World
Three quarters of European Jews now hide their identity in public
Eighty per cent of Jews said racism directed at them had grown in the past five years
July 12, 2024 10:37
Eighty per cent of Jews said racism directed at them had grown in the past five years
July 12, 2024 10:37Antisemitism surged by up to 400 per cent in some European countries following the October 7 attack, a new report from the European Union has revealed.
Three quarters of Jews sometimes conceal their identity to avoid persecution, while almost 40 per cent say they were harassed in the previous year because they are Jewish.
The survey, carried out by the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency, questioned over 8,000 Jews across the continent in the first half of 2023, before consulting 11 national Jewish bodies in the wake of Hamas’s invasion of Israel.
Prior to October 7, 56 per cent of respondents said they had encountered antisemitism offline from people they know, while 90 per cent had experienced anti-Jewish bigotry online.
Fifty-one per cent said they had witnessed it in the media.
Thirty-seven per cent said they had been harassed because they are Jewish in the previous year, with most of them having experienced harassment multiple times.
Over three-quarters of European Jews meanwhile said they had hidden their Jewish identity "at least occasionally" while 34 per cent said they avoid Jewish events or sites because they do not feel safe.
A quarter avoid posting content online that might identify them as Jewish.
Over half of respondents said they continue to worry for their own and their family’s safety and security.
Seventy-five per cent feel that people hold them responsible for the Israeli government’s actions because they are Jewish.
In total, 80 per cent said they felt that antisemitism had grown in their country in the five years before the survey.
Following Hamas’s attack against Israel that saw hundreds of civilians murdered and sparked the IDF’s campaign in Gaza, all the European countries examined saw a “stark surge” in Jew hate.
Several Jewish organisations reported spikes in antisemitic incidents of over 400 per cent, the report states.
It says: “Online antisemitism and antisemitic incidents in public, schools and universities increased dramatically. They negatively affect how safe Jewish people feel and their ability to be Jewish openly in their day-to-day lives.”
The report adds: “Previously established ties and connections to political leaders and other religious groups have often weakened or even disappeared since the Hamas attacks. This has left communities feeling unsupported and isolated.”
FRA Director Sirpa Rautio said: “Europe is witnessing a wave of antisemitism, partly driven by the conflict in the Middle East. This severely limits Jewish people’s ability to live in safety and with dignity.
"We need to build on existing laws and strategies to protect communities from all forms of hate and intolerance, online as well as offline.
"In an increasingly polarised society, we urgently need to spread the message of tolerance and ensure respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of all.”