Manchester synagogue attack victims ‘always smiling’ and ‘kind’

Tributes have been paid to two men who died in the Manchester synagogue attack, with neighbours describing them as “forever smiling” and “always helpful”.

Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, died after the perpetrator drove a car at members of the public before stabbing people on Thursday morning.

Greater Manchester Police has since said one of the men, who were both Jewish, appeared to have been hit by police gunfire as they shot the attacker shortly after the alarm was raised.

Andy Kordas, who lived close to Mr Cravitz for many years, said he last saw him two days ago and he “always had a kind word”.

The 71-year-old continued: “He always used to come over and have a chat and ask me what I was up to.

“He always had a smile on his face. It’s just terrible.”

Another neighbour, Bilal Ahmad, who has lived in the area for 20 years, said Mr Cravitz was a “very nice guy” and “very calm”.

“He would always say hello when you came past,” the 55-year-old said.

Sam, an Orthodox Jewish man who lives behind the synagogue, said he recognised Mr Cravitz when he saw reports of the attack.

“We used to see him around the neighbourhood and he would stop and chat,” he said.

“He was a very gentle, nice man.”

Abdul Rahimi, Mr Daulby’s neighbour of more than 20 years, said he was “like an angel”.

“He was a very good neighbour, a very good guy and always helpful,” he said.

Mr Rahimi said his own children “loved” Mr Daulby “so much” and would exchange gifts with him during various religious holidays including Christmas and Eid.

All his neighbours were shocked, he said, adding that his death was “very, very sad news for us”.

Another neighbour, who gave his name as Hussain, described him as an “innocent and gentle person”.

He said Mr Daulby would give books to children and feed neighbours’ cats in the street where he lived.

“He was the most innocent and gentle person you could come across,” he said.

“There are no words to describe how good his character was.”

Three other people remain in hospital with serious injuries after the Thursday morning attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish religious calendar.

“Right now our hearts are shattered,” the UK’s Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said.

Speaking to Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: “What transpired yesterday was an awful blow to us, something which actually we were fearing might happen because of the build up to this action.”

The attack was not only “a very dark time” for Jews in Britain “but for all of our society”, he said.