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The statistics show alarming increases in anti-Semitic incidents. Is that reflected in your experience too? If you are not Jewish you may not be aware of the vulnerability of the Jewish community.

"Lord Triesman: My Lords, I have made the point that we have rigorous legislation. Further differentiation in pursuing hate crimes will not necessarily help. I draw the attention of noble Lords to the 532 anti-Semitic incidents recorded in 2004—the highest level since records began in 1984—but there were 50,000 reported incidents of hate crime. When we view the matter in perspective, each of the different bits is important. Understanding the totality of our problem is very important too. "

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200405/ldhansrd/pdvn/lds05/text/51212-01.htm

"The number of anti-Semitic incidents recorded in Britain last year rose by 7% compared with 2002, figures show.

A total of 375 acts aimed at the Jewish community or individuals were reported to the Community Security Trust (CST).

The charity, which advises and represents the Jewish community on anti-Semitism, blamed the Iraq war and tensions in the Middle East.

The number of anti-Semitic assaults in 2003 rose 15% to 54, according to the CST."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3505373.stm

The UK has 300,000 Jews and had 532 incidents in 2004.

In contrast the US for 2004 had 1557 incidents and a Jewish population of 6,000,000.

UK had the highest rate of incidents in 2003 and then topped that by another 25% in 2004.

You don't think there is a problem?

"The UK has 300,000 Jews and had 532 incidents in 2004" Which is less than 1 in 563. So as a Jew living in Great Britain in 2004 you had a 1 in 563 chance of being racially abused? And you think that makes it an anti-semitic country?

sorry, but while i accept the figures i can't say that britain is an anti-semitic place to live. i've done so for 30-odd years and only on two occasions has my religion been alluded to in a negative way.

the first was at school when i was asked by a catholic girl - who was about 6 - why i'd killed christ. i had no idea what she was talking about - as i was also 6.

the second was a few drunken yobs outside a synagogue following a wedding. they were arrested almost immediately.

i have no doubt that the yobs would of abused anyone who wasn't wearing sports clothing, cheap jewellery and the smell of very cheap alcohol, whether they were black, jewish, asian or islamic. they were yobs with no more political sophistication than my toenail clippings and should be treated as such.

the 'christ-killer' incident i find rather harder to deal with, though i do note that no one else i know who is Jewish has been asked such a thing.

i can only go by the experiences of my family, my friends and myself - which contains a mix of those you might identify in the street as Jewish and those, like me, who you probably wouldn't.

i'm afraid i do come across low-level racism in the UK, against Black, Eastern European, Asian and Muslim, but - apart from the two incidents above - no anti-semitism.

plenty of distate for israeli actions, but not anti-semitism.