Antisemitism in everyday life is a problem in the EU that, according to a recent study, affects the vast majority of Jews – a problem that already existed before the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. In a survey by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), conducted ahead of the event on 7 October 2023, 80 percent of respondents reported that antisemitism had increased in the five years before the survey.
Among participants in Austria, 76 percent saw it that way. In the year before the survey, 38 percent in this country reported having been victims of anti-Semitic hostility – similar to the EU average. Five percent were also attacked that year.
One in two people publicly renounces Jewish symbols
These experiences make many people feel compelled to hide their Jewishness in public. In Austria, 29 percent of Jews never wear Jewish symbols in public for safety reasons. Among all study participants, this was 48 percent. For 66 percent (EU: 76 percent) this was at least occasionally the case. 70 percent of respondents felt at least occasionally held responsible for the policies of the Israeli government because of their Jewishness (EU: 75 percent).
FPA: “Dignified Jewish life severely restricted.”
“Europe is experiencing a wave of antisemitism, partly fueled by the conflict in the Middle East,” FRA Director Sirpa Rautio warned in a press release accompanying the report. “This severely limits the possibility of a safe and dignified Jewish life.”
It is the third FRA report on antisemitism. For this, some 8,000 Jews from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Spain, the Czech Republic and Hungary were interviewed in the first half of 2023. According to the EU agency, 96 percent of Jews in the EU live in these 13 countries. In Austria, 363 people were interviewed. The agency estimates the Jewish population in this country at 13,650.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
