‘Fate stopped my son-in-law attending synagogue’ during attack

A man due to provide security at the synagogue attacked by a knifeman had only avoided being there due to a late rota swap, his father-in-law said.

Mark Goldstone said his relative had been due to help at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue at 09:30 BST on Thursday but had been persuaded to cover a later shift by his wife.

He spoke ahead of a vigil on Friday where speakers included Rabbi Daniel Walker – who helped stave off the killer – as well as Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.

Mr Goldstone said the “ripple effect” of the attack had been felt by the “entire Jewish community” and described his family’s near miss as “sheer fate”.

Mr Goldstone explained: “His wife persuaded him during the week to have a lie-in and he asked to be put on a rota at a later time.

“Had it had not been for that suggestion, he would have actually been on those gates at 09:30 [as the attacker tried to break into the synagogue].

“I mean, the tragedy in itself brings it home to everybody, whether Jew, Christian, or Muslim.”

Bury South MP Christian Wakeford, who also attended Friday’s vigil, said he believed antisemitic abuse had reached “record levels” in the past two years.

“I have received antisemitic abuse and my name’s Christian – I’m not Jewish,” he said.

“It has been on the rise and it’s got to record levels since 7 October and I think we need to call it what it is – it’s Jew hate.

“What we saw [on Thursday] was a cowardly terror attack on the most holy day in the Jewish calendar [Yom Kippur] at a Jewish synagogue against Jews.

“We can talk about motives but [it] was Jew hate and we need to call it what it is.”

The attacker, Syrian born British citizen Jihad Al-Shamie, was shot dead by police in front of the synagogue.

Two Jewish men, 66-year-old Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby, 53, were killed while three other people remain in hospital.

On Friday Greater Manchester Police confirmed Mr Daulby had been behind the door of the synagogue when he was shot by stray police bullet.

One of the men still in hospital, Yoni Finlay, was also injured by a police bullet or fragment.

In total, six people have been detained on suspicion of terrorism offences following police operations in Manchester and Bolton.