Over 100 new Jewish staff networks (JSNs) have been set up since October 7 due to an increasing sense of isolation among Jewish employees, it was claimed this week.

Andrew Gilbert, a vice-president of the Board of Deputies, told the JC: “Forty years ago, there would be a few JSNs in the City, who would meet for lunch n’learns or Chanukah parties. Suddenly, over 100 more of these groups have formed for a totally different reason - in response to how people see their workplaces after October 7.”

Gilbert said that many Jewish people found they were working in departments “where everyone else has gone to a pro-Palestinian rally at the weekend and they come into work talking about them, or colleagues are wearing pro-Palestinian stickers or putting up posters.”

He said that while many people attended the pro-Palestinian marches as it seemed to be “the right thing to do, within the marches is the antisemitism of the far left, of the Islamists and of people sharing fake truths. This concoction is then going back into the workplace, where Jews are being marginalised as Jewish identity is seen as being a connection to Israel and no longer part of a ‘coalition of good’.”

Gilbert added that the sense of isolation was having an impact on Jewish employees’ mental health. “It’s affecting people’s confidence in the workplace. People are fearful of being openly Jewish or they think that they haven’t had a promotion or a part in a film because they are Jewish.”

While there had been anti-Israel and antisemitic activity on campus for years, said Gilbert, “we have never before had these sorts of issues [in the UK] in the workplace. We may have seen a spike during previous wars in Gaza, but this isn’t a spike. It’s a shift in society.”

His comments come on the back of the launch of the third edition of the Board of Deputies Employer’s Guide at Parliament in the presence of ministers, MPs and peers.

As well as it being a guide to creating workplaces that are inclusive for Jewish employees by helping them understand Jewish observance and holidays, it also includes a new, extended chapter about preventing antisemitic discrimination in the workplace.

Addressing the launch, Board of Deputies President Phil Rosenberg said: “Since October 7, there has been misunderstanding about the Jewish community and in some cases antisemitism in the workplace, and we want to be there to help Jewish employees tackle these problems. I want you to know this: We’ve got your back.”

Dan Tomlinson, MP, the co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary group on British Jews, welcomed the publication, saying: “It is more important than ever that Jewish people in this country feel that they can live worship and participate in their workplace, in safety and in confidence. That's why this is a good time to release an updated version of the Employer's Guide so that employers can familiarise themselves with the religious and cultural requirements of their Jewish employees, so that they can continue to receive support that they need in the workplace.”

Minister of State in the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education, Sir Stephen Timms MP, told the reception: “The British Jewish community should not merely feel accepted in Britain. The community needs to know that Jewishness is a vital contributor to an essential component of Britain and of Britishness. There wouldn't be such a thing as Britishness without the Jewish contribution.”

Faiths Minister Lord Khan also joined the meeting to affirm the Government’s support for Jewish workers.

At the launch, Board of Deputies religious and civil affairs officer Victoria Lisek said that Jewish staff networks were a means of protecting the rights of Jewish workers. “We are very keen that employers who wish to support their Jewish staff will assist in setting up their own networks.”

Gilbert told the JC that the Board was planning to add new staff to handle the “challenges of the workplace for Jewish staff” and in 2025, would be running a conference for leader of JSNs, as well as toolkits and other support for those who work with them.

The Board of Deputies, the JLC and Work Avenue have launched a survey on antisemitism in the workplace. Click here to take part

Click here to access the Board of Deputies’ Employer’s Guide