Last Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, our lives changed forever - but British Jews are not going anywhere

I remember the moment vividly. I was at my synagogue when word began to spread that there had been a terrorist attack. 

My wife, Gabrielle, had been contacted with an urgent message for me to come online and begin dealing with the aftermath.

As the first grim details emerged from Heaton Park, my thoughts instinctively turned to Rabbi Walker and his congregants.

I spent the day discussing the immediate response with our political leadership. That evening, I stood alongside the Home Secretary, Andy Burnham, Bev Craig, the Chief Constable and senior representatives of our emergency services at a press conference as we came to terms with what had happened.

Standing there that evening, I was conscious that the visible support mattered, but I also knew that they could not begin to capture what our community was feeling.

For me, the most important moment came the following day. 

I chaired a meeting with communal representatives, the Prime Minister, Home Secretary and leaders from across Greater Manchester. 

It was an extraordinarily frank conversation. 

We thanked the Prime Minister for the solidarity but were clear that words were insufficient.  We told government directly that our community had not felt adequately protected in the face of the enormous challenges experienced since 7th October. 

Alongside the surge in antisemitic hate crime, there was a growing sense that Britain had become hostile to Jewish people.

We were clear with the Prime Minister that this was not simply about the terrorist attack.

It was about the cumulative impact of what our community had experienced over the preceding years. 

I felt a profound responsibility to ensure no one in the room was left in any doubt about the sense that not enough had been done to challenge behaviour across society that ultimately made Jewish people feel unsafe.

We were not interested in political point-scoring and demanded action and challenged the Prime Minister and Home Secretary on several issues. 

We started by focusing on the failure to confront egregious antisemitism on pro-Palestinian marches that repeatedly crossed the line from legitimate protest into intimidation and incitement.

We also raised the disturbing evidence of publicly available footage showing some imams in certain mosques openly preaching hostility to target Jews. 

Although this is not happening in every mosque, it did happen in a place of worship near Heaton Park attended by the terrorist and is easily sufficient to cause us distress. 

We told the Prime Minister that this is now a national emergency and the many issues we raised needed to be confronted with the same urgency as the physical security measures that were hurriedly being put in place.

Later that day, I stood alongside the Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy, at the community vigil.  When he began to speak, he was met with anger. 

People shouted and heckled and I understood why. 

Our community was grieving, frightened and deeply frustrated. I intervened and asked the crowd to allow him to speak. It was important that we heard from our political leaders, but it was equally important that they heard the depth of feeling irrespective of how uncomfortable it made them feel.

In the weeks that followed, we continued to make demands of government but we refused to retreat.

That was not simply an act of defiance, it was something much more fundamental. 

It was a refusal to allow terrorism to determine how we lived. I remember that spirit at Chanukah, when we gathered to light the menorah at the very place where the attack had taken place.

I was deeply moved to stand alongside Karen Cravitz, Melvin’s wife as she lit the menorah. She wasunderstandably visibly emotional but she was there. It was a sign of faith and strength with a fundamental message that even in the place where our community had experienced such darkness, we would continue to bring light.

And when we gathered again for the anniversary commemoration, I saw something that gave me enormous pride. The synagogue was full. 

Families, survivors, community leaders, politicians, the nation’s press, emergency services and hundreds from our community came together to honour Melvin and Adrian.

A year on, the pain has not disappeared.  We will remember those who were murdered, injured and changed forever, whilst recognising those who showed extraordinary courage. 

However, we are determined that fear will not define our future. 

The terrorist wanted to close our synagogue and instead we filled it. We will continue to pray, educate and celebrate proudly without apology.

Jewish life in Britain is not a concession. It is part of the fabric of this country. We have been here for generations helping shape the Britain we love and call home. We will not be bullied into silence or made to live smaller lives by those who would rather we disappeared.

The test of Britain after a terrorist attack isn't simply whether the state can physically protect Jews. 

It is whether we are allowed to live openly, visibly and without apology.

Ultimately, the message must remain clear. 

We are proud British Jews and we are not going anywhere.

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Mark Adlestone OBE is Chair of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region.

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