Imagine it’s your first day of university, and you’re praying nobody finds out your religion: CAA launches national billboard campaign

Today, Campaign Against Antisemitism has launched a nationwide billboard campaign spotlighting what it is like to be Jewish in Britain today.

Following 7th October, the Metropolitan Police Service reported a 1,350% increase in hate crimes against Jewish people. This statistic is incredibly alarming, but on its own it does not paint the full picture of what the effect of this surge in antisemitism is on British Jews.

Whereas our campaign last year – the first ever national billboard campaign about antisemitism – raised awareness of antisemitism and showcased the diversity of the Jewish community, this year we have sought to show how the impact of that antisemitism penetrates the daily life of British Jews of all ages.

Kindergartens with guards, Jewish schools discouraging their pupils from wearing blazers with a Jewish school crest, university students afraid to reveal their religion, football stadiums full of people invoking the Nazi gas chambers, and intimidation outside synagogues: these are just a sample of the real-life effects of antisemitism on British Jews.

At a time when 69% of British Jews say that they are less likely to show visible signs of their Judaism, it is important now, more than ever, that the British public is informed about the extent of the scandal of antisemitism in Britain.

Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “People are often presented with statistics and studies when trying to understand the experience of the Jewish community, and we have been conducting polling on antisemitism in recent months. But such data only goes so far. What is the real effect of surging antisemitism on the everyday lives of British Jews, from infants to the elderly, at schools, university and at cultural and sporting events? Routines are disrupted and fear infects daily lives, which is why the community must take so many security precautions. That impact is the message that this billboard campaign is trying to deliver to the British public up and down the country.”