Scared to be Jewish

I’m sorry that you feel like this. Could you find strength in your faith?

I'm sure I will be told I am overreacting. But I am scared. And I think I have every right to be.

You are not overreacting and everyone knows it even though they might pretend otherwise.

I think the risk increases if you are at an obviously Jewish location like a school or synagogue, or if you are visibly Jewish (ie wearing obvious signifiers, clearly on your way to a synagogue or Jewish school), although even then it's still small.

I genuinely don't believe anyone is at existential risk just for being Jewish or having Jewish heritage or a Jewish name. I have no worries on a day to day basis, but fair to say I might be a more alert than usual walking to or from synagogue and when I'm there these days.

Yes if you look at hate crime incidents, Islamophobic and Antisemitic, the former absolutely giants the latter. None of it should happen obviously.

I could have written this. I’ve always been critical of Israel’s politics and choices, and I certainly don’t agree with them but somehow I’m held personally responsible for the actions of a country I’ve never been to by some people who can’t separate Israel and Judaism.

There is something chronically exhausting about knowing there are groups of people who want to kill you purely based on your heritage/beliefs- I know lots of people can relate to that feeling.

I hate people making assumptions and stereotypes about my political views because of my heritage.

I'm almost exactly the same background and practise as you, watered down non religious, Christmas celebrating. Except we have an obviously Jewish last name and look just a little bit Jew. I don't feel in the slightest bit worried for our safety, or at least I didn't until I read this thread.

I’m so sorry you feel like this.

I’ve signed the declaration

The percentage increase doesn’t tell you anything unless you know the starting points obviously

@feralunderclass do you have the evidence for that please because news reports are saying differently

"LONDON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - London police said on Friday they had recorded a 1,353% increase in antisemitic offences this month compared to the same period last year, while Islamophobic offences were up 140% in the wake of the attack by Hamas on Israel."

Statistically Muslims are at much higher risk of attack than Jews in the UK, not that that is going to make any Jewish people feel any better. The whole situation has made the lives of so many so much harder, and that's so unfair 😢.

im sorry you feel this way , the world doesn’t make sense anymore ,

Maybe not now, but in a few years if Hamas gathers more support across the Middle East and extremist supporters in the West

sorry that’s inaccurate , nowhere in ME has given support to Hamas, people just feel for the innocent civilians , also Qatar did not just take them in, The Obama administration specifically asked them to be placed there.
Dr Kristian Ulrichsen on X explains it so well ,

and Iran is just all talk and no action,
also it’s the only country that openly express hate for the US and the west yet the US never went into war with. Wonder why 🤔
maybe because Irans continuous threat to the ME is lucrative for the US government ? It’s just a thought .

Israel is not aiming to kill of citizens of Gaza, they are going after Hamas tunnels, Hamas leaders residences, rocket launch sites etc. Israel is fighting for its existence, and for now it means eradication of Hamas. Its horrible that the area is so densely populated and there are children there, but Hamas are deliberately using civilians as human shield. I would never say the carpet bombing is acceptable, but preventing evacuation and positioning military targets in hospitals, schools and mosques is also vile.

What happened? I didn't think security guards were allowed to be armed in the UK?

I’m of Jewish origin married to a non-Jew. More people definitely now know that I’m Jewish than have ever known in my adult life, because I want people to know where I’m coming from when we discuss this. I am especially keen for people to know that no, not all Jews think it’s anti-Semitic to condemn the appalling behaviour of the Israeli government.

I hear you. I've been worried about growing antisemitism for a while.

I'm Jewish and I hope you can find a place of less anxiety. Obviously all this is horrible and worrying, but I don't think there is a need (yet) to catastrophise about 'might bes'. Have I sat in synagogue and considered what I'd do if I heard gunshots outside? Yes. Do I think that's actually likely to happen? No, not really. The possibility is horrible. The likelihood is essentially still low. The number of Muslim people living relatively comfortable lives in Europe or the US who would actually be prepared to essentially end their lives to kill Jews is not going to be very many. This is why we don't see ISIS types carrying out attacks in Europe and the US regularly, but you might see it in poorer, Muslim-majority countries where this extremism (and it is extremism because Islam is not like that as a whole at all) can thrive more easily.

Sadly in places like Palestine the situation has created a larger (though still not huge) proportion of people desperate, hopeless and angry enough to commit the atrocities that happened and their 'enemy' is next door. But forces like Hamas will never find many people prepared to go that far outside of their sphere to the degree that it would form an existential risk.

I hope you understand I'm not saying this to have a go at your fears, I'm hoping it might be reassuring.

