“Quite a few” members of the Jewish community have left Ireland in recent weeks.
Since Hamas' attack on Israeli citizens on October 7th and Israel's subsequent declaration of war, there have been numerous pro-Palestinian demonstrations and the Israeli Embassy believes they are creating a hostile atmosphere towards their country.
They also claim anti-Jewish graffiti has been spotted.
In the 2016 census, there were only 2,557 Jews living in Ireland and Bar Clara Mendez McConnon knows several who have already left.
“I know quite a few from the community, both Israeli and Jewish communities, that decided either to relocate back home to Israel or to move to other communities,” she said.
“[They] felt safer in London or the States, if they had the option.
“A lot of good friends of mine have either packed their things or, as we speak, are planning their moves back.”
'It doesn't feel safe'
Israeli Maya Geller has been living in Ireland for 12 years but has recently begun to question her future here.
“It’s the first time that I told my husband that I’d be open to looking into relocation,” she said.
“That was something that he was thinking about more and I said, ‘I found my place, I love it here, it’s safe. I want my kids to grow up here, I love the Irish people, I love the Irish culture.’
“But it doesn’t feel safe at all and come next year… we will be looking into what alternatives are there.”
Since the conflict began, Ms Geller said she is careful about how she acts when in public.
“I don’t tell anyone I’m from Israel,” she said.
“I don’t even speak in Hebrew on the phone if I walk on the street. So, I just try to really, really minimise my kids… as well understanding that they are related to Israel in any possible way.
“I don’t know what discussions might happen in school and what might be said, I think my older son just knows that there are problems in Israel, so we don’t speak Hebrew on the streets.”
Main image: A Jewish man wearing Yarmulke with the Star of David. Picture by: Alamy.com
