Cheadle rabbi praises Jewish community in wake of attacks

A rabbi from Manchester says members of the Jewish community are continuing to celebrate Hanukkah despite fears following recent attacks.

Rabbi Benjy Rickman, who is based at Yeshurun Synagogue in Cheadle, said people “young and old” were coming together to celebrate the holiday’s “beautiful message”.

He was speaking out in response to the killing of 15 people by gunmen targeting Jewish families celebrating Hanukkah in Australia, and two months after two people were killed in an attack on a synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester on Yom Kippur.

While some people felt unsafe to attend events, Rabbi Rickman said there was a “certain Jewish chutzpah or resilience” in his community.

“After the tragic events in Australia, many would have just shrunk into themselves and sort of given up, but we don’t seem to do that,” he said

“I think it’s probably a bit of a pattern in Jewish history of picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and the community has been amazing.”

Hanukkah lasts for eight days and nights and celebrates the Maccabees recapturing Jerusalem in 164 BC after a three-year war.

After seizing the city and its temple back from a Greek empire, a small jar of oil miraculously kept the holy building lit for eight days while the site was repaired and rededicated.

To celebrate the festival, which runs from 14 December to 22 December this year, a nine branch candelabrum know as a hanukkiah is lit, with a candle set alight each day to commemorate the temple oil.

Families also eat foods fried in oil, such as potato latkes and donuts.

Rabbi Rickman hosted a public lighting so the community could celebrate together with music and festivities.

He said although many people chose to attend to prove that “no one’s going to tell us that we can’t celebrate”, others stayed away due to concerns they could be targeted.

“That’s crazy that there’s a community in this country who can’t worship because they’re scared,” he said, adding: “That just shouldn’t be acceptable to anybody.

“Real people, their safety, their mental states and their well-being are at the centre of it all, and no one should be too scared to come to synagogue.”

He said the Jewish community had also had a lot of support.

“I got so many messages [after the Manchester attack], whether it was local councillors or local MPs or members of the public, writing to me saying “we’re with you, you’re not alone, you have friends”,” he said.

“So I think there is a very much a loving, decent majority who just want to make space for each other and live in a harmonious society.

“There’s a real sense of community when you bring everyone together to celebrate, be happy and to say ‘let’s just keep going and spreading our message of light and hope’, because it’s a beautiful message that needs to be heard.”