Whilst I do understand your anxiety as much as any outsider can, please be assured that most of us at least can separate Israeli political and military acts from Judaism. One is a religion the other is a country. I can also separate Hamas from Islam
I agree with this.

My concern is that if the Israeli government insists on pursuing the eradication of the Palestinian people in Gaza, cutting comms, and going for a scorched earth approach then there for all the citizens who can separate Israeli government decisions from Judaism, a lot of less-informed people are liable to being radicalised into antisemitic views because to those with less understanding of world events they will hear some of the IDF rhetoric and think they are speaking for Jewish people.

@StarbucksSmarterSister I have heard absolutely vile comments about "jews have all the money and control" - from seemingly normal person who obviously felt like they can make this comments because of the conflict. I have also been asked "who's side are you on" - also vile. I have been abused in my homeland because I "look Jewish" - I'm not - and I still remember the horror and the unfairness of it.

I have a huge family and one branch of it is actually Jewish. And I'm scared for my Jewish friends and relatives, tbh.

I hear you

The real question is how many demonstrations are there against Russia hating on Russians and in support of Ukraine? None.

Are Russians in England incessantly being given a hard time about Ukraine? Nope.

So why all this hating on Israel and Jews?

Oh wait!!!

OP, this too shall pass, hopefully soon, please know that the majority of British people do not support Hamas /Free Palestine trolls, some of whom are completely unhinged, we can see exactly what is going on and are working privately in the background to support our fellow Jewish citizens to feel happy, safe and appreciated.

The amount of anti Semitism I've seen on social media in the last three weeks is horrifying. It's not just the amount, it's utterly vicious and there is no pretence.

And a lot of it is coming from Westerners.

I don't think you're overreacting.

I live in east London and I see a lot of Jewish families out and about. I have no idea how they must feel. Ifs absolutely awful - one thing is being pro-Palestinians in a way that they should not be bombed, should have their own country etc - but I have a horrible feeling this conflict made antisemitism completely acceptable and valid, and a lot of people chanting "from river to the sea" are doing so knowing perfectly well that it means eradication of Israel. I have seen the demonstrations, and as I keep saying on these threads - there is nothing, absolutely nothing condemning attacks on Israel or call to release the hostages. In fact, I have seen footage of people pulling off posters of the hostages, or defacing them with "occupier" stickers. Its horrendous. There are two sides in this conflict, not one - its a war...people should not forget this. Islamophobia and antisemitism are equally vile and should not be tolerated.

At the same time the majority of British Jews are Zionists (57% according to one survey). While being Zionist does not mean endorsing the bombing of civilians or supporting the corrupt and incompetent Israeli government, Zionism is a form of nationalism and there is an element of tribalism... In addition, many Jews in the UK see being Jewish as being part of an ethnoreligious group and for many supporting Israel is a manifestation of Jewish identity. For me it isn't but that is because I am a convert so perhaps less emotionally invested in the marketing though I do care deeply about my family in Israel. For many (predominantly) progressive rabbis, it isn't because to be Jewish means to believe in tikkum olam (repair the world) which is also the more universalist interpretation of Judaism I subscribe to... But I wouldn't say I am the norm, I have given up discussing Israel with many of my friends and family cos it would end up in a fight.... They have a lot of sympathy for the Palestinians and see them as fellow humans but at the same time they feel this is existential (basically Israel is repeating the same mistakes as 9/11 and they are not seeing it just like the American people didn't see it at that time)..this is painful for both sides and sometimes I don't really know what to say or think..

I cannot begin to understand how it must feel to know that people who would seek to wipe out your ethnic group are shouting so loudly and being supported blindly by so many.

I cannot diminish the fear you feel and the anxiety that is welling.

i can understand the history and the deep seated emotions this must raise.

i will stand against antisemitism in all its forms across the world. And if I see it before me I will call it out.

Jewish ancestry is traceable. If Hamas gains further popularity in the Middle East (incredibly likely, given their links to Iran and Qatar), there is a real danger for literally every Jew in the world.

But for every person in the UK who is considered Jewish under rabbinical law, there must be many others who have some Jewish ancestry. My maternal grandfather was Jewish and an Ancestry DNA test was able to indicate that I have some Jewish ancestry. Several of my friends have a Jewish grandparent or great-grandparent. It’s very common.

I don’t know how many people in the world are of Jewish descent, but it must be many millions. I don’t believe we’re going to be wiped out, not least because some of the people who supposedly wanted this would get a shock when their own ancestry was traced.

As an expression of peace and hope my friend (Christian Vicar in dog collar) march holding hands with his local iman and local rabbi on Saturday,

That’s lovely to read.