Andrea Cohen

These figures are staggering but they only stand to reinforce what many Jewish people know - it’s not fun being Jewish in the UK at the moment. But maybe it’s time we looked behind the figures and talked about how antisemitism affects us on a regular basis. How it affects me. I am a proud Zionist Jew. My Jewish identity is an integral part of who I am. Since Monday I have done 4 radio interviews & 1 tv interview all discussing antisemitism. Each time I come away with my heart pounding, feeling a little sick. It’s soul destroying talking about why people hate me just because I’m a Jew or why people think anti-Jewish racism is ok & acceptable as long as use they use the word Zionist instead of Jew (it’s really not, we know what you mean). It’s exhausting hearing colleagues talk with no thought at all of how it affects me about ‘evil Zionists’ or saying ‘Zionists not welcome’. It’s funny how I’m very welcome when you want me to help organise sanctuary sessions for asylum seekers or a food delivery for a family on the poverty line. And while all you sisters were happy for my support when Sarah Everard was raped & murdered or we all wanted to march together to #reclaimthenight, Jewish & Israeli women, brutally raped & murdered, were ignored & mistrusted, all while you yell #BelieveAllWomen. I have worked with at least 8 Jewish families locally whose children have experienced antisemitic bullying at school, I had a man in his 20s tell me it was safer to be gay in Brighton than it was to be Jewish & that he no longer wore a Star of David. I’ve had people glare at me when they see my star & then yell Free Palestine at me. I’ve even had a vile local Jew-baiter write a fake tweet suggesting I wanted more Palestinian children killed - ha-bloody-ha. The emotional toll this takes is huge. I’m tired of dealing with antisemitism. I’m tired of being expected to declare some sort of purity vow - I’m Jewish but….followed by some disclaimer about Israel, Netanyahu or nod that I have taken part in a Saturday march or demo - something to show I’m an acceptable Jew. And before all you lovely people bombard my tl with the fact that it’s so much worse in Gaza, let me remind you that it’s also worse in Sudan & Ukraine & Myanmar but you’re not demonstrating about that. So yes, the figures are awful but it’s about how it affects individuals, people, you & me. So maybe just look across at your Jewish colleague or friend & ask them how they’re doing, because the likelihood is that, like me, they’re pretty exhausted, a little bit scared and totally fed-up of being the unwilling victim of society’s acceptable form of racism.

Getting ready to present @RCNEdForum #RCNED23 @TheChristieNHS