78% of Jewish Community Leaders in Europe Feel Afraid and Isolated Since October 7 Attack

78% of Jewish Community Leaders in Europe Feel Afraid and Isolated Since October 7 Attack

Karen Faulkner,

A new survey shows that the October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel and the outpouring of global antisemitism that followed the Israeli response to Hamas’ aggression has left 78% of Jewish community leaders across Europe feeling isolated and fearful for their safety.

The poll was conducted by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee’s International Center for Community Development (JDC-ICCD) between March and April 2024 in 10 languages, with 879 respondents in 32 countries.

While a substantial majority of the Jewish leaders surveyed said they are pessimistic about the future, they added they are committed to staying in their respective European countries to help their communities.

“The grim impact of October 7th on Jewish communities in Europe is fully reflected in this study, but so is the commitment of local Jewish leaders to help their communities brave the storm,” Ariel Zwang, JDC CEO, said in a July 22 press statement.

“Since the attacks, we have worked hard to foster safe environments for thriving Jewish life, aid the most vulnerable, and develop the next generation of Jewish leadership, building on our century-plus work with Europe’s Jews,” Zwang said.

The study’s key findings include:

• “78% of respondents feel less safe living as Jews in their cities than they did before the Hamas attack.
• 79% of respondents cite antisemitism as the leading threat to Jewish life in Europe, and combatting it should be community leaders’ top priority.
• 38% of all respondents and nearly half (46%) of respondents aged 40 and under-report they have become more distant from non-Jewish friends.”