Yom Kippur Synagogue Attack Casts Harrowing Light on Rising Global Antisemitism
(ANALYSIS) The deadly attack at a synagogue in northern England on Yom Kippur — the holiest and most solemn day of the Jewish calendar — has cast a long shadow over the safety and security of Jewish communities in the U.K. and beyond.
Two people were killed and three others seriously injured in Manchester on Thursday in what authorities have described as a “marauding terror attack” — though it has not yet been formally designated as terrorism. The suspected attacker, killed after being shot by police, had driven a vehicle toward pedestrians before stabbing at least one person. A bomb disposal team was later dispatched due to concerns the attacker may have been carrying explosives, adding another layer of fear to an already horrible incident.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack, calling it “horrific,” particularly given its timing on Yom Kippur, and left a European leaders’ summit early to chair an emergency government meeting. Additional police were immediately deployed to synagogues across the country.
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At the same time, the Community Security Trust, a U.K.-based charity that monitors threats against Jewish communities within the U.K., noted that extensive security operations are typically in place during major Jewish festivals, but this attack highlights the increasing severity of the threats Jewish institutions face — even with those security precautions in place.
“We urge people not to congregate outside communal premises and synagogues to keep their doors closed at all times,” the group warned in a statement.
As authorities work to piece together the motives behind the attack in Manchester, the broader picture is already visible: Jewish communities are facing heightened and multilayered threats that demand urgent, global and sustained responses. While this tragedy remains under investigation, it cannot be viewed in isolation. It is unfolding against the backdrop of a troubling global rise in antisemitic sentiment.
According to the latest Global 100 survey from the Anti-Defamation League, nearly half of the world’s adult population — an estimated 2.2 billion people — harbor antisemitic views. This represents a more than twofold increase from the ADL’s first worldwide survey in 2014 and marks the highest level ever recorded since the organization began its global tracking.
The Global 100 survey — considered the most extensive study of antisemitic attitudes in the world — polled 58,000 adults in 103 countries, representing 94 percent of the planet’s adult population. The results are sobering: 20 percent of respondents said they had never heard of the Holocaust, and fewer than half (48 percent) acknowledged its historical accuracy.
Among younger respondents ages 18 to 34, that figure drops to just 39 percent. Alarmingly, members of that generation also showed the highest levels of antisemitic sentiment, with 50 percent holding antisemitic attitudes — 13 percentage points higher than respondents over 50.
Graphic courtesy of ADL
Despite these bleak findings, the survey revealed some basis for cautious optimism. A global majority — 59 percent — acknowledged that hatred toward Jews is a serious problem. This consensus holds across geographic regions, age groups, political ideologies, and educational backgrounds. The data suggests that while antisemitism is rising, there is also a widespread recognition of the threat it poses, creating an opening for governments to take stronger, more coordinated action to reverse these trends.
Thursday’s attack on a place of worship during a sacred day is a painful reminder that antisemitism is not a relic of the past, but a persistent and dangerous force in the present. Whether in acts of physical violence or in the quieter erosion of historical awareness, antisemitism continues to threaten both individuals and communal peace. The global data makes clear that these attitudes are not confined to fringe elements but widely held, especially among younger generations.
The Yom Kippur synagogue attack also comes nearly two years after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault on Israel — an event that has had seismic geopolitical, social and psychological repercussions across the globe, including within Jewish communities in the U.K.
On that day, more than 1,200 people — mostly Israeli civilians — were killed and over 250 were taken hostage when militants from Gaza breached the border and launched coordinated raids on Israeli towns, military outposts, and a music festival. It was the deadliest single-day attack on Jews since the Holocaust.
“Antisemitism is nothing short of a global emergency, especially in a post-Oct. 7 world. We are seeing these trends play out from the Middle East to Asia, from Europe to North and South America,” said ADL CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt. “Negative attitudes towards Jews are an important pillar that ADL uses to assess overall levels of antisemitism within a country, and our findings are deeply alarming. It’s clear that we need new government interventions, more education, additional safeguards on social media and new security protocols to prevent antisemitic hate crimes. This fight requires a whole-of-society approach — including government, civil society and individuals — and now is the time to act.”
But Israel’s subsequent military response in Gaza, aimed at dismantling Hamas’ military infrastructure and releasing hostages, has resulted in staggering casualties and widespread destruction. According to international monitors and the Hamas government, tens of thousands of Palestinians — many of them civilians — have been killed or injured, and the humanitarian crisis has worsened.
The war has fueled outrage, political division and an escalation of tensions in countries far beyond the region. President Donald Trump recently floated a plan to end the war, but there currently appears to be no end in sight as we approach the second anniversary of the 10/7 attacks.
One of the most disturbing ripple effects of the ongoing conflict has been the surge in antisemitic incidents worldwide. In an interview conducted this past summer, Dr. Dave Rich is Director of Policy at the Community Security Trust, said “the spike in antisemitism began on Oct. 7th itself. It was a direct reaction to the Hamas attack on Israel, and the slaughter and kidnapping of so many Israelis.”
He added: “We’re used to seeing antisemitism increase in response to images of Palestinians suffering during wars. But on Oct. 7th, it was images of Jews who’d been killed that drove the spike.”
In fact, Jewish communities across Europe and North America have reported record-high levels of harassment, vandalism and threats since the conflict began. Synagogues, schools and Jewish-owned businesses have seen a rise in security alerts and protective measures. In the U.K., for example, Jewish leaders have expressed deep concern that Israel’s war in Gaza has been used as a pretext to justify or minimize antisemitic rhetoric and violence.
The 10/7 attacks and their aftermath have exacerbated an already volatile environment — making tragedies like this latest attack on Yom Kippur feel, to many, not an isolated incident, but part of a broader global pattern.
Israel’s Embassy in the U.K. condemned the attack and thanked Manchester Police for its quick response.
“That such an act of violence should be perpetrated on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, in a place of prayer and community, is abhorrent and deeply distressing,” the embassy said.
Clemente Lisi is executive editor at Religion Unplugged.