Study: Germany's Jewish community suffering consequences of October 7

Germany's Jewish community is suffering from the consequences of the October 7 attacks on Israel, a report found on Tuesday.

The study, which was supported by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency, said Jewish people feel isolated and discriminated against in daily life since the attacks, which sparked the war in Gaza.

The president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, called the report's findings dramatic, but unsurprising.

"Since the terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel two years ago, the lives of Jews here in Germany have been strongly characterized by the threat of anti-Semitism in everyday life, in educational institutions, at work, on public transport and in other public places."

More than 100 Jewish people took part in the study, with the results still being evaluated.

Author Friederike Lorenz-Sinai said respondents have encountered a lack of empathy, a withdrawal of solidarity and coldness in their social environments.

The stresses were evident in many areas, from the glorification of the attacks on social media to unprompted questions about the war in Gaza during visits to a doctor.

Co-author Marina Chernivsky said that many interviewees were faced with the unsolvable dilemma of having to decide "between visibility and security" as Jews.

Anti-discrimination Commissioner Ferda Ataman said that anyone who openly admits to being Jewish or coming from Israel risks being singled out when looking for work, "not getting a flat, being bullied at school or not being served in a restaurant."

Around 1,200 people were killed and 250 others were taken hostage in the October 7 attacks. More than 66,000 Palestinians are estimated to have been killed in almost two years of war since.