On a crisp October evening in Manchester, the Jewish community gathered in solemn remembrance outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Synagogue. The air was thick with grief and solidarity as dozens stood silently, arms linked or embracing, to honor the memories of Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53—two men whose lives were brutally cut short just a week earlier in a terror attack that sent shockwaves across the United Kingdom.
The attack, carried out on October 2, 2025, by Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, unfolded during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish religious calendar. According to the Daily Mail, Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent, drove his car into worshippers gathering for the sacred observance before launching a knife assault. He tried to storm the synagogue, wearing what turned out to be a fake suicide belt, and was ultimately shot dead by armed police. The horror of the attack was compounded by the fact that it targeted a community at prayer, and that one of the victims, as police later acknowledged, may have been accidentally shot by an officer amid the chaos as worshippers desperately tried to prevent the attacker from entering the building.
Melvin Cravitz, a father of three, and Adrian Daulby, remembered as a "quiet hero" for blocking the synagogue doors, were mourned not only by their families but by a city and nation reeling from the violence. On October 9, 2025, their families joined the community for a vigil on the synagogue steps, led by Rabbi Daniel Walker, who had been present at the time of the attack. The gathering, held under a heavy police presence, was a poignant display of resilience and unity in the face of tragedy.
Yet, as the community sought healing, the national response—or lack thereof—became a flashpoint for debate and disappointment. While Manchester United and Manchester City both held a minute's silence and wore black armbands emblazoned with "a city united" before their Premier League matches, the Football Association (FA) made a markedly different decision. Ahead of England's friendly match against Wales at Wembley on October 9, no tribute or moment of silence was held for the victims of the Manchester synagogue attack. This omission did not go unnoticed.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism, a prominent Jewish charity, issued a scathing rebuke of the FA's decision. In a statement quoted by the Daily Mail, a spokesperson said, "Dead Jews don't count, it seems. The failure to observe a moment of silence at tonight's match, notwithstanding the tributes for other causes in other games, is scandalous. Last week our nation witnessed a terrorist attack on our soil in which two people were murdered and others injured simply for being Jewish. Football has a long history of standing against racism and extremism."
The charity continued, "A national commemoration would have sent a clear message that Jewish lives matter, that the Jewish community has equal standing to others in the beautiful game, and that such attacks will be publicly recognised and condemned. The absence of that commemoration sends an even clearer message, and it is a terrible one. Shameful."
The contrast between the responses at club and national levels was stark. Manchester United's tribute, held at Old Trafford before their match against Sunderland, included a minute of silence and black armbands worn by players. The following day, Manchester City and Brentford paid their respects at the Gtech Community Stadium. These gestures, while local, resonated deeply within the Jewish community and beyond, signaling solidarity and a refusal to let hatred go unchallenged.
Meanwhile, the FA's silence at Wembley was seen by many as a missed opportunity to demonstrate national unity and unequivocal condemnation of antisemitic violence. The organization has been contacted for comment but, as of the time of writing, has not issued a public response.
The attack itself was chilling in its calculated brutality. According to reports, Al-Shamie called 999 during his rampage, pledging allegiance to the so-called Islamic State terror group. His actions—ramming his car into pedestrians, wielding a knife, and donning a fake suicide vest—were designed to instill maximum fear. The intervention of worshippers like Adrian Daulby, who blocked the synagogue doors, likely saved many lives, even as it cost him his own.
Police have classified the incident as a terror attack, underscoring the persistent threat of extremist violence targeting minority communities in the UK. The revelation that one of the victims may have been accidentally shot by police during the frantic effort to stop Al-Shamie adds another layer of tragedy and complexity to the event. Authorities have promised a thorough investigation into all aspects of the attack and its aftermath.
The aftermath has also sparked broader conversations about the recognition of antisemitic violence in public life and the responsibilities of national institutions. Many in the Jewish community and their allies argue that moments of national mourning and solidarity, especially in highly visible settings like Wembley Stadium, are essential to affirming that all citizens are valued and protected.
As the community gathered for the vigil, the sense of loss was palpable. Yet, there was also a determination not to let hatred define the narrative. Rabbi Daniel Walker, who led the service, spoke movingly of the need for remembrance and resilience. The families of Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby stood with their neighbors, supported by a city that has, time and again, shown its capacity for unity in the face of adversity.
In the days since the attack, there have been calls for more robust measures to protect places of worship and to confront the roots of antisemitism and extremism. Local leaders have urged the government to increase security funding for vulnerable communities and to ensure that hate crimes are met with swift justice.
For many, the events of October 2 and the subsequent responses have laid bare both the dangers that persist and the work that remains to be done to build a truly inclusive society. The tributes at Premier League matches offered a glimmer of hope and solidarity, while the absence of a national commemoration at Wembley served as a sobering reminder of the challenges ahead.
As Manchester and the nation reflect on the tragedy at Heaton Park Hebrew Synagogue, the memory of Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby endures—not only in the hearts of their loved ones but as a call to action for justice, recognition, and unity in the face of hatred.
