Synagogue shooting survivor marches to honor victims and fight hate
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One year after a terrorist attack injured him while guarding Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester, England, a man joined the 2026 International March of the Living to honor those killed and advocate against antisemitism.
He walked the 3.5 kilometer route from Auschwitz to Birkenau with approximately 8,000 other participants, including Holocaust survivors and fellow victims of antisemitic violence.
The march provided an opportunity to connect with others who had experienced trauma and to learn from Holocaust survivors who now educate future generations. During the march, he met Hannah Abesidon and Eva Wietzen, survivors of an attack in Bondi Beach, Australia, and Abbie Talmoud and Catherine Szkop, who witnessed murders in Washington, D.C. They all affirmed their continued pride in being Jewish despite the danger.
He and other survivors then lit a torch at the closing ceremony in Birkenau, dedicated to fighting antisemitism, alongside Sylvan Adams, President of the World Jewish Congress. Israel, and Ambassador Yehuda Kaploun, the U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism. The man noted that his community still does not feel safe, even with increased security measures at synagogues and Jewish schools.
He addressed a delegation of international law enforcement, explaining that hatred had escalated from online spaces to real-world violence, and urged them to take action. He plans to return to his synagogue on Yom Kippur, determined to continue practicing his faith and remembering those lost.
