FRA: survey shows that Jews in Europe still face high levels of antisemitism
Antisemitism persists in the EU, affecting Jews both online and offline. Concerns over safety and frequent experiences of harassment force many to conceal their Jewish identity. These alarming insights come from the latest survey by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).
The agency pledged to carry out a periodic survey on antisemitism at the 2021 Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism. FRA’s third survey on discrimination and hate crime against Jews in the EU reveals their experiences and perceptions of antisemitism, and shows the obstacles they face in living an openly Jewish life. The survey covers Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain and Sweden where around 96% of the EU’s estimated Jewish population live. This is the third survey of its kind, following those of 2013 and 2018.
Almost 8,000 Jews aged 16 or over took part in the online survey from January to June 2023. Therefore, the data do not include the experiences of the EU’s Jewish population after the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the kidnappings that followed. The Hamas attacks and their aftermath have had a profound impact on the lives of Jews in the EU. In January and February 2024 the agency consulted the largest national Jewish community organizations across the countries surveyed to understand the impact of the attacks on these communities. Jewish people have experienced more antisemitic incidents since October 2023, with some organizations reporting an increase of more than 400%.
Antisemitism continues to pervade the public sphere, reproducing and ingraining negative stereotypes about Jews. This severely restricts their ability to live an openly Jewish life, has a chilling effect on their participation in society and has a negative impact on their psychological well-being. Overall, 8 in 10 (80%) respondents in the 2023 survey feel that antisemitism increased in their country in the 5 years before the survey. Almost all respondents (96%) reported having encountered antisemitism online or offline in the 12 months before the survey.
More than half of the respondents to the 2023 survey continue to worry for their own (53 %) and their family’s (60%) safety and security. Many experience verbal abuse and harassment (37%) and some experience antisemitic physical attacks (4%). Very few victims report antisemitic incidents to any relevant authority or body, survey finding show. The main reason respondents do not report antisemitic incidents is that they feel that nothing would happen or change as a result.
A large share of the respondents are not satisfied with their national governments’ efforts to combat antisemitism and to raise awareness of Jewish traditions. In 2021, the European Commission adopted its first ever EU strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life. The strategy builds strongly on FRA’s 2012 and 2018 survey data. It calls on FRA to ‘support the EU and Member States with evidence, assistance and expertise when monitoring the implementation of this strategy and national strategies or action plans on combating antisemitism’ and fostering Jewish life. Overall, 14 Member States had adopted a national strategy on combating antisemitism at the time of writing, according to European Commission data. Furthermore, 17 Member States, and the European Commission, had appointed a special envoy or coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life.