Arron Ferster, grandson of Holocaust survivor Chaim Ferster, told Monday’s Yom Hashoah memorial event: “Our despair is not akin to those who witnessed the Shoah, not nearly, but in terms of antisemitism, this is the worst we have ever known it, the deepest we as a local community have ever been.

“This despair has led many within our community to question their place and safety in this country. Being a Jew in 2026 can be lonely.”

He explained how the 2024 Yom Hashoah commemoration ended with an uplifting video of survivor Ike Alterman addressing Manchester’s march against antisemitism earlier that year.

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