Every year the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities (SIG) publishes its antisemitism report.
This year the results are particularly bleak. There has been a real wave of antisemitism in recent months, as the SIG, the umbrella organization of Swiss Jews, explains.
Review by Jewish community group finds 155 ‘real world’ incidents in 2023, 114 of them since October 7, compared to 57 for all of 2022
About 114 of the antisemitic incidents in Switzerland last year occurred after October 7, the report said, the date of a massive attack by the Palestinian terror group Hamas on Israel.
Antisemitic incidents were triggered by the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7th and the subsequent war in the Gaza Strip. A large proportion of recent anti-Jewish incidents have a connection to Israel and the Middle East.
The “antisemitism of words” has become “antisemitism of action,” says Jonathan Kreutner, general secretary of the Swiss Association of Jewish Communities (SIG).
In addition, the number of antisemitic graffiti has also increased significantly. slogans like “Death to the Jews” or Nazi symbols that were sprayed on house walls.
Jonathan Kreutner emphasizes that the entire society is now challenged: politics, civil society and educational institutions. He sees a great responsibility especially in schools as the fight against prejudice must begin at a young age.