secure in their environment,said Mohammed Baz, the city's shopping center manager.
He admitted that tensions surrounding the Gaza conflict had beensays the author. The main reason is that we don't have friction. We all work here, we shop here.
challenging.That's going to have an effect on everybody's attitudes toward what's happening there,
Mr Baz explained.But that doesn't mean that people should go out and do something wrong.
After recent demonstrations over asylum seekers, Mr Baz said emotions had also heightened
throughout the region. We are a tiny world now because of social media,
he said. We're really worried about the far right's far right. Incidents like this don't help.
The plaza is home to clothing stores and beauty salons, catering for weddings and other special occasions.
Mr Baz said.This is an Asian shopping center where Jewish people are coming here, and Eastern Europeans are flocking here,
The community's social dynamism is very positive.We are a mash-up of Eastern European, Arabic, Muslim, Jewish, and English. Given the large number of individuals involved, there have been no problems.
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