A survey of Jewish students published today has revealed that 7 in 10 are “somewhat uncomfortable” or “very uncomfortable” revealing their Jewish faith.

In its first report, “I have never felt less protected as a Jew”: Antisemitism at UK Universities since 7th October 2023, the Intra-Communal Professorial Group (ICPG) - which was formed earlier this year “in response to a significant rise of antisemitism across academia globally and in UK higher education” - has found that just 22 per cent of Jewish students are comfortable revealing their faith - a dramatic decline since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Prior to that, the survey finds, 79 per cent of Jewish students had no problem saying they are Jewish.

The ICPG spoke to 500 Jewish students between May 29 and July 3. Although it is not a formal poll was “not a formal statistical sample of the population”, the ICPG says its findings are “broadly representative”.

63 per cent of the students surveyed had seen Jewish students being harassed because of their faith, both on social media and on campus - in contrast to just three in 10 who witnessed it before the current conflict.

41 per cent had been subject themselves to such behaviour over the past year – nearly twice the 21 per cent who said they had experienced antisemitic abuse before last autumn. 5.2 per cent said they had been physically attacked. Others said they had suffered verbal insults, harassment and Nazi imagery. One student said she was “spat at” for wearing “a JSoc [Jewish Society] jumper on campus”, while others said they had been

“chased by a man with a large glass bottle”, been pelted by eggs after hearing the Chief Rabbi speak on campus, had their Star of David necklaces grabbed from their necks and had rubbish thrown at them,

The ICPG said the government should launch a special task force to combat antisemitism in universities.