Abstract: This article examines how European Jewish communities experienced and responded to the aftermath of the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023 and the subsequent war in Gaza. Based on 27 semi-structured interviews with senior representatives of Jewish communities and Jewish organizations across Europe, it argues that a “double reality” emerged: while Jewish communities received strong political, institutional, and security support from governments and public authorities, they simultaneously faced rising antisemitism, social polarization, and growing insecurity in everyday life. The study highlights the gap between formal inclusion and societal acceptance, showing how institutional solidarity coexisted with experiences of exclusion and fear. The analysis draws primarily on original interview material and is contextualized through contemporary scholarship, surveys, and reports on antisemitism, Jewish communal life, and post-October 7 developments in Europe.
