Jewish News Today: Manchester Synagogue Attack Inquiry Ordered, Hezbollah Bomb Kills Israeli Schoolboy, and Antisemitism Rises Across UK and US

The UK Home Secretary has announced a full public inquiry into deaths connected to the Manchester synagogue attack, as Jewish communities in Britain and the United States absorb new data showing antisemitic hate crimes rising sharply on both sides of the Atlantic. Meanwhile, a 14-year-old Israeli boy was killed when a suspected unexploded Hezbollah cluster munition detonated during a school hike in northern Israel, injuring 24 others.

UK: Public Inquiry Ordered into Manchester Synagogue Attack Deaths

Home Secretary Mahmood has announced a public inquiry into deaths linked to the Manchester synagogue attack, according to the Jewish Chronicle. Mahmood stated that the inquiry "will ensure that all evidence can be heard, including any sensitive national security material." The announcement marks a significant step for affected families and the wider British Jewish community, which has been pressing for full accountability. No further details about the inquiry's scope or timeline were provided in the sources available.

Israeli Schoolboy Killed by Unexploded Hezbollah Munition

A 14-year-old boy was killed and 24 others were injured on Monday when what is believed to be an unexploded Hezbollah cluster munition detonated during a school hiking trip in northern Israel, according to multiple sources including the Jewish Chronicle, the Forward, JTA, and the Jüdische Allgemeine. JNS named the boy as Elazar Yair Wilensky. According to JNS, a preliminary IDF probe indicated the explosion was caused by an unexploded Hezbollah cluster munition. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited those wounded in the blast, JNS reported. JTA noted that police are considering banning hikes along the trail in light of the danger posed by unexploded munitions remaining along the border with Lebanon. A teacher and 23 pupils were among the injured, the Jewish Chronicle reported.

Antisemitism News: UK Hate Crimes Rise 10%, Chicago Figures Alarming

Recorded antisemitic hate crimes in England and Wales rose by 10% in the year ending March 2026, according to data released by the British government and reported by the Forward. The figures cover police-reported hate crimes and represent a continued upward trend that will alarm Jewish diaspora communities across the UK.

In the United States, official Chicago city statistics cited by JNS show that more than 80% of all religion-based hate crimes recorded in the city so far this year have targeted Jews. Jay Tcath of the local Jewish Federation told JNS that "this is a perilous moment in Chicago," during which "a number of elected leaders, academics and other public officials engage in divisive, dangerous" rhetoric. Separately, JNS reported that a Jewish law professor newly appointed to a Pennsylvania human rights panel, Andrea Martin, said: "I never knew America would turn on Jews this way."

London: 20 Arrested at Anti-Israel March, Including Nazi Salute Incident

London's Metropolitan Police arrested 20 people at an anti-Israel march, including one person who performed a Nazi salute, according to JNS — a development that follows the Battle of Britain memorial vandalism reported yesterday. Police also reported arrests for assault and for damaging a memorial. The arrests represent a continuation of disorder at anti-Israel demonstrations in the UK capital.

Netherlands: Dutch Club Bans Israeli Fans Ahead of Europa Match

AZ Alkmaar has decided to exclude Hapoel Beersheva supporters from Thursday's match in the Netherlands, a decision Israel's Foreign Ministry condemned as one that "rewards threats and punishes victims of antisemitic violence," according to JNS. Israel's Foreign Ministry stated that the ban penalises Israeli supporters rather than those responsible for threatening behaviour. The episode recalls the antisemitic violence against Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in Amsterdam, and raises fresh concerns about the safety and welcome of Israeli and Jewish sports fans in Europe.

Global Jewish Leaders Challenge British Foreign Secretary

An umbrella group representing Jewish communities in America, Europe, and Australia held what JNS described as a "frank" meeting with the British Foreign Secretary. According to the Conference of Presidents — as quoted by JNS — participants "called him to task for the U.K. government's sanctions against Israel and its rhetoric, which exacerbate antisemitism and increase the risks Jewish communities face." The meeting signals sustained pressure on the UK government from organised diaspora Jewry over policies seen as emboldening hostility toward Jewish communities.

Germany: Berlin Jewish Cultural Days Forced to Cancel Main Exhibition

The Jewish community in Berlin has been forced to cancel the main exhibition of this year's Jüdische Kulturtage, according to the Jüdische Allgemeine. The exhibition, titled "Super Hero. Was macht einen Menschen zum Helden?" ("What makes a person a hero?"), had to be scrapped after a funding shortfall of 150,000 euros. The cancellation is a blow to one of Germany's most prominent annual Jewish cultural events.

Germany: Margot Friedländer Prize Awarded for Work Against Antisemitism

Munich academic Guy Katz has been awarded the Margot Friedländer Prize 2026 for his engagement against antisemitism, the Jüdische Allgemeine reported. The Europaschule Rövershagen was among the other recipients named. The prize, named after the celebrated Holocaust survivor, recognises efforts to combat antisemitism in contemporary Germany.

US: Harvard Sued Over Firing of Jewish Employee Who Observed Rosh Hashanah

A lawsuit filed against Harvard University alleges that a Jewish staff member, Daniel Lilienthal, was fired after taking time off for Rosh Hashanah. According to JNS, Lilienthal's supervisor is accused of telling him: "I don't want you thinking you can just take off time whenever you want." The case adds to a pattern of legal actions alleging religious discrimination on American university campuses.

US: Documentary on Hostage Poster Wars Wins New York Emmy

Torn, a documentary about the hostage poster wars that followed 7 October 2023, has won a New York Emmy, JTA reported. The film examines the conflict over the posting and tearing down of images of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, a phenomenon that became a flashpoint in the culture war over the conflict in cities across the United States and beyond.

US Mission Walks Out of UN Meeting in Antisemitism Protest

The United States mission to the United Nations walked out of a UN meeting in protest, in a gesture the US envoy Mike Waltz compared to America's walkout at the 2001 Durban conference. Waltz described the Durban Conference as the "basis for this anti-Western hate, anti-Americanism and antisemitism," according to JNS. The walkout signals a continued American posture of confronting what it regards as institutionalised anti-Israel and antisemitic bias at the UN.

UK: Zionist Federation Elects New, More Right-Wing Leadership

The Zionist Federation in the United Kingdom has shifted to the right following new leadership elections, the Jewish Chronicle reported. Incoming leaders described the result as heralding "a new chapter" for the organisation. The shift reflects broader changes in the politics of pro-Israel organisations in the diaspora since 7 October 2023.

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