The Jewish world has been in deep turmoil since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, and the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War. What began as a security crisis quickly turned into a wide-ranging identity crisis, crossing borders, continents, and classes.
In every conversation with educational leaders, teachers, and parents in the Diaspora, the same anxious voice is heard: Our children are being exposed to hatred at school, university, and on the Internet. The reality we knew has been shaken.
A new report being published by UnitEd, written by Rosov Consulting, in collaboration with Israel’s Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Ministry, provides, for the first time, a comprehensive picture of the consequences of the dramatic events in the Jewish education field worldwide.
Previous studies done this year point out the dramatic increase in antisemitism. Ninety-six percent of French Jews, 91% of Latin American Jews, and 90% of US and Canadian Jews reported having experienced antisemitism since October 7.
Increasing antisemitic experiences
Almost half of young Jews have experienced antisemitism personally, and that number is only growing. In Britain, 64% of Jews report being afraid to display identifying Jewish signs in public. For children, this means one thing: their Jewish identity has become a burden, not a badge of honor.
But it is precisely at such moments that the power of the Jewish education system is revealed. Jewish schools, where hundreds of thousands of Jewish children around the world currently study, have become an anchor, a protected space where one can simply be Jewish with pride and without apology.
According to UnitEd's report, in places where parents feel apprehensive about sending their children to public school, a clear phenomenon of switching to Jewish schools is developing. In France, the proportion of students in Jewish schools has jumped from 16% in 1986 to around 40% today; of this figure, some 2,000 students have transferred to Jewish schools since October alone.
In Toronto, the Netherlands, Australia, and throughout North America, there has also been a sharp increase in demand. In Amsterdam and France, there is simply no more room to accommodate additional students.
In Australia, 91% of Jews report an emotional connection to Israel; in the UK and Canada the percentages are 78% and 79%, respectively. Jews who experienced loneliness or alienation have found their way back to the community.
However, the reality on the ground is not simple. Schools are dealing with overload, teacher shortages, and infrastructure that is not prepared to absorb the waves of enrollment. Only 35% of educators reported that they feel ready to deal with the current emotional and pedagogical challenges.
A historic opportunity
But alongside the difficulty, there is also opportunity: Jewish teachers working in public schools are asking to move to Jewish schools, existing teachers are enlisting in complex tasks out of a sense of mission, and new organizations and networks dealing with Jewish education, such as the Jewish Educators Network of Australia, have emerged since October 7.
All this indicates an encouraging trend: a revival of modern, Zionist, Jewish education, connected to the world while simultaneously rooted in its Jewish heritage.
These figures are not just a warning sign – they are a call to action. The Israeli government and Jewish educational organizations around the world must act immediately to strengthen Jewish identity through massive investment in curricula, educator recruitment, teacher training, infrastructure, and educational discourse adapted to the current reality.
This is not just the responsibility of local communities – it is of global concern of the highest order.
The Jewish world is facing a historic moment. Jewish children today are asking themselves questions about belonging, security, and identity. It is our duty – as adults, parents, and leaders – to give them a clear answer: Yes, you have a place. Yes, your identity is worthy. Yes, we are with you.
Jewish education is not a luxury. It is the first line of defense for our future. If we strengthen it properly, we will find that it is also the front line of hope.
The writer is CEO of United, which works in partnership with Israel’s Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Ministry, with the aim of strengthening Jewish schools around the world.