Jewish News Today: Arson Attack on Wuppertal Synagogue, Heaton Park Anniversary, and Antisemitic Threats Across the Diaspora

A man threw incendiary devices at a synagogue in Wuppertal, Germany, on Thursday afternoon, in one of the most serious attacks on Jewish communal infrastructure in the country in recent memory. The assault comes as Jewish communities across the diaspora prepare for Yom Kippur, and as a survivor of last year's deadly Heaton Park attack in Manchester tells reporters that his community still does not feel safe.

Arson Attack on Wuppertal Synagogue

According to Jüdische Allgemeine, a man attacked the synagogue of the Jewish community (Jüdische Kultusgemeinde) in Wuppertal on Thursday afternoon, throwing multiple bags filled with a flammable liquid against the building. The report gives no further detail on the suspect's identity, motive, or whether anyone was injured, and the attack is under investigation. The incident is a stark reminder of the physical vulnerability of Jewish communal buildings in Germany, particularly in the days running up to the High Holidays.

One Year On: Heaton Park Survivor Says Manchester Jews Still Fear

Exactly one year after the Heaton Park attack — in which a gunman opened fire on worshippers defending their synagogue on Yom Kippur — survivor Yoni Finlay told JNS that the Manchester Jewish community "doesn't feel any safer." Finlay, who was shot while helping protect the synagogue, said that heightened security measures have become a permanent feature of Jewish communal life in the city. The Jewish Chronicle also published commentary noting that, a year on, there is doubt about whether the British government genuinely has the back of British Jews, with the columnist arguing that while higher physical barriers may be going up, there is "no electoral motivation for any politician to deal with what our community has to face."

North Carolina: Man Arrested for Antisemitic Threats

A man in North Carolina has been arrested for sending antisemitic threats to Jewish leaders and a Holocaust memorial, JNS reports. Vlad Khaykin of the Simon Wiesenthal Center told JNS that "such threats are intended not merely to offend, but to terrorize — to make Jewish Americans afraid to open their mail, enter their institutions." No further details about the suspect or the specific institutions targeted were provided in the available source.

Berlin: Solidarity Rally After David Star Attack

Following an antisemitic attack on a 43-year-old woman on Torstraße in Berlin-Mitte last week — in which she was targeted because of a Star of David she was wearing — the Berlin Jewish community organised a city-wide solidarity action, Jüdische Allgemeine reports. The rally represented a collective public response to an act of street antisemitism that drew wide attention in Germany.

German Chancellor Merz Calls for United Fight Against Antisemitism

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz used a campaign event to call for a united stand against antisemitism, Jüdische Allgemeine reports. Merz stated that "the most perfidious form of xenophobia is antisemitism" and said Germany must defend itself against both foreign criminality and Jew-hatred becoming routine. The remarks reflect growing political attention to the issue in Germany ahead of upcoming elections.

LBC Presenter's "Jewish Lobby" Remarks Draw Criticism in the UK

LBC radio presenter Ian Payne said on air that the "Jewish lobby" is "incredibly strong" and "freaks people out," adding "they know all the buttons to press," according to the Jewish Chronicle. The remarks were made in the context of the ongoing controversy surrounding rapper Macklemore and his dispute with Ed Sheeran. The language used by Payne drew immediate criticism as invoking antisemitic tropes about Jewish power and influence.

New York Times Deletes Claim About Israeli Victims

The New York Times has deleted a claim that Israelis "view themselves as the victims of October 7," the Jewish Chronicle reports. The paper also rejected allegations of bias in its coverage of Israel, arguing that a peer-reviewed study of the topic had "cherry picked" data. The deletion follows sustained pressure from critics who argued the original phrasing misrepresented the nature of the October 7 attacks.

UK: Miliband "Ignored MI6 Warning" on Israeli Sanctions

The Jewish Chronicle reports that UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband ignored a warning from MI6 about the potential "consequences" of imposing sanctions on Israel, but that the Foreign Office proceeded with the measures regardless. The report adds to existing scrutiny of the British government's approach to Israel policy, and follows questions — covered in yesterday's article — about who Miliband is listening to on this issue.

Synagogue Security at Yom Kippur: "Run, Hide, Fight"

With Yom Kippur approaching this weekend, the Forward reports that synagogues across the United States are integrating threat-preparedness briefings directly into High Holiday services. Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky told the Forward that he plans to open his Yom Kippur sermon with an emergency evacuation plan, as he did at Rosh Hashanah. The piece reflects a broader pattern: armed threat training and security messaging are now a standard part of communal life for many American Jewish congregations. In Israel, separately, a former Shin Bet commander urged gun-owning Israelis to bring their firearms to synagogue on Yom Kippur, telling the Jewish Chronicle that it would be "impossible to provide airtight security for every synagogue."

