British Jews at turning point as fear and debate reshape community

British Jewry is undergoing its biggest shift in six decades as the collision of war, violence and social polarization reshapes daily life for Britain’s estimated 300,000 Jews. The past two years have been defined by the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, the ensuing Gaza war, and a string of highly publicized incidents that have unsettled Jewish communities here and abroad. In Britain, people linked to Jewish life say daily routines have changed, not just in places of worship but in social and political thinking as well.

Analysts and community leaders say the upheaval has sharpened concerns about safety, boosted political engagement, and intensified debates about Israel within the community. Hate-crime statistics show a stark rise: 1,543 hate crimes targeting Jewish people in England and Wales in the year to March 2023 rose to 3,282 by March 2024, with data for the following year incomplete. The Community Security Trust, a monitoring group for nearly four decades, says levels over the past two years are the highest on record, underscoring a sense among many Jews that security is a daily consideration. Some also say the fear has altered behavior, including how openly people display symbols of their faith, such as the kippah, in public settings.

The events in Australia and the Manchester attack on Yom Kippur have reinforced the sense that the threat extends beyond national borders, fueling a perception among some British Jews that they must be vigilant even at non-political or cultural gatherings. Ben Dory, a 33-year-old Londoner, says the two years have pushed him toward greater involvement in Jewish life and advocacy against antisemitism. He notes that security concerns have altered everyday behavior: some colleagues and friends keep their kippah in a pocket until they are inside a synagogue, and then remove it after leaving. "It’s been a long two years, and I’ve ended up making more Jewish friends and becoming more engaged with the community," he says. After the attack in Australia last weekend, he says he was "horrified, but not surprised," adding that it fits a pattern he calls the global frenzy of antisemitism.

Tash Hyman, a 33-year-old theatre director from London, has seen a similar intensification of Jewish identity, but her views on Israel have grown more nuanced. She says the two years have deepened her sense of Jewishness and activism, yet her support for the state of Israel has waned. "The bottom line for me now is that the actions of the state of Israel make me feel less safe, not more safe. It makes me less safe in the UK because of what they are doing in Gaza," she explains. Hyman emphasizes the importance of encouraging dialogue within the Jewish community, even as debates grow more polarized.

The upheaval has coincided with a notable generational divide in attitudes toward Israel. Data from the Institute for Jewish Policy Research (JPR), published before the Manchester attack and updated in 2024, found that about 64% of British Jews identify as Zionist overall, but among those aged 20–30, the figure falls to 47%. In the same age group, 24% describe themselves as anti-Zionist, with 20% calling themselves non-Zionist. The gap between older and younger cohorts has widened since 2022, reflecting shifting perceptions of the Israeli state and its actions in Gaza.

Robert Cohen, a PhD candidate at King’s College London, has interviewed 21 younger Jews who question or challenge Israel’s policies in Gaza. He argues that the combination of UK Jewish ethics—justice and charity—and Gen Z sensibilities has produced a hybrid stance that diverges from conventional expectations. Some interviewees voiced concerns about how dissent is perceived and the potential social costs of speaking out, including estrangement from friends or family. Cohen cautions that many British Jews who voice opposition to certain Israeli policies seek to do so alongside others who share their concerns, highlighting tensions around what he calls a lingering sense of a “Jewish bloc” at pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Lavona Zarum, who was raised in Israel and studied in Aberdeen, describes a personal experience that many young British Jews have encountered: several friends cut ties with her after she expressed views critical of Israeli policy. She says she has since sought like-minded peers who can engage respectfully, and she participated in a Union of Jewish Students fellowship that took her to sites affected by the Gaza conflict. Zarum reflects on how the climate has sharpened her awareness of antisemitism and how she approaches discussions more thoughtfully and with different kinds of evidence to back her positions.

Discord within the Board of Deputies of British Jews has also shaped the current climate. Earlier this year, 36 board members signed an open letter published in the Financial Times criticizing an Israeli government perceived as extreme and its handling of hostages. Five board members were suspended for allegedly giving the impression that the letter was an official Board document. The Board’s Constitution Committee concluded the letter violated its code of conduct, though Rosenberg and others say the incident highlighted the system’s capacity to mediate controversial views publicly.

Phil Rosenberg, who took office as president of the Board in May 2024, says the group has long fostered debate about Israel, but the priority now is safety and national belonging for British Jews. He argues that the community should be seen beyond a fixed prism of pain and that public life should reflect a broader Jewish experience, including contributions to British society that go beyond Holocaust remembrance on Memorial Day and the requirement for Holocaust education. Rosenberg also acknowledges the difficulty of maintaining safety while sustaining a vibrant, plural community.

Looking ahead, observers say the trajectory of the Middle East conflict will shape how the UK Jewish community evolves. Cohen warns that outcomes in Gaza and any potential expansion of rights or protections for Palestinians could intensify or ease the generational divide in the long term. For Ben Dory, security remains the paramount concern, and he cautions that Britain’s response in the near term will influence whether British Jews feel safe in the country years from now. "The future of Jewish people in the UK is on a real knife edge," he says, underscoring the high stakes for a community navigating fear, memory, and evolving political identities.

Images: