'I still feel afraid' - Plymouth Jewish woman's hope for peace a year on from October 7 attacks

ITV News' Sam Blackledge reports on the anniversary of the October 7th attacks in Israel

One year on from the Hamas attacks on Israel, Jewish people in the South West have been reflecting on how the conflict has changed their lives.

Shachar Wilson told ITV News: "October 7th 2023 was the deadliest and bloodiest day for Jews since the Holocaust, and I think it has ignited a bit of a fire to want to make a bit of a change and to want to advocate more for antisemitic education.

"There's more of a fire within me to be really proud of who we are."

Shachar has friends and family in Israel who are at the heart of the conflict - but living in Plymouth, she has also been deeply affected by the ripples of the ongoing war."I do still feel afraid. If people find out my name is Israeli, people often ask where it's from and I'll say 'Oh, it's a Mediterranean name', rather than saying where it's from because you don't know how people are going to react.

"So I do find myself shying away a little bit. I think people are scared because they don't know what to say or they might be afraid that they're going to say something that's incorrect or that might be offensive.

"I think sometimes people stay silent because of how it might be interpreted.

"But I think we've seen what can happen when people stay silent and don't support a community."

On Monday 7 October, members of the Jewish community will gather for a peaceful event in Plymouth.

They are not revealing the location, to ensure everyone's safety.Louise Clements said: "We've had death threats in the past, razor blades through the post. That's not unusual for people.

"All one would hope is that people are tolerant about each other and care for each other.

"It is difficult to walk down the street on a Saturday morning and go into town, and not feel fearful. That's not right."