Seven minutes and a lifetime of terror at my Oxford synagogue

Like thousands of Jewish people, I was in synagogue on Thursday when the news came. My community and I were celebrating Yom Kippur – the most sacred day of the Jewish calendar when even non-practising Jews attend services. Suddenly dozens of mobile phones began to erupt with messages and a stream of murmurs echoed round the congregation: a synagogue had been attacked in Manchester.

This was the nightmare scenario that had been at the back of our mind for many years, now coming true via reports of a seven-minute car and stabbing rampage. Yes, we were shocked and appalled – but not surprised.

Ever since Hamas terrorists attacked Israel on 7 October, 2023, anti-Semitism in Britain has been on the rise. Synagogues have been daubed; Jewish-owned businesses have been splattered with red paint;