Media release: NZ Jewish Council…
The New Zealand Jewish Council expresses its profound sorrow and solidarity with the Jewish community in Manchester following the deeply disturbing attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Our immediate thoughts are with the families of the two victims who were murdered, and we wish a speedy and full recovery to the four who were seriously injured. We are grateful to the security personnel and first responders who undoubtedly prevented an even more catastrophic event from occurring.
This attack does not exist in isolation. It reflects a broader and increasingly ambient antisemitism that has become normalised in many public and online spaces, in New Zealand and overseas. The permissive environment in which slogans such as “globalise the intifada” are routinely chanted or shared, often accompanied by explicit incitement to violence, has created a climate where attacks like this are justified and tragically predictable. The lack of condemnation and accountability for such rhetoric is deeply concerning and must be urgently addressed.
“Over the past two years antisemitism has risen exponentially, often using the Gaza war as a justification,” said Ben Kepes, spokesperson for the New Zealand Jewish Council.
“This has manifested in intimidation on university campuses, Jewish children being hounded out of schools, physical assaults, and damage to property, and increased security measures and police presence at community events including Yom Kippur services yesterday. It should not need to be said that Jews should never be attacked for attending synagogue or participating in Jewish life, regardless of world events.”
The Jewish community should not have to live in fear of violence or intimidation, nor should antisemitism be treated as a lesser form of hate or as political protest.
We are committed to combating antisemitism in all its forms and to advocating for a society where Jewish communities can live openly, safely, and with dignity. We urge all New Zealanders to join us in rejecting this hate.
