The author, Alex Brummer, recounts visiting Kibbutz Kfar Aza and the Nova music festival site in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attacks, recalling the brutal violence he witnessed and the enduring trauma it inflicted on Israelis.
Brummer draws a stark parallel between the October 7 attacks, which he describes as the worst assault on Jews since the Holocaust, and the historical persecution his own family endured. He details his family's journey from Nazi-occupied Hungary to Britain, where they found refuge and kindness.
His family's story includes his father's arrival in Britain in 1938 after experiencing anti-Semitic violence, and his aunts' survival of Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen. After enduring horrific conditions, including being transported in cattle trucks and working in concentration camps, his aunts Sussie, Sheindy, and Rosie were eventually brought to Britain. Brummer notes that his family retained immense gratitude for the safety and compassion they found in the UK.
However, Brummer expresses deep concern about the current atmosphere in Britain, suggesting that his family might not be as welcome today. He cites the Green Party's resolution labeling Zionism as racism and criticisms of Israel by figures like Ed Miliband and the Foreign Secretary as contributing to a climate of hostility. He argues that such rhetoric, particularly the use of terms like 'ethnic cleansing' in relation to Israel's actions in Gaza, fuels hatred against Jews.
Brummer also criticizes Manchester's Mayor, Andy Burnham, for implementing sanctions on Israel, which he believes are politically motivated to appeal to specific voting blocs. He contends that these actions, combined with a perceived rise in anti-Israel sentiment that he equates with anti-Semitism, create an environment where the Jewish community feels increasingly under siege.
He questions whether Britain still offers the same level of tolerance and safety that his family experienced decades ago. The article concludes with a somber reflection that the "never again" sentiment, once deeply ingrained in the hearts of Holocaust survivors, feels diminished in contemporary Britain.