Crisis, Coping and Identity: The Experience of London Jewish Individuals After October 7th 2023

Abstract

This thesis aimed to analyze and tell the story of London Jewish individuals and their experiences in the aftermath of the October 7th attack by Hamas in Israel. The research focuses on Jewish individuals in London, analyzing how they coped with the increase of anti-Israel sentiment and antisemitism in the aftermath of October 7th and how this influenced their Jewish identity. The thesis focuses on individuals within the London Jewish community and not a specific sub-group within this community. Jewish individuals in this thesis are people who identify as being Jewish. I chose not to study a particular sub-group because I was interested in the experiences of individuals who self-defined as Jewish in any way. The data collection was conducted during four months of fieldwork in London, doing ethnographic research comprising participant observation, a semi-structured interview, social media analysis, and discourse analysis. This research gives new insights into how London Jewish individuals have coped with the antisemitism and also with the under-researched element of anti-Israel sentiments after October 7th. Some of the main findings include that Israel has become a more central factor in their Jewish identity and their coping with both antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiments. Some individuals have become more critical of Israel, joining, for example, Israel-Palestine co-existence marches and asking questions like “Should I support the Israeli government as a Jew?” while others have become more supportive of Israel, for example, by singing the Israeli national anthem after every service in their synagogue. The attack also led to some individuals moving closer to their Jewish identity and seeking social support in the Jewish community. In contrast, others have coped by withdrawing. In conclusion, this study shows that the October 7th attack had a profound impact on the Jewish identity of the respondents in this study.