Annual Assessments

2019 Annual Assessment

Global Trends and Policy Recommendations
Integrated Anti-Semitism Index: Europe and the US
Special Chapters: Jewish Creativity and Cultural Outputs

PROJECT HEAD

Shmuel Rosner

Contributors

Avinoam Bar-Yosef, Dan Feferman, Shlomo Fischer Avi Gil, Inbal Hakman, Michael Herzog, Dov Maimon, Gitit Paz-Levi, Steven Popper, Uzi Rebhun, John Ruskay, Noah Slepkov, Adar Schiber, Rami Tal, Shalom Salomon Wald

EDITOR

Barry Geltman

2019 Annual Assessment


The status of the Jewish people is relatively stable and has not changed significantly in the last year. However, several trends have emerged that should be monitored and that are likely to have outcomes with long-term implications.

Chief among them is the significant rise of anti-Semitism: the hard facts (number of anti-Semitic incidents in various countries around the world); its increased prominence in public discourse (articles, books, media, social media); and the obvious increased concern of Jews themselves. We have therefore decided to include in this executive summary of the 2019 assessment prepared for the government of Israel JPPI’s 2019 integrated Anti-Semitism Index.

Naturally, anti-Semitic phenomena have significant influences on the Jewish communities, in the context of the connection among them (the growing need for a supportive global community), in the context of their effect on the strength of our identity (as Jews sometimes assume a low profile for fear being attacked), and in the context of relations with Israel (which is perceived as a powerful refuge but also as a pretext for hostile discourse). At this point it is too soon to determine whether the incidents we’ve seen this year are a passing wave or a long term phenomenon, and how these events will influence Jewish consciousness and identity in the coming years.

Israel continues to be recognized as a regional power, both economic and military/security, even if some of the key issues it is dealing with have yet to be resolved, including the threat from radical entities (Iran, terrorist organizations) and the lack of a political solution on the horizon of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the Jewish world the growing centrality of Israel is recognized, both as a source of identity and a source of social and political controversy. Israel’s April 2019 elections, and what will come in their wake – including legislation in which Diaspora Jews have an increased stake (matters relating to religion and state, pluralism, democracy and society in Israel) –
will undoubtedly impact the dynamics of Israel-Diaspora relations.

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