I have spent much of the past week thinking about being Jewish. It’s not something I ever considered column fodder – but then, I didn’t think I’d find myself debating my Jewish identity and definitions of Zionism on television either. A BBC discussion derailed from Green Party politics to whether Jewish experiences of antisemitism can be trusted made me briefly – and reluctantly – a spokesperson for my community.
Then, two days later, the government published David Bell’s review of antisemitism in schools. It found that that three in five Jewish pupils aged 16-19 had experienced or witnessed antisemitism, which has become “unacceptably casual” as Israel’s war in Gaza has dominated national news.
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This article appears in the 28 Oct 2026 issue of the New Statesman, Bin the Budget
