UK Jews face higher security as fear of attack grows
The attack on a Manchester synagogue last week underscored a harsh truth: for many in Britain’s Jewish community, high security is no longer unusual. A 78-year-old volunteer guard raised the alarm, brave actions by community members helped prevent further harm, and the lives of Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz were lost in an assault that stunned and reverberated across the country.
Across the UK, synagogues, schools, and other Jewish institutions have long relied on a mix of volunteers and private security to guard entrances, monitor perimeters, and respond rapidly to threats. The latest violence has intensified that reliance, with leaders and security professionals calling for more than temporary bolstering of patrols and more than ad hoc arrangements.
Community-led security as a longtime bulwark
Since antisemitic attacks peaked in the wake of global events earlier this year, British Jewish communities have trained harder and coordinated more closely with the police. The Greater Manchester Police chief constable, Sir Stephen Watson, publicly acknowledged that patrols had been “very significantly” increased, while admitting they cannot be sustained indefinitely without broader strategy and policy support.
Marc Levy, head of Greater Manchester’s Jewish Representative Council, has repeatedly warned that “fears and concerns have regularly been diminished and not acted upon.” His comments reflect a wider frustration that security needs require sustained investment rather than episodic responses. The attack in Crumpsall, on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, highlighted a vulnerability that many believed had been contained through routine vigilance.
Ground-level resilience: volunteers and the CST
In practice, security work is often carried out by members of the community through organizations such as the Community Security Trust (CST), and by local volunteers who routinely guard access points and monitor activity. Heaton Park synagogue, for example, has a practice of volunteers taking shifts as part of CST security operations. A member of that community noted a sense of normalcy: “We’re used to having high fences and security guards; we don’t really think twice,” a testament to how deeply embedded security has become in daily life.
The CST’s collaboration with local police has become a model for safeguarding Jewish buildings nationwide. CST director of policy Dave Rich described a security infrastructure that relies less on one agency and more on a network of trained volunteers, partner police, and protective protocols. The goal is practical protection: to deter threats, detect danger early, and respond effectively when needed.
Local pride and national questions
As grappling with fear intensifies, community leaders have urged a broader response from government, not merely a renewal of security measures. The emphasis is on resilience: showing the community is not cowed, and that Jewish life will continue with dignity and strength. Rabbinic voices emphasized that Judaism’s resilience remains a core value, even in the face of violence.
In Manchester, Raphi Bloom’s takeaway is emblematic: “We’re not going anywhere, we’re not Jews with trembling knees, we are proud Mancunian Jews.” And in Leeds, Rabbi Albert Chait urged congregants to persevere: “Don’t let them win.” Yet behind the resolve lies a practical question: what future security looks like in a country with democratic norms but rising antisemitism is still being debated by policymakers and communities alike.
The human cost and the human response
Amid the grief—Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz remembered as security volunteers who gave their lives—the narrative is also about community solidarity. A mother’s reflection on a child’s question about safety in the UK pointed to a broader concern: how to balance freedom with protection. The old Hebrew song recited by that mother’s daughter—one that speaks of navigating a narrow bridge—offers a poetic reminder of endurance amid fear.
As volunteer numbers swell and more people sign up to security roles, the CST has observed a shift: people are volunteering in larger numbers, motivated by a desire to protect their communities. The challenge now is to translate this surge of civic courage into lasting structural protections while sustaining the social fabric that makes life in the UK possible for Jewish families across the country.
