An escalating sense of dread is seizing the Jewish community, according to Justin Cohen, a prominent Jewish news editor. This pervasive fear looms large in the face of a backdrop steeped in trauma, incited further by the horrific Hamas massacres and abductions on the seventh of October.
A significant number of British Jews are connected to Israel, with more than 70% having family residing there and 90% having visited at least once, as outlined by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research. Underscoring this worry, there’s been a shocking surge in antisemitism. The Metropolitan Police revealed a fifteenfold increase in antisemitic incidents within the last three weeks when compared to the same period of the previous year.
The passionate protests against Israel’s bombings of Gaza, bristling with rampant rage, have made them a focal point, transmuting Jewish community’s general dread into distinct terror. That’s according to Mr. Cohen, who views such UK protests, where tens of thousands rallied for an end to the bombings, as menacing and disturbing. Most concerning to him are escalating cries for an “intifada” or violent uprising, as heard in the latest demonstrations.
While event organisers have reiterated that their actions solely focus on Israel’s large-scale bombing campaign in Gaza and doesn’t harbour any antisemitic sentiments, this narrative is rejected by many British Jews. “It’s terrifying and disturbing. It makes you question your safety in the place you’ve always considered home,” says Benjamin Bell, a 41-year-old Londoner, on his experience of the grand-scale pro-Palestinian fervour.
In the wake of the Hamas atrocities, Bell took the brave step of publicly embracing his Jewish identity in a well-received blog post. The post detailed his newfound decision to wear a Star of David pendant for the first time since his bar mitzvah, a choice subjected to constant reassessment in the tempestuous environment that is today’s world.
The escalating antisemitism, fuelled further by provocative social media content, has led to an increasing uneasiness among his Jewish friends, particularly about expressing their support for Israel at their workplaces. Born and raised in the UK, Bell remains deeply affected by the devastating events in Israel, whilst also remaining committed to his people’s safety.
This dual sentiment culminates in the highly sensitive response to demonstration chants like “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” While these words are interpreted by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign as a call for “freedom, equality, and justice” for all Palestinians, they strike a nerve within Bell and many others who perceive this rallying cry as an imminent threat to Israel’s existence.
Countering these fears, Alexei Sayle, a Jewish patron of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, stresses that the nature of the protests isn’t antisemitic. He reiterates that a lot of Jews stand in solidarity with the cause, and the overarching mood at these gatherings is caring and concern for humanity rather than hate.
The rising tide of antisemitic incidents in the UK, mirrored during Israel-Gaza conflicts in 2009, 2014, and 2021, is hard to disregard. This fact is keenly felt among British Jews even in their everyday lives. For instance, at the Beis Chinuch Lebonos Girls School, Headteacher Abraham Schechter advises his students to head straight home after school to avoid possible antisemitic reactions.
As the international conflict endures, apprehensions regarding its severe impact on British Jews across the spectrum increase in intensity. The community vigilantly hopes for an end to the conflict, and above all, a restoration of their sense of safety and community.
