I’d expect less hysteria from you of all people. Sorry, but as one Brit ot another, your idea of the future is nonsense. Not going to happen. If you want my honest opinion, I think this family is being hysterical and silly. And there are millions of UK Jews who will agree with me.
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.