Orthodox Jews come face to face with their abusers
Two Manchester residents had an emotional meeting with their abusers, facilitated by police
Two Jewish residents who were racially abused as they walked through Manchester have come face-to-face with the perpetrators in an “emotional” meeting facilitated by police.
The rabbi and a woman, both believed to be members of the Orthodox community, reported the incident on Bury New Road earlier this year and officers later traced the two men, aged 23 and 24, who drove past hurling anti-Semitic abuse at them.
Greater Manchester Police’s Prestwich Neighbourhood Team offered the victims the chance to participate in a Restorative Justice (RJ) meeting, which they accepted and attended, alongside members of the Community Security Trust.
The meeting took place on 16 May and was reported last week by The Bury Times, which quoted Sgt. Steve Wightman Love, saying: “It gave the victims the opportunity to face their offenders as part of the rehabilitation process… The meeting was an emotional event on all sides, with the two men admitting that their behaviour was anti-Semitic in nature and not acceptable.”
Police forces say restorative justice helps offenders better understand the consequences of their actions and Wightman love added: “I can only describe it as the most productive RJ meeting I have ever been involved in.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
