A distinguished panel of speakers drew a large audience from the Mosaic Jewish Community in Stanmore as they debated Israel’s wars and the increasing antisemitism in the UK.

In front of members from the Mosaic Reform, Liberal and Masorti Synagogue was a panel including Alex Brummer, City Editor of the Daily Mail and Jewish News columnist; Sami Berkoff, President of the Union of Jewish Students; Hannah Weisfeld, Executive Director and founder of Yachad; and David Hirsh, Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Academic Director of the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism. Media consultant Steve Levinson chaired the discussion.

The panellists discussed the surge in antisemitism from their unique perspectives, noting the significant increase following the 7 October attack by Hamas.

Sami Berkoff highlighted the importance of Jewish students enjoying their university life despite a staggering 400% rise in antisemitic incidents. Hannah Weisfeld expressed concern about the future, stressing the need for Israelis and Palestinians to understand each other’s viewpoints.

There was a poignant issue raised from the audience, noting that the spike in antisemitism began not with Israel’s defensive actions against Hamas in Gaza, but immediately after the tragic loss of over 1,200 lives on October 7th within Israel.

The lingering question remains whether antisemitism levels will decrease once the Israeli conflicts conclude.

The event underscored the urgent need for dialogue and understanding in addressing the complex issues of antisemitism and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.