ERICA ZEMAN IN UK
Despite Antisemitism’s rage, the Jewish Diaspora Community survives and thrives!
Erica ZemanWhen looking at the U.K.’s political platforms, the constant ‘criticisms’ towards Israel are as if the British Government had not stopped the Mandate, which officially started September 29th, 1923, and ceased to be on May 14th, 1948.
U.K. Foreign Secretary Ed Milliband demands from Israel’s Government the immediate withdrawal from any internal expansion on Israel’s own legitimate Home, while the U.K. has so far neither mastered the weekly influx of illegal immigrants nor addressed, in order to quote Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa-ar’s words, ‘turning a blind eye to Palestinian terrorism, incitement and the Palestinian Authority’s continued financial support for terror- the ‘pay for slay’ policy.’
The fact that Foreign Secretary Ed Milliband is of Jewish origin, highlights the potential duality of loyalty for the British Jewish community. Israel’s Foreign Minister Sa-ar describes the U.K. Government’s systematic policy of blaming only Israel while ignoring Palestinian extremism has already contributed to a massive wave of antisemitic hatred and attacks against the British Jewish Community’. The similar tension between Jewish identity versus the position of being a British politician can be seen in the Green Party’s Leader Zack Polanski, who adamantly supports the ‘Palestine cause’ and does not take any responsibility when young Green Party members such as the Isle of Wight Parish Councillor Sophus Magill is bragging with ‘wanting to wipe Israel of the map and killing Zionists, and we will use the British Jews as weapon’.
The Green Party’s newly elected East Anglia Councillor Eleanora Sophie Folan, claims to be sold out as a proud ‘anti- Zionist’, defending free speech, solidarity and equality with regards to Israel. This explanation of her Councill duties is emphasised with her wild vocabulary of disdain and slurs against ‘feral Zionists press,’ who in her assumption, will be ‘utterly furious that I won’ continuing that she ‘welcomes their hatred’ and views British antisemitism as a ‘scam’. By doing so, she not only defames the British Jewish Security organisation CST, but also the British government and the police in their safeguarding efforts and assistance in experienced crisis.
Her red-green alliance with the present Iran regime lies in her ‘glorification of Iranian resistance’. She is speaking about the same regime who presently still murders young people who participated in the anti-regime demonstrations in January 2026.
The Labour and the Green Party’s manoeuvre are the perfect example of Israel’s Foreign Minister’s warning that these British policies are a contributing factor for the relentless antisemitic attacks against the British Jewish Communities.
Despite these pressures, the Jewish population always seeks vitality, readiness to adapt, zest for life and the flexibility to adjust, to further improvement of security training and safety measures. The Jewish population birth rate is higher than the annual death rate, which contrasts the low birth rate amongst non-Jewish citizens. Last year in 2025, 742-840 Jewish people decided to make Aliyah by moving to Israel.
Austria’s Jewish Representative Elie Rosen was set back by Israel’s Ben Gvir’s statement of quick and thorough action against any potential threat coming from Gaza. The nuances of security needs and measures are different in every country, yet Israel has no choice and does not have the leisure to relax in the level of security alertness. In contrast to European countries, who are just awakening to the fact that their nation’s security can’t be taken for granted, Israel has to be always on high alert, in particular after the massacre of 7th October 2023.
Elie Rosen has experienced the physical attempt of an antisemite to harm him with a large stick in 2011. Happily, he could escape in time but described himself as deeply shaken by this occurrence. Nevertheless, he boldly calls for the undiminished visibility of Jewish presence in the country. Young Austrian Jewish people are encouraged to join the study program of LIKRAT in which they deepen their knowledge of Judaism, the Holocaust and communication skills. The aim of this program is the invitation of ‘let’s talk’ to peers in schools and High schools. With the dialogue amongst the students the Kultus-Gemeinde Vienna avoids misunderstandings and acts preventative of antisemitic expansions amongst young people.
Austria’s Government new plan, set in place on May 14th, 2024, is meant to enlarge and strengthen the protection of Jewish Institution and objects. However, the Jewish Community notifies the consistent strain in public life, especially as reactions with regards to Israel’s Security plans and military movements. Nevertheless, the Austrian Jewish Communities in their various organisations, seek the consistent support for Israel on the diplomatic, cultural and political basis. Austria’s government and the Diaspora Jewish community have the reputation of being closely connected. Austria’s Jewish birth rate is said to be ‘significantly higher’ of 2-3 children per couple, than the 1-2 children of non-Jewish Austrian couples. About 30% of Austria’s 100,00-150, 000 strong Jewish Community are intermarried with a non-Jewish person, which is a high number in comparison with Britain’s 26% of intermarriages.
Belgium’s Army is part of the Defence operation ‘Greenshield’ for the protection of Jewish buildings and Institutions in Antwerp and Brussels. Although the city of Liege experienced the antisemitic bomb explosion in March 2026, the inclusion of its security was not immediately done, but has been now upgraded. The European Jewish Congress wrote on May 12th, 2025, of Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart de Wever, describing him as a staunch supporter of the Belgium Jewish Community. De Wever made it clear in the follow up of the antisemitic attack in March 2026; ‘I want to emphasise once again that the security of the Jewish Community in Antwerp and now also the rest of the country, remains a top priority’. He views antisemitism as ‘the creeping poison, …. which never has completely disappeared, and it has been increasing in recent years, especially after the horrific acts of 7th of October 2023.’ This Prime Minister knows from first hand experience about the danger of political terrorism as four men and one woman were deterred in their plan to assassinate him in 2023.
The Co-ordinating Committee of Jewish Organisations is the Primer Representative of the Jewish Community in Belgium and has been mocked twice with the ‘Free Palestinian theatre’ performance psychodrama ‘Nakba’, plus another performance at the Brussel airport and downtown City of Brussel in 2011. On July 18th, 2026, two Jewish men were attacked by a 28 -year- old man in Antwerp. Three months before, in April 2026, another Jewish man was physically beaten and forced to sit down in a metro while his Star of David Jewellery was torn from him. The Belgium Jewish Community’s volunteer Security organisation Shomrim has the reputation of being highly effective for immediate antisemitic threats of assaults, burglary and street confrontations. Centres have been also established in the U.K. in France as a Youth organisation, and in the U.S.A. Shomrim multiplied its presence in 2026 and upgraded their training standards on counter terrorism knowledge and readiness in emergencies. Yet, the weakness of Europe is their reluctancy to solidify the International accepted Interpretation of Antisemitism, the IHRA, as legally binding. This step would be effective in the deterrence of antisemitism for everyone!
