OSCE: Anti-Semitism on the rise in Europe, Warsaw Conference 2025
Presentation to the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference
By Rabbi Andrew Baker (*)
OSCE (13.10.2025) – Two weeks ago on Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, two people were killed and several were wounded in an attack at a synagogue in Manchester, England carried out by a man known to be a supporter of Hamas, radicalized and angry over Israel’s war in Gaza. A few days earlier, across the Continent in Vilnius, Lithuania, a group of pro-Palestinian activists chose to show their support for a Palestinian state by demonstrating in front of the city’s one functioning synagogue.
Since the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel two years ago and the war that followed, we have seen an exponential increase in antisemitic incidents in the OSCE region and around the world. People see the death and destruction in Gaza, and they are angry and distraught. But why do they make Jews their targets?
We have ample evidence that wars in the Middle East trigger an increase in attacks on Jews elsewhere. This was so during Israel’s previous and more limited wars in Gaza in 2009 and 2014. By now most people consider this inevitable and even normal, something akin to a natural disaster. If you live along a fault line, you’re more likely to experience an earthquake. If you live on a coastal plain in these times of global warming, you’re more likely to see flooding. But, if you’re fearful of these natural disasters, you can always move somewhere else.
How does that apply to Jews? By all accounts, the British Jewish Community has one of the oldest and best security systems in place, a professional organization with support from the government and close cooperation with the police. But even this was not enough.
So, should Jews move to get away from antisemitism? Twenty-five years ago, who would ask this question? Now it is regularly a part of surveys conducted by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights and others. And a significant and growing percentage of Jews surveyed say yes, they are considering emigration because of their fears of antisemitism.
The only problem is that no one knows where to go.
It’s been two decades since we have had a Working Definition of Antisemitism, first developed by the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) and since 2016 known as the IHRA definition.
It offers examples of antisemitism relating to Israel, something back then that was not widely understood. Yes, there were debates then and now. Is being anti-Zionist the same as being antisemitic?
Can I criticize Israel without being accused of hating Jews? Sure, there are gray areas where the dividing line may not be finely drawn. But too much of what we see and hear today requires no highly skilled forensic examination.
When “Free Gaza” means a synagogue is an appropriate target. When “From the river to the sea” means no Jewish State anywhere at all. This is antisemitism.
The war in Gaza has gone on for two years. Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine has gone on even longer. Many people are similarly angry at Russia’s incessant bombing of civilian targets, at its kidnapping of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children. But have you heard of any Russian Orthodox Church being attacked? Do Orthodox Christian worshippers need security guards when they go to pray?
For Jews it is different.
Surveys tell us that Jews are increasingly more likely to hide their Jewish identify in public. This is now true for upwards of 80 percent of European Jews and over a third of Jews in America. They are fearful that it could lead to verbal or even physical harassment. This defensive strategy also extends to work situations and school and social environments, where they are hesitant to say much about their personal background and particularly their views on Israel.
They also report experiencing discrimination and social exclusion, being barred from school clubs for being Jewish or “Zionist” and facing unequal treatment at restaurants, hotels, and even job applications. By way of example, a recent survey conducted by the Danish Institute for Human Rights found 17 percent of Danish Jews reported this, something that barely registered a decade ago.
There is present today what some researchers have termed an “ambient antisemitism”—something Jews experience hovering above them as they go about their day-to-day life. It is easy to recognize, but not so easy to measure, and truly difficult to combat.
As I write this, there is hope that a new peace proposal from President Trump may lead to the release of the remaining hostages and a permanent cease fire. That would truly be a blessing first and foremost for the hostages and their families and for the war-ravaged civilians in Gaza.
We might also see a reduction in the number of antisemitic incidents that have only risen since October 7, 2023, which would be a good thing. However, in those previous situations when fighting in the Middle East ended the surge in antisemitism lessened, but never as low as it was prior to the conflict. It only plateaued, and a new and higher baseline was established. This is likely to be true this time as well.
Today we also face a new challenge that was not there a decade ago, namely the outsized role of social media. These platforms, which by design will amplify the emotions and prejudices of users, can easily spread antisemitism and disinformation. The problem is exacerbated by the millions of fake accounts created by malign actor such as Russia and Iran. Some of these companies are making efforts (or at least paying lip service) to address the spread of antisemitism, but rarely with impact and not all of them.
A survey of X carried out by the Center for Countering Digital Hate looked at the year from February 2024 to January 2025. It identified 680,000 antisemitic posts that were viewed 193 million times. X tells us that it now relies on a system of community notes to correct them. Yet, this survey found that of the top 100 most viewed antisemitic posts, only one percent had notes attached to them.
It remains to be seen whether the EU Digital Services Act will be successful in countering the problem.
As it is unlikely that the US Congress will amend Section 230, which currently frees these platforms from being held responsible for their content, we shouldn’t expect help from across the Atlantic.
Every year at this Warsaw gathering this particular plenary session is one of the most oversubscribed. It is heartening that so many participating States and civil society organizations want to address the problem of antisemitism and other forms of intolerance, to offer advice and to share what they are doing. But the cause for concern may have never been greater. We must do better.
(*) Rabbi Andrew Baker, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chair-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism
