Central Council survey: One third of Jewish communities affected by attacks
Almost all communities have also come under increasing "psychological pressure from threatening phone calls and emails", the statement said. Almost 80 percent of community leaders had stated that it had become visibly less safe to live as a Jew in Germany since October 7 and, above all, to present themselves as such. The current situation is pushing many communities to the "limits of their ability to cope".
"These are shocking reports", summarized Central Council President Josef Schuster at the presentation of the new situation report. The main victims are Jewish senior citizens, families with children and young people.
At the same time, however, the results also show the communities' great trust in the security authorities. Schuster described it as "quite remarkable that, given the complex and challenging situation since October 7, almost all of the communities surveyed (96%) are satisfied with their cooperation with the security authorities". Cooperation with politicians and local church communities was also generally rated as good.
The extent of this trust is "real news and an important finding", explained Schuster. "The fact that there is a high level of uncertainty in the communities despite this trust is a warning signal for society as a whole," he added. It must not be allowed "that extremists of any stripe endanger our community". Anti-Semitism - "whether Islamist, far-right or far-left - is always an attack on our open society and our constitutional state", warned Schuster.
In an interview with the new issue of the weekly newspaper "Die Zeit", Schuster warned of increasingly active anti-Semitism from the left. "Since October 7, we have seen an increase in anti-Semitic statements and actions from left-wing, unfortunately also academic circles," said the Central Council President.
The threat from the far-right camp has not disappeared - "it's just that the others have the louder voice", said Schuster. "I am naming this because it affects us. We want to live freely in Germany, in our country."
Especially in Berlin and in cities in North Rhine-Westphalia, the lives of Jews have changed for the worse since the Hamas attacks. "There, Jews who wear a kippah or a Star of David on a chain have to fear being insulted or even attacked." In this context, Schuster lamented problems in the population with a migration background from the Arab and Turkish world.
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- The Central Council of Jews in Germany, led by President Josef Schuster, released a survey showing that one third of Jewish communities in Germany have been affected by attacks.
- These attacks have primarily impacted senior citizens, families with children, and young people within these communities.
- Despite these challenges, the survey found that nearly all communities have maintained a high level of trust in the cooperation with the security authorities.
- The report highlighted that 80% of community leaders have reported an increase in feelings of insecurity, particularly in showing their Jewish identity in public since October 7.
- Schuster emphasized that this situation is pushing many communities to their limits, leading to increasing hostility towards the Jewish community in Germany.
- The Hamas attacks have also had a profound impact on Jewish communities in Berlin and cities in North Rhine-Westphalia, where Jews wearing traditional Jewish symbols like kippahs and Star of David chains now face insults and potential attacks.
- Schuster also voiced concern over escalating anti-Semitic statements and actions from left-wing academic circles, stating that anti-Semitism, regardless of its source, is a threat to open societies and democratic states.
- Schuster called for society as a whole to take note of this heightened uncertainty within Jewish communities without losing trust in cooperation with security authorities, politicians, and local church communities, while striving to create a welcoming environment for all ethnicities and beliefs in Germany.
Source: www.stern.de
