Europe’s Jewish Population Declines Amid Rising Antisemitism and Emigration
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Europe's Jewish Population Declines Amid Rising Antisemitism and Emigration
- Europe's Jewish population has decreased by nearly 60% over the last 50 years, with an estimated 1.3 million Jews remaining in 2020.
- This decline is partly attributed to a rise in antisemitism, with a 2015 attack on the Great Synagogue of Copenhagen resulting in the death of security guard Dan Uzan.
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Europe’s Jewish population has seen a significant decline, decreasing by almost 60% in the past five decades, with approximately 1.3 million Jews residing in Europe in 2020. This figure represents only about 9% of the global Jewish population, a stark contrast to the late 19th century when nearly 90% lived on the continent. The collapse of the Soviet Union played a major role in this demographic shift, as over 1.8 million Jews emigrated from Eastern Europe between 1969 and 2020.
Beyond historical emigration, a troubling rise in antisemitism is contributing to concerns among Jewish communities. A 2024 report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights indicated a 400% increase in antisemitic activities across Europe in the year following the October 7 attacks. The report also found that 96% of European Jews surveyed had encountered antisemitism in their daily lives. Incidents have included physical assaults, vandalism, and online antisemitism, with some European countries experiencing consistently high rates of attacks.
The heightened threat has led to increased security measures for Jewish institutions. For example, synagogues in Europe have adopted comprehensive security doctrines, often involving cooperation with law enforcement and multi-layered defenses. This evolution in security is a direct response to decades of incidents, including the 2015 attack on the Great Synagogue of Copenhagen, where volunteer security guard Dan Uzan was killed by an armed assailant during a bat mitzvah celebration. His actions prevented the attacker from entering the synagogue, saving lives. Similarly, after attacks in Paris in 2015, many Western European synagogues abandoned open-door policies, now resembling fortresses with significant state security support in some countries like France.