“Antisemitism has always been the canary in the coalmine. it is the first sign that there is a profound sickness in society and over the last two years our country has felt broken. I was privileged to grow up in a tolerant, open-minded and fair society but in recent years there has been a dark narrative pervading across the UK. Politicians and community leaders currently talk about reassurance. However, we cannot be reassured.

Our community and people known personally to me endured pure evil when an Islamic Extremist sought to murder British Jews because they are Jews. We have spoken about our grief, trauma and anger but there is also a remarkable resilience.

This is not new for the Jewish community.  In living memory, we had a genocide committed against us where six million innocent people were murdered because they were Jews.

History is littered with other such atrocities.

One would have expected synagogues to be quiet for the festival of Succot, a mere five days after the terrorist attack, but the opposite was true. It is strange going to place of worship with riot police vans outside but nevertheless, congregants attended in their droves.

Our synagogues will remain open and our children will continue celebrating our heritage and the immense contribution we have made to the UK. The dignity and compassion is astonishing and i am profoundly moved by the bravery of my community.

I know the Synagogue has been inundated with offers of help and support.

We have lived uneasily for years that visible security measures were a normal part of life. Our communal buildings have been forced to adopt precautions that noone should even have to consider in a civilised democracy.

Whilst words of sympathy are important, we now need strong and decisive action to protect Jewish people merely going about their daily business. antisemitism has been allowed to fester unchecked across the whole of society.

Government and other organisation have either been unwilling or unable to stop this conflict being imported and weaponised on our streets.

Protecting my community is now a test of our nation’s moral resolve.

In the days since the attack, we have been embraced with supportive words. However, they cannot be performative and our community needs tangible results. We will not allow groups, irrespective of how well meaning they are, to merely lay flowers and walk away.

We demand open dialogue to focus on all the hard issues to ensure this tragedy is not repeated. Our hand of friendship has been extended and it has taken a terrorist attack for others to consider grasping it. Now is the moment for political and civil leaders to show courage.

Antisemitism can no longer be excused as a reaction to foreign events. it must be condemned unequivocally wherever it appears. those who mask racism as political advocacy need to be called out whether that is the far left, far right or Islamic Extremism.

The attack at Heaton Park Synagogue will not be the final word. We will mourn, we will rebuild and we refuse to be intimidated.

We are told the silent majority are with us but we now need them to be heard.