The Community Security Trust (CST) shares how it’s keeping the Jewish community safe over the new year.
As Rosh Hashanah comes around again, while antisemitic incident levels are not at the record peak seen last year due to the unprecedent number of incidents, reports still remain high and those incidents reported here in Greater Manchester mirror those seen around the country.
CST staff and volunteers, and many of you in our community, will do our utmost to ensure that we can proudly and safely celebrate the new year together.
Our synagogues are secured with well- trained volunteer security officers, and our CST patrols are visibly present in the surrounding areas. We work closely with Greater Manchester police who do everything to ensure that our community can deservedly enjoy our festivals.
Sadly, as we celebrate this new year among family and friends, we have to be mindful that antisemitism has never gone away and is the unwelcome guest at our tables. CST has been tracking the growth
in terrorist activity and recently launched a new UK Terrorism Database, which provides details of every terrorist attack and plot since 2013, including at least four plots that targeted the Jewish community. These threats to our community always adapt to suit whatever narrative is in vogue, and CST will always strive to keep ahead of the latest developments.
Most recently, CST published a report on COVID, Conspiracies & Jew-Hate: Antisemitism in the COVID-19 Conspiracy Movement, which reveals the extent of anti- Jewish hatred and conspiracy theories in the Covid conspiracy movement. To successfully support victims and monitor and analyse these threats to our way of life, we need your help. Please always report antisemitic incidents, suspicious activity at communal locations, offensive posters and graffiti and online abuse, or any other antisemitic activity to the police and CST. This autumn our training department is running a range of courses for community members who want security training at a level that suits them. Don’t underestimate the difference you could make. Wishing you and your families a happy, safe, and sweet new year.
If you would like to donate to CST, go to Cst.org.uk/donate or call us on 0161 792 6666 for further information on our training courses.