Manchester, England: Hachnasas Sefer Torah at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation

Thousands of Jews gathered in Manchester, England, on Sunday for an emotional Hachnasas Sefer Torah dedicated in memory of the two Jewish men killed in last year’s devastating Yom Kippur terrorist attack. The Sefer Torah, written in memory of Melvin Cravitz HY”D, 66, and Adrian Daulby HY”D, 53, was escorted through the streets with heartfelt singing and dancing before being brought into the very shul where the deadly attack took place just over a year ago, Jewish News reports. The deeply moving event took place at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in north Manchester, where thousands of community members lined Middleton Road to accompany the new Sefer Torah. The gathering brought together families, Rabbonim, and members of the wider Jewish community in a powerful demonstration of achdus and remembrance, as the congregation honored two men whose lives were tragically taken while attending shul on Yom Kippur. On October 2, 2025, a terrorist identified as Jihad Al-Shamie launched a deadly attack outside the shul as mispallelim gathered for Yom Kippur. The terrorist rammed his vehicle into people outside the building before carrying out a knife attack and attempting to force his way inside. Melvin Cravitz was fatally stabbed, while Adrian Daulby, who helped barricade the entrance to prevent the terrorist from reaching those inside, was tragically killed by police gunfire during the confrontation. Three others were seriously injured before police eliminated the terrorist. The two victims are remembered by their Hebrew names, Meir Eliezer ben Binyamin HY”D and Avraham Yaakov ben Dovid BenZion HY”D, which will remain forever connected to the Sefer Torah dedicated in their memory. In the months following the attack, the shul’s Rav, Rabbi Daniel Walker, helped establish the Unity Sefer Torah Project as a lasting tribute to the victims. Members of the community and supporters were invited to participate by dedicating individual letters, pesukim, and entire parshiyos, giving countless individuals an opportunity to take part in the special mitzvah. Rabbi Walker explained that the Sefer Torah would serve as a permanent memorial to the kedushah and goodness represented by the two men. Each time the Torah is removed from the Aron Kodesh and read during davening, their memories will continue to be honored by the congregation they belonged to. The emotional significance of Sunday’s gathering was particularly evident along Middleton Road. Marc Levy, Chief Executive of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester, recalled how just 12 months earlier, members of the community had stood along the same road in the pouring rain, grieving the loss of the two victims. On Sunday, those same streets were filled with thousands accompanying a Sefer Torah dedicated to their memory. Levy described the occasion as especially moving for the families of the victims and the wider community, which has continued to grapple with the devastating attack. The presence of thousands of participants reflected the profound impact the tragedy had on Manchester’s Jewish population and the determination to honor those who were lost. Manchester Jewish community figure Raphi Bloom described the occasion using the Hebrew expression “Me’Eivel L’Yom Tov,” reflecting the community’s efforts to transform its pain into a lasting expression of Torah and Jewish unity. The Hachnasas Sefer Torah followed a series of events marking the first anniversary of the attack, including a memorial gathering attended by approximately 850 people and a special Yom Kippur service at the shul attended by Britain’s Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis. The newly dedicated Sefer Torah will now remain at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, serving as an enduring memorial to Melvin Cravitz HY”D and Adrian Daulby HY”D, whose names will continue to be remembered by the mispallelim of the shul where they spent their final Yom Kippur.