The last three weeks have been difficult for our community. Alongside the instinctive solidarity most of us feel when our friends, our family members and our fellow Jews in Israel come under attack, we have faced vile antisemitism on the streets of this country, our home. 

All of us will have felt horror, anger and revulsion when we first saw pictures of cars driving around our communities, with thugs screaming that they would “rape” our daughters. Alongside this kind of violence, we have seen actual physical violence. On the one hand, as we picked up children from school or went to synagogue, we will have been reassured by the presence of CST staff and volunteers. Their work is crucial and we are indebted to them for the security they provide us, both physical and emotional. On the other, we will have been deeply concerned to hear the CST’s research that the number of antisemitic incidents has soared.

Many of us will have asked ourselves the question that has returned again and again over the past few years - are we safe here? Is this still a country where we can make a Jewish life and one where Jews are not just tolerated but also feel welcome.

The good news from the survey carried by Deltapoll for the JLC last week is that most non-Jewish Britons are paying attention and share our concerns. It found 52% of Britons agreed that incidents like the shouting of racist slogans from cars travelling through Jewish areas in London “makes me worry that future atrocities against Jewish people are still possible”. Almost nine in ten Britons agreed that the perpetrators should be brought to justice - with over half of those agreeing saying that those responsible should face the toughest penalties possible. Almost half - 44% - say that the incidents like the North London “convoy” has made them worried for the safety of British Jews while an even higher figure - 46% - agreed that they had been reminded of historical atrocities against Jews. A strong majority - 59% - agreed that they were “angry and embarrassed” that things like the North London convoy could happen in the present day.

We are lucky to live in a country where an increasing number of people see racism as a throwback to the past. Rest assured, we will continue to fight antisemitism from wherever it rears its ugly head.