A new UK survey has revealed that 64% of British Jews have experienced antisemitism in the workplace since the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023. The research, conducted by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Jewish Leadership Council, and Work Avenue, paints a stark picture of rising hostility in professional environments, reports The Jerusalem Post.
Of the 427 Jewish professionals surveyed, nearly 12% reported frequent antisemitic abuse from colleagues or clients, while over half said they encountered it occasionally or rarely. Only 36% said they had not faced any antisemitism at work.
Respondents shared shocking examples of abuse, including one who reported being told by a receptionist just days after the 7 October pogrom: “I don’t feel sorry for you Jews, you kill Muslim babies at Passover.”
Antisemitic conspiracy theories and blood libels, long discredited, have resurfaced in the workplace, fuelled in part by heightened tensions around the war in Gaza.
The survey found that antisemitic incidents were not limited to verbal interactions. They were also reported via:
Emails and internal communications (102 incidents)
Text messages (109 incidents)
Social media (32 incidents)
Overheard conversations (83 incidents)
This overlap between the personal and professional has blurred boundaries and made it harder for Jewish employees to feel safe or supported.
Nearly a third of those who were members of trade unions reported antisemitic experiences within those organisations. Some respondents left their unions as a result, while others felt trapped due to a lack of alternatives.
One member of the National Education Union said: “There is an expectation that you must agree with a particular stance on Israel or risk being ostracised.”
Despite rising incidents, half of the respondents said their workplaces offered little or no support. Only 15% of diversity training sessions addressed antisemitism, even though 52% of employers claimed to offer such programmes.
When asked whether employers had issued statements about the 7 October attacks, half said yes, but almost half of those described the messages as highly unsupportive or inadequate. Just 11% considered the statements neutral.
Work Avenue CEO Debbie Lebrett described the findings as “shocking but not surprising.”
“The workplace should be a safe space. To see not only a high incidence of antisemitism but also a failure to address it is deeply concerning.”
Claire Mandel from the Jewish Leadership Council and Andrew Gilbert, Vice President of the Board of Deputies, urged employers to seek guidance on how to support Jewish staff better and confront antisemitism directly.
Although the survey relied on voluntary participation and self-reporting, its findings highlight a widespread problem that many believe UK employers have ignored or mishandled.
Photo credit: COURTESY OF CST
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