The golden age of Jewish life in English-speaking countries is definitively over, and antisemitism is now a permanent fixture, argues Ben Judah. Future historians will likely view the late 20th century as a diaspora golden age surpassing medieval Spain or Enlightenment Germany, but that era has now set. This shift profoundly changes what it means to be Jewish and will reshape Western culture.
The End of an Era
Jewish communities now face ever-higher levels of securitisation. More fundamentally, the late 20th century was a unique period without mass antisemitism, when Jews felt confident to share their culture as artists, writers, and comedians. Figures like Philip Roth and Woody Allen injected irreverence and creativity into Anglo-culture. Jewish thinkers such as Harold Bloom, Isaiah Berlin, and Ralph Miliband enriched academia and progressive politics. Today, however, Jewish alienation has replaced that enthusiasm, as many spaces—from social media to pro-Palestine marches—normalise attitudes seen as antisemitic, demonising connections to Israel.
Global Concentration and Rising Threats
Over 85% of the world's Jews live in Israel or the United States, with most others in Britain, Canada, Australia, or France. Even within these countries, Jews are concentrated in a few suburbs. Since 2018, the US has seen regular synagogue shootings and online antisemitism. Since October 7th, similar trends have emerged in Britain, Canada, and Australia, with deadly attacks on Jews returning for the first time since the Middle Ages. In France, antisemitic murders have been a regular feature for over 20 years.
Drivers of Modern Antisemitism
Internet society fuels the new antisemitism. Social media platforms like X and TikTok have abandoned anti-racist content moderation for algorithmic amplification, fostering demagoguery and conspiracy theories. Gen-Z, spending hours on these platforms, are increasingly antisemitic. On UK campuses, one in five students would be reluctant to house-share with a Jewish person, according to the Union of Jewish Students. Demographic changes in cities where Jews live, driven by immigration, have also affected attitudes. While the vast majority of Muslims condemn attacks, a small minority is prone to antisemitic radicalisation. Antisemitism also flourishes on the far right and far left, with figures like Nick Fuentes—who supports Hitler—commanding large audiences.
A Permanent Reality
The war in the Middle East since October 7th has only intensified these trends. Hostile states like Russia and Iran weaponise antisemitism, using bots and grooming schemes to divide societies. None of these campaigns will end soon. The beauty of the vanished golden age was that Jewish artists could universalise their experiences without fear of harming Jews. Writers like Bernard Malamud and Philip Roth could share the hypocritical, ridiculous, and traumatic details of their communities. In this new grey age, the majority's main experience of Jews will be hearing them condemn antisemitism, not laughing at universal jokes. Both Jewish life and Western culture will be poorer for it.
