Majority of Jews do not feel safe in Britain and consider moving abroad, damning new poll finds

In another striking revelation, over half of respondents, 51 per cent, now believe they have no long-term future in Britain, compared with 37 per cent in 2024.

The survey also found that nearly 45 per cent of British Jews do not feel welcome in the country, whilst almost 83 per cent believe police fail to provide adequate protection.

The lack of faith in the police was reflected in responses to other British institutions, with upwards of 70 per cent of Jews feeling unprotected by the Crown Prosecution Service and courts.

A stark 92 per cent of respondents felt the Government was not doing enough to protect Jews.

This was mirrored in just under 80 per cent saying the Government was bad for the Jewish community.

CAAS’s research was carried out in November, just weeks after a deadly attack at Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester claimed two lives during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Anti-Jewish incidents have surged to unprecedented levels across Britain in the wake of the October 7 attacks and the subsequent conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The annual CAAS study gathered responses from 4,490 British Jews, contacted primarily through community networks and religious organisations.

"The polling starkly tells how Jews blame two successive governments, as well as inert police chiefs and prosecutors for the explosion of anti-Semitic extremism, which has left two Jews dead and much of the rest of the community reluctantly eyeing the exits,” a CAAS spokesman said.

"After two years of two-tier policing and institutional cowardice, there is still an alarming lack of urgency from the authorities.

"The appeasement of extremists has so far borne the same fruits as it always does: people dead at the hands of Islamists, the growing radicalisation of our children, the crumbling of law enforcement and now a community questioning whether it has a place in this country at all," they added.

Yoni Finlay, who sustained a collapsed lung after being shot whilst barricading the synagogue doors during the Heaton Park assault, has indicated he may relocate his family to Israel.

Following the attack, Mr Finlay described how the extreme environment in Britain means "it's become hard to recognise the UK anymore".

He said pro-Palestinian marches and chants make it "very difficult", adding: "People being angry at Israel shouldn't turn that into hatred of Jews.

"I have said this again and again: words have impact, and actions have consequences. And this sort of terrorist attack is the consequence."

A report published earlier this year, commissioned by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, concluded that anti-Semitism had become normalised across the country.

They warned that Jewish people faced growing prejudice "in our professions, cultural life (and) public services" and felt "tolerated rather than being respected".

The Government's recently published antisemitism strategy drew criticism from Jewish groups for "reheating meek policy proposals" and failing to address extremism with tangible new measures.

A Government spokesman said: "We will not stand by whilst the scourge of anti-Semitism spreads in our society, and we're taking action to protect our Jewish communities.

"We're providing an additional £10m to the Community Security Trust to boost security at community sites, are reviewing hate crime legislation and are committed to taking further action."

The Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police announced last week that anyone chanting "globalise the intifada" would face arrest, a decision taken in response to the Bondi Beach massacre in which 15 people were shot dead and dozens wounded during a Hanukkah celebration.

However, several other forces across the country declined to adopt the same approach.

Among those forces are West Midlands Police, which has faced accusations of antisemitism after prohibiting supporters of Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending last month's Europa League fixture against Aston Villa.

West Midlands police have now been ordered to explain the controversial decision by the Independent Office for Police Conduct watchdog.

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