British Jews are under attack as never before
100 days on from the October 7 pogrom, our community is showing that resilience trumps hate
As we watch the war in Israel and Gaza unfold on our TV screens every night, it can be easy to lose sight of how we got here. But for the Jewish community across Britain, the horror of October 7 – and the hatred it has unleashed here at home – remains at the forefront of our minds.
One hundred days ago, we saw the worst pogrom since the Second World War, as thousands of Hamas terrorists poured into Israel to slaughter, rape, maim and abduct civilians.
Hundreds of young people, who had gathered at the Re’im music festival to celebrate freedom and promote peace between Israelis and Palestinians, were murdered. At kibbutzim near the Gaza Strip, terrorists went door-todoor butchering innocents.
A hundred days may have passed, but more than 100 hostages remain in captivity or unaccounted for. Accounts I read of those who have returned, in particular women who endured sexual violence and psychological torture, will stay with me forever.
Within Israel and the wider Jewish community, there is always passionate political debate – as we saw last year in disputes over constitutional reform. Such debates are the hallmark of healthy democracies.
What should not be a matter for debate is whether Israel can let these crimes go unanswered. The state of Israel can and must defend itself. It can and must act to prevent such atrocities from happening again. And it is clearer than ever that many of those who deny Israel’s right to self defence start from the premise that Israel has no right to exist at all.
The scenes from Gaza are desperate and heartbreaking. I despair at the scale of suffering and loss of life. We must be clear where responsibility lies. Such is Hamas’s disregard for Palestinian lives that they had no hesitation in digging their tunnels, storing their weapons and planning their attacks under schools and hospitals.
Understandably, much of the focus now is on what happens next in Gaza and the implications for the region.
The affinity with Israel among British Jews runs deep – this is unsurprising when you realise that 70 per cent of the community have family members currently living in Israel. An even higher proportion will have other friends and connections in Israel. So the events of October 7 and since feel very close to home.
Many British Jews will also be reflecting on the new reality they are experiencing every day. It pains me to say this in 2024 – but I have never seen British Jewry more under attack or witnessed a more hostile environment. The Community Security Trust (CST), which seeks to secure safety for the UK Jewish community, has collected figures on anti-semitism for 40 years. Its records were shattered in the weeks following October 7, with anti-semitic incidents up more than 500 per cent on the year before.
This has understandably generated fear in our community – and frustration as those who have taken to the streets calling for violence against Jews go unpunished. Jews know all too well how offensive language can soon turn into physical violence. Just ask the Jewish pupil assaulted outside his school earlier this month by attackers who tried to force him to say “Free Palestine”.
Despite this, there is cause for hope – and an overwhelming feeling of pride in the resilience we have shown. The community has come together as never before, determined to get through this together.
We have collectively taken important steps to protect ourselves, thanks to the work of the CST. Whilst we wish additional security was not needed, we are doing what is required to ensure children can still go to school and families can still go about their lives.
We have also drawn strength from the support we have received from members of wider society. We have seen peaceful events and rallies uniting Jews and non-jews against anti-semitism, showing our ability to pull together in the face of hate.
We are proud to be British Jews and of our contribution to the fabric of this country. We have a deep and rich history across the UK that we are determined to persevere. Britain must remain a tolerant home for our entire community.
Whilst Jews have had to endure unacceptable levels of hostility in the last 100 days, it is clear that we will not be cowed. I take solace in our community’s response and know our resolve is steadfast.