We are hugely thankful that the worshippers taken hostage in their synagogue in Texas on Saturday escaped safely after their 11-hour ordeal. But it is depressing to be reminded that Jewish people still cannot practice their religion free from fear of attack. The incident shows once again how deeply antisemitism continues to afflict the world. And once again the actions of an extremist risk triggering a backlash towards Islam as a whole.

We are proud to deliver our anti-prejudice education programmes in schools in Blackburn, Lancashire, where the perpetrator came from. We can vouch for the fact that hundreds of young people in that community, the majority of them Muslim, are committed to challenging antisemitism and all other forms of prejudice, because we have trained them as Anne Frank Ambassadors. We ask the public and national and local Government to do all they can to help us expand and intensify our vital educational work