Half of Swiss Jews Subject to Anti-Semitic Abuse in Past 5 Years

New research by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland revealed that half of the country’s Jews reported that they had been targeted with anti-Semitic abuse in the past 5 years, according to reporting by the Jerusalem Post.

Switzerland is home to about 18,000 Jews and 500 Swiss Jews were questioned in the sample for the study. While half of the studies participants had faced anti-Semitic abuse, the study also reported that around 3.5% had also been the victims of anti-Semitic violence, while 6% had experienced targeted anti-Semitic vandalism of their properties.

Prof. Dirk Baier, who directed the survey, stated that anti-Semitism in Switzerland “comes from the middle of society,” referring to middle-class citizens. According to Baier, this in contrast to some Western European countries, where it is those who live in poverty and who immigrated to such countries that hold biases against Jews. Baier went on to say that that the results did not surprise him after a government survey revealed that 10% of Swiss residents held negative attitudes towards Jews.

Dominic Pugatsch, head of the GRA Foundation against Racism and Anti-Semitism, claimed there is “everyday anti-Semitism in Switzerland,” adding that verbal harassment is widespread in all walks of life.

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