We both agree on the generality but this article has come hard on the heels of a die-hard liberal luvvie like Maureen Lipman saying the same thing. I as you know am not Jewish so it is not for me to say whether antisemitism is on the rise on the UK but the fact remains that Jewish people who know these things say it is, so in fairness I must take their word for it.
Manchester has the second-largest Jewish population in the UK, but I would have to say knowing the ethnic make-up of large sections of that great city I dare say it would be very uncomfortable for an orthodox Jew to walk around even the city centre, in a way that is no way comparable to how confident a devout Muslim would feel.
I am reminded of my home town when the protestant population disappeared not quite overnight but within less than a decade. Everyone will tell you that there was no need for them to leave, any intimidation they might have suffered was low-level and just scumbaggery.
Nonetheless after a few years of that, of worrying about the insults your children would suffer on their way to and from school, the vandalism of your churches and institutions, the general air of not being wanted would soon wear you down till you just quietly packed up and left.
I can’t help but think for practising, and it’s important to stress practising, British Jews, it must be getting kind of uncomfortable in some parts of the UK.
Like I said it’s not Krystalnacht and we’re never going to get there, not in Britain, no chance, but I have to suspect that for the average British Jew it must be looking like things aren’t going to be going in his favour in the next couple of decades and keeping the options open for a departure is something to bear in mind.
If youd like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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It should be noted that the headline states Jews arent safe here any more referring to 2014-2015, however his website notes it took Simon two years to research the most cost effective and least problematic route to a Visa, so he made this decision based on antisemitism in Britain in the 2011-12, prior to the recent increase in incidents and the attacks noted in the article.
Also according to Sky News, the 1168 includes reported internet/social media incidents. Again, terrible, but trolls not someone who is going to physically intimidate/insult a British Jew.
Final point: whilst the total has worryingly doubled, that means the normal amount of UK antisemitic incidents is 500-550 a year. Again, in a nation of 62m and 300000 Jews. So the normal amount of Jews affected is 0.2%. So 99.8% of UK Jews do not suffer any antisemitism a year.