UK Jewish Students Launch New Year at Parliament

The Union of Jewish Students (UJS) launched the new academic year with a reception at Parliament, the Jewish Chronicle reports. Sarah Sackman, MP for Finchley and Golders Green, described Jewish student leadership as "inspiring." The event comes at a time when Jewish students across the UK and US continue to face hostility on campus — a theme the Jewish Chronicle addressed in a separate feature this week describing conditions as "open season on Jews on campus."

Robert Kraft's $2 Million Palestinian Aid Pledge: Destination Unclear

Pro-Israel billionaire Robert Kraft, who barred rapper Macklemore from performing at a stadium he owns — citing what he described as hateful behaviour — subsequently pledged $2 million to aid Palestinians. Both JTA and the Forward report that it remains unclear precisely where the donation will go. JTA notes that Kraft has previously backed Seeds of Peace, a dialogue organisation, but no formal announcement of a recipient has been made.

Vance to Host Shabbat Dinner Amid Jewish Outreach Effort

JNS reports that Vice President JD Vance is set to host a Shabbat dinner this week as part of a broader effort to repair relations with Republican Jews. Separately, conservative Jewish radio host Sid Rosenberg — who had been a vocal critic of Vance's positions on Israel — told the Forward he left a recent meeting with the vice president feeling optimistic, saying he had been "charmed." The outreach follows months of tension between Vance and parts of the Jewish Republican base over his stated positions on Israel.

California Lawsuits Seek Return of Nazi-Looted Art

Two lawsuits have been filed in California seeking the return of art looted by the Nazis from Jewish families, JNS reports. Rabbi Noah Farkas of the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles stated that the legal action aims "to reverse a great injustice perpetrated by the Nazi theft of a Jewish family's property." The cases add to a long-running global effort to achieve restitution for Holocaust-era theft.

Death of Pop Artist Peter Max

Pop artist Peter Max has died at the age of 88, JNS reports. Born in Berlin, Max fled Nazi persecution as a child and lived in Shanghai and Israel before becoming a celebrated figure in 1960s American pop culture. His life traced a path shared by many Jewish refugees of that era — displacement, survival, and reinvention in the United States.

Pope Leo: Middle East Conflicts Weigh on Jewish-Christian Relations

Pope Leo has said that conflicts in the Middle East have "left their mark" on Jewish-Christian interfaith dialogue and "weigh heavily" on relations between the two faiths, according to the Jewish Chronicle. The pontiff's remarks reflect the strain that the ongoing conflict has placed on interreligious relationships globally.

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Sources

• Jüdische Allgemeine — Brandanschlag auf Synagoge Wuppertal
• JNS — Heaton Park survivor: Manchester Jewish community 'doesn't feel any safer'
• Jewish Chronicle — A year after Heaton Park, I'm not so sure this government has the back of British Jews
• JNS — North Carolina man arrested over antisemitic threats
• Jüdische Allgemeine — Solidarität nach Angriff auf Frau mit Davidstern
• Jüdische Allgemeine — Merz ruft zum Kampf gegen Antisemitismus auf
• Jewish Chronicle — LBC's Ian Payne says the 'Jewish lobby' is 'incredibly strong'
• Jewish Chronicle — New York Times deletes claim Israelis 'view themselves as the victims of October 7'
• Jewish Chronicle — Miliband 'ignored MI6 warning' against Israeli sanctions
• Forward — 'Run, hide, fight': Synagogues make threat preparedness part of High Holiday services
• Jewish Chronicle — Former Shin Bet commander urges gun-owning Israelis to take firearms to shul on Yom Kippur
• Jewish Chronicle — UJS launches new year with Parliament reception
• JTA — Robert Kraft pledged $2M to aid Palestinians amid Macklemore row
• Forward — Robert Kraft pledged $2M to aid Palestinians amid Macklemore row
• JNS — Vance to host Shabbat dinner this week
• Forward — Jewish radio host Sid Rosenberg says he 'charmed' JD Vance
• JNS — Two lawsuits in California seek to recover Nazi-looted art from museums
• JNS — Pop artist Peter Max dies at 88
• Jewish Chronicle — Pope Leo says Middle East conflicts 'weigh heavily' on Jewish-Christian relations