A memorial service is planned for Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby, who died during the October 2, 2025 attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester. The commemoration will bring together Jewish community members, politicians, and emergency services following the tragedy that unfolded during Yom Kippur.
A dedicated memorial service will take place to honour the lives of Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby, who both died after Jihad Al Shamie targeted the synagogue on 2 October 2025. The attack unfolded on Yom Kippur at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester.
Heaton Park Synagogue Attack: What the Police Record Shows
Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old Syrian-born British citizen, drove into the gates of the synagogue wearing a fake suicide belt before launching a knife attack. Melvin Cravitz died after he was stabbed multiple times by Al-Shamie, who was subsequently shot dead by armed police as he tried to force entry. Adrian Daulby sustained a fatal wound when a police bullet inadvertently struck him as he helped barricade the temple doors from inside.
The upcoming memorial service will gather members of the Jewish community alongside local and national politicians and emergency services representatives to mark the loss. The tragedy deeply affected the congregation, striking during the most holy day in the Jewish calendar.
Hanukah Celebrations and Community Resilience in Greater Manchester
Months after the attack, dark rain clouds hung above the synagogue as worshippers gathered for the nightly menorah candle lighting during Hanukah. The festivities carried a sombre tone as the community also processed news of a separate shooting in Sydney, Australia. Police and security lined the car park—a persistent reality for a Jewish community navigating a rise in antisemitic incidents.
“Here on this spot, evil stood. But this is a place of joy and tonight we are reclaiming that joy, we are reclaiming that light and we’re shining it out into the whole world.”
Rabbi Daniel Walker, via The Guardian
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham attended the gathering, condemning abhorrent acts of antisemitism
and pledging to provide ongoing reassurance and protection for the Jewish community. Figures from the Community Safety Trust previously recorded 4,296 anti-Jewish hate crimes in the UK in 2023, followed by 3,528 instances the subsequent year.
Vigils and Rallies Across the UK
Simultaneously, approximately 3,000 people attended a vigil outside parliament in London organised by the Campaign Against Antisemitism and Chabad Lubavitch UK. Attendees combined Hanukah celebrations with solidarity calls following the Sydney attacks. Labour MP Ashley Dalton addressed the crowds, stating that the government does not and will not tolerate antisemitism.
Meanwhile, in New York, service resumed at the Central Synagogue following a separate attack during a Shabbat service, where a suspect was arrested and faced hate crime charges after injuring a congregant and a security guard. City leaders, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin, responded to the Midtown incident by denouncing rising antisemitic acts.
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