“We Must Hold Each Other”: Healing From Terrorism in Jewish Manchester

Last year, the Jews of Manchester, UK, endured a catastrophic Yom Kippur attack that upended their sense of safety. Marc Levy was right at the epicenter of this horrific event. As Chief Executive of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region (JRCGMR), Levy helps strengthen Jewish life across one of England’s largest cities and beyond. On that awful day, he and his team jumped into action, fielding calls, delivering support, and ensuring that Jews in need were cared for. 

It was in this context that Levy recently attended the 6th Summit of European Jewish Leaders in Athens, Greece — a partnership between JDC and the European Council of Jewish Communities (ECJC). There, Levy found a network of Jewish changemakers with whom he exchanged knowledge, discussed common issues, and charted a more hopeful path forward. In this reflection, he opens up about the attacks and what made the conference so invaluable.  

On October 2, 2025 — the morning of Yom Kippur — my synagogue was attacked. 

My father barricaded the door to keep the terrorists out, and I found out he was alive only when I glanced up at the news and saw him walking around in front of our shul. As for my grandmother, I only learned she was safe when I saw her sitting in the road outside the synagogue, a blanket wrapped around her.

To put it mildly, this was traumatic, but the impact on our city’s Jews didn’t end there. In the aftermath of the attack, which killed two, we also had to deal with another foiled terror plot, which could’ve potentially been the worst terrorist attack on UK soil.

I kept feeling like this was the type of thing you see in movies. It was unfathomable to image it happening in the place you and your family have called home for generations. 

It also doesn’t happen in a vacuum. After October 7, 2023, our lives changed forever, and today we’re experiencing something I never expected to see in the UK — a surge in antisemitism across every sector of society. 

A recent report showed that 20% of university students in the UK said they wouldn’t want to share a house with a Jew. Jewish children (and some Jewish teachers) feel forced out of non-Jewish educational establishments due to antisemitism. And Jewish professionals are seeking opportunities to work in Jewish companies and organizations because they feel they’ve been targeted and unsupported in the wider world.

After the attacks, I realized very quickly that society wasn’t going to be as kind to my children as it had been to me, my father, my grandfather, and my great-grandfather, all of whom were born in Manchester.

In response to this hostility, our physical environment is also changing. It feels like each time you go to my synagogue, there’s an additional gate or bar across a door. I live near another congregation, and one night I walked past and saw anti-ramming bollards installed. Though necessary, these changes are a constant reminder of the challenges and the dangers that we face.

Long before we found ourselves in this awful situation, I resolved to serve Jewish Manchester. I was a lawyer for 11 years, but left that career after taking a leadership course. I felt inspired to commit myself to work for our Jewish community — it’s in my blood. My great-grandfather was very involved with his congregation, my father was involved in his, and my great-grandfather’s brother even built the Manchester Yeshiva.

That’s why, nearly 10 years ago, when the chance arose to advocate for Jewish Manchester, I grabbed the opportunity. I felt that I had something to contribute.

Today, as Chief Executive of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region (JRCGMR), I’m determined that all Jews here feel seen, heard, and known. We’re blessed that our city has an incredible, thriving, diverse Jewish community. We number around 35,000, and we’re unique in that at least 40% are Haredi; through the work of my organization, we’ve built incredible links with them and all Jews. 

I’m also proud that we’ve strengthened bonds with established organizations that have been part of our community for hundreds of years, like our social-care charities and the synagogues we all grew up going to. The JRCGMR has been around for 106 years, but we’re unique in our ability to adapt to the changing circumstances.  

Today, the stakes of this work are as high as ever. Every leader needs to be able to show that they’re capable of leading the community in a crisis. But being a Jewish communal professional can be lonely. We’re making monumental decisions that affect something deeply personal — the proud identities and physical and psychological safety of Jewish people living in our cities. 

Thankfully, we have a steadfast partner in JDC, and at the recent Summit of European Jewish Leaders I attended in Athens, Greece, I got to feel the collective strength of our global community.

In the face of great challenges, JDC has equipped me and so many other Jewish leaders with the tools and network to navigate these difficult times. 

When you meet with people from over 30 countries, as I did at the Summit, you exchange ideas and you learn because no individual has all the answers. It’s fascinating and inspiring to speak to leaders with much smaller communities than we have in the UK and learn how they ensure that Jewish life continues to thrive all across Europe. 

When the attack happened, I got messages from people all around the world saying, “If there’s anything you need, please let us know. ” To have a network of seasoned leaders you can speak to and trust and obtain guidance from — there are no words for how meaningful this is. JDC is part of making all that happen. 

The Athens conference also confirmed that the obstacles Jews face aren’t just happening in Manchester or elsewhere in the UK. We’re dealing with unprecedented challenges around the globe. We have seen a rise in antisemitism across the world, including deadly terrorist attacks across Europe, America, and Australia. 

We cannot speak in soft tones or couch words. We cannot withdraw or hide away. We cannot let extremism win. 

History has shown us that sometimes all we have is each other. We need to show solidarity and care for our fellow Jews. We must hold each other and be brave and continue inhabiting public spaces. 

In Manchester, we’ve seen synagogue attendance increase. People who haven’t attended for years have felt inspired to do so. We’ve got the most amazing history to tell and the most incredible culture. We need to celebrate that.

The first Friday night after our synagogue reopened, there were 1,500 people there — normally, we might get 40 or 50. And six or seven weeks after the attack, my children had their b’nei mitzvah in the synagogue, the first celebration after the attack. Hundreds of people attended. 

We’re proud British Jews. We’re strong and determined, and we won’t let that appalling incident define us.

Marc Levy serves as the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC)’s regional manager for the North West, North Wales and West Midlands, where he is is responsible for political engagement. He has established relationships with Members of Parliament (MPs), Metro Mayors, and Council Leaders across the regions. These contacts have been utilized in order to arrange for member organizations to discuss areas of interest with key decision makers.

Levy graduated with a Law Degree from the University of Birmingham before embarking on an 11-year legal career. During this time, he took part in the UJIA Leadership Programme. In June 2021, Levy also became the first ever Chief Executive of the Jewish Representative Council for Greater Manchester and Region, alongside his JLC role.

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