By Daniel Levy – 13th Jan 2026
Introduction: Why This Conversation Matters
According to Work Avenue’s 2025 survey, nearly two-thirds of Jewish employees in the UK have encountered antisemitism in the workplace since October 2023.
For many, this now translates into staying silent about their experiences, or feeling that no one around them understands. It also has a wider ripple effect: others choose to hide their identity out of fear that it could happen to them too.
The result is a workplace environment where only 7% of Jewish employees in the UK feel comfortable wearing religious dress or symbols at work, and just 22% feel comfortable discussing Jewish festivals in the workplace. (Pearn Kandola)
Despite progress in equality and diversity over the past decade, antisemitism remains one of the least understood and least addressed forms of workplace discrimination. For employers committed to fairness, this blind spot can leave Jewish colleagues feeling invisible, excluded, or even unsafe.
At Jhive, we believe that understanding antisemitism is the first step toward tackling it, and that every organisation has a role to play in building workplaces where Jewish employees are valued, represented, and protected.
What Antisemitism Looks Like Today
Antisemitism isn’t confined to history books or extremist groups. It’s present in everyday assumptions, comments, and behaviours that often go unnoticed, even by well-intentioned colleagues.
The scale of the problem is significant. In the first half of 2025, the Community Security Trust recorded 1,521 antisemitic incidents, the second-highest half-year figure on record. Many of these incidents occurred in professional and educational settings.
In workplaces, antisemitism can appear in subtle or systemic ways: jokes or stereotypes about Jewish people, money, or power; comments questioning Jewish identity or loyalty; exclusion from workplace activities scheduled during major Jewish festivals; dismissive attitudes when antisemitic incidents are reported; and a pervasive fear of speaking up because “no one will understand.”
These experiences have a cumulative effect. They make Jewish employees feel they must hide part of who they are, or worse, that their concerns won’t be taken seriously.
Why Antisemitism Is Often Overlooked in EDI Strategies
Many HR and EDI teams genuinely want to be inclusive, yet antisemitism often falls outside standard diversity frameworks. There are several reasons for this.
Awareness is limited. Antisemitism isn’t always seen as a current issue, and most EDI professionals receive little or no training on it. According to the 2025 Workplace Antisemitism Survey, only around 15% of workplaces include antisemitism in their EDI training. Jewish identity has both ethnic and religious components, leading to uncertainty about where it fits within inclusion structures. And discussions around antisemitism in the workplace can feel politically or culturally complex, creating a fear of “getting it wrong.”
But silence carries risk. When antisemitism isn’t recognised explicitly, Jewish inclusion is left to chance, and incidents are more likely to be ignored or mishandled.
Defining Antisemitism: A Shared Framework
A key part of tackling antisemitism is agreeing on what it actually means.
Jhive’s training is informed by the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, an internationally recognised framework adopted by the UK Government and many major employers. It defines antisemitism as “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
The definition is accompanied by eleven illustrative examples, which include denying Jews the right to self-determination or accusing Jews of world conspiracies, while clarifying that criticism of Israel comparable to that levelled against any other country is not antisemitic.In the workplace, this definition provides clarity and consistency. It helps HR and EDI teams identify antisemitic behaviour, including microaggressions and structural bias, and respond with confidence and care.
Moving from Awareