Antisemitism since October 7 far higher than feared
Jews increasingly living in atmosphere that is 'alienating, threatening and hostile'
Jenni Frazer is a freelance journalist
A devastating new policy paper from the Institute for Jewish Policy Research (JPR) shows that levels of antisemitism in the UK are far higher than figures most commonly quoted by the CST and police.
Based on post-October 7 2023 responses, the JPR paper, Antisemitism in the aftermath of October 7: What do the data tell us, and what more do we still need to know, shows that one in three British Jews have experienced antisemitism personally in the nine months following October 7, far more than the 1.9 percent who reported such an incident to the police or the CST. The paper warns that Jews are likely to feel a greater sense of alienation from the societies in which they live over time, and that there is a worrying trend of Jews feeling surrounded by a “hostile and threatening milieu”.
The paper introduces the concept of ambient antisemitism —Jews experiencing antisemitism that isn’t directed at them personally— and explores the general population’s attitudes to Jews and Israel before and after October 7, 2023. Ambient antisemitism includes actions such as the tearing down of hostage posters, which might previously have been “explained away” as anti-Zionism rather than antisemitism.
The paper, written by JPR’s executive director Dr Jonathan Boyd, points to a critical gap in research compared with the EU and calls on the UK government and philanthropic community to plug it as a matter of urgency.
The conclusion, says Dr Boyd, is that better research methods are required to assess accurately the general population’s attitudes to Jews and Israel, and Jewish people’s perceptions and experiences of antisemitism.
Among the key findings are that reports of antisemitic incidents increased dramatically in the months following the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7 in multiple European countries.
Responses to the JPR make it clear that the number of antisemitic incidents being recorded by the police and community monitoring agencies vastly underestimates the amount of antisemitism taking place. That, in turn, has had “a significant impact on Jewish people’s feelings of safety and security in the UK and across Europe”.
The paper notes that “the degree to which the Hamas attacks on October 7 were marked by open celebration and affirmation of violence reveals a level of antisemitic hate that exists within parts of Western Europe that poses a severe threat to Jews living on the continent”.
Part of the problem, Dr Boyd writes, is that a “culture of ‘ambient antisemitism’ has emerged in the post-October 7 period, marked by incidents such as defacing or tearing down posters of Israeli hostages, that, whether strictly antisemitic or not, create a broader milieu that feels threatening and hostile to many Jewish people”.
Inaccurate and irresponsible media reporting can lead directly to an increase in antisemitism, although more research is required to understand how and when this occurs.
A clear and significant increase in sympathy for the Palestinians among young people and those on the political left since October 7 is noted by the JPR, and the paper adds that “levels of sympathy for Israel are much lower, even in the very immediate aftermath of the Hamas attacks. The lack of sympathy for Israel is likely to lead to many Jews feeling a greater sense of alienation from the societies in which they live over time”.
Given the apparent levels of concern among Jews today, Dr Boyd says, “much more needs to be done to invest in a robust and systematic approach to measuring antisemitism in society and its effects on Jews as part of a serious strategy to combat it going forward. This is particularly the case in the UK, which has fallen far behind the EU since leaving the European Union in this respect”.
Dr Boyd commented: “As much as the October 7 attacks on Israel unleashed a war in Gaza, they also unleashed a wave of antisemitism in the UK and across Europe the like of which most Jews today have never experienced before. Antisemitism is far more pervasive today than the incident data show, and a broader culture is emerging in many countries where Jews live that, whether strictly antisemitic or not, feels alienating, threatening and hostile. This is completely unacceptable.
“At a time of such abnormally high levels of concern among Jews, it has become essential to invest in high quality, professionally-conducted independent research, as part of a serious government-level strategy to tackle antisemitism today. Antisemitism is an increasingly serious issue, and it requires serious research to guide serious policy if we are to have any hope of tackling it. This is especially the case in the UK which, since Brexit, is no longer part of the extensive strategic research programmes being undertaken across the European Union. We call on the UK government and philanthropic community to plug this critical gap as a matter of urgency.”
Further data will be released from the JPR Jewish Current Affairs Survey in early October 2024. The report will look at the changing nature of British Jews’ political views about Israel, how secure British Jews feel living in post-October 7 Britain, and how the current war is affecting British Jews’ feelings of attachment to Israel and Jewish life in the UK. The findings will also form the basis of a new series of the JPR/JW3 ‘Jews Do Count’ podcast, which will be available from all leading podcast platforms in early October.
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