Most British Jews believe they no longer have a future in the UK according to a recently released survey.
It was published by the Campaign Against Antisemitism to coincide with International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Only one-third of respondents were optimistic of having a long-term future in the country.
Half have considered leaving Britain in the past two years due to the exponential rise in anti-Semitism.
Jewish investigative journalist David Collier told CBN News: “I know some [British Jews] who left. I know some who are actively, seriously looking at leaving.”
He said he constantly feels the anti-Jewish hate.
“I get death threats every single day. But I’m also being contacted by Jews [facing the same] either at work or at home.”
The survey of 4,078 British Jews was conducted last year.
Respondents were required to self-identify as Jewish and confirm that they lived in the United Kingdom, and were contacted through other Jewish organisations.
The study found that a majority (58%) hide their Jewishness, with less than half (43%) feeling welcome in the UK.
Around 84% said British authorities are not doing enough to address and punish anti-Semitism.
Nearly two-thirds (62%) are not confident that police would prosecute an anti-Semitic crime if they reported it.
Three-quarters said they are dissatisfied with the policing of anti-Israel marches in their cities.
CBN News writes: “In Britain today, one only needs to watch anti-Israel, pro-Hamas demonstrations to hear where the nation is headed.”
The UK’s 24th major anti-Israel protest since the Hamas massacre of Israelis 16 months ago took place in central London on Saturday (February 15).
It’s claimed to be one of the biggest yet, with some estimating more than 20,000 participants.
A man was arrested for giving a Hitler salute.
CBN News reports these protests are characterised by marchers labelling Jews as “Zionists pigs” and “filthy animals.”
It described: “A man with a bullhorn bellowing at passers-by: Like obedient sheep, you obey Israel,” and a protestor saying in a broadcast interview: This whole condemning Hamas, I’m not going to condemn them. And Israel doesn’t exist.”
Witnesses saw an angry woman in a burqa shrieking at Jewish protestors: “Your time is finished. You’re finished!”
On university campuses, just 3% of British Jews said they would be confident that if a Jewish student reported an anti-Semitic incident, the university’s administration would take appropriate action.
Jewish students at Oxford University said: “The amount of antisemitism we’ve had at Oxford last year has been really awful.”
“We’ve had swastikas. We’ve had Jews being accused of weaponising anti-Semitism.”
“‘We’ve been told we’re not welcome at the university. We’ve had people chased down the street.”
The survey found that because of such rampant hostility, British Jews have lost trust in the criminal justice system.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “We need more arrests, prosecutions, serious sentences, and a ban on the anti-Israel marches.”
Some 92% of those surveyed think media bias against Israel is fuelling the persecution of Jews in Britain, claiming the BBC is the worst among the nation’s broadcasters.
Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, commented: “Do I think the Jewish community in the UK is going to evaporate? No.”
“But I do think there is a sizeable conversation now happening within the community of people saying: Hey, is this the place that we’ve got a future?”
There were nearly 2,000 anti-Semitic incidents reported in the UK in the first half of 2024 – the highest number ever recorded for a six-month period.
Mr. Falter is convinced the nation’s younger generations are being indoctrinated against Jews:
“We are seeing young people who believe that they are doing a righteous thing by discriminating.”
“They are becoming radicalised on the internet. They are imbibing bigotries that their parents themselves don’t have.”
“Then they’re teaching this from one kid to another kid. And so, we’ve got a generation which is extremely hateful and not just hateful. They’re extremists.”
Mark Birbeck who began the group Our Fight said he felt: “Complete shock at the lack of empathy that people had for the Israeli people, the Jewish people, after October the 7th.”
“In that period, a few of us were going to these vigils that were being organised by the Jewish community and thought: We have to do something.”
Another group supporting Britain’s Jews is Christian Action Against Antisemitism, led by Pastors Tim and Hayley Guttmann.
Tim told CBN News: “We passionately believe we owe a debt of gratitude to the Jewish people, and want them to know that we’re with them, and as Christians, we love them, we stand with them, we pray for them and support them.”
But David Collier observes the Jew hatred escalating.
“It’s getting gradually worse. October the 7th was a tipping point, and we saw a sudden rush,” he explained.
“This is all happening in a nation where the adopted national song is Jerusalem.”
“The British sing: We will not cease until we have built Jerusalem in England’s green and pleasant land.”
“But this Judeo-Christian connection which goes back centuries, has begun to fray.”
Mr. Collier is afraid demographics have already decided the future course of Britain’s Jews.
The most popular name for baby boys in Britain today is Mohammed.
Photo: Campaign Against Antisemitism
