More attacks on British Jews. The Jewish Telegraph has reported a series of attacks in the Manchester area. Rabbi Benjy Simmonds, assistant minister of Manchester Great and New Synagogue, was attacked by a gang of youths:

'Rabbi Simmonds said: ''One youth, aged between 15-18 called me 'Jew hat'. He tried to grab my hat and punched me in the face. ''I managed to push him away and I ran for me life. It was a very frightening experience, seeing square in my face the hatred in the youth's eyes. I suffered bruising on my face. The police are treating it as a racist incident.'' He added: ''It was a very profound reminder that we are in exile.'' Within half an hour another young man was attacked in the same place... On Monday, around 9.30pm, youths screamed verbal abuse at some of the 600 women leaving the memorial service at Stenecourt Synagogue for the late Rebbetzen Joy Rubinstein...An incidence of antisemitic verbal abuse also took place on Park Road, on the border of Manchester and Prestwich last week.'

Posted by melanie at June 23, 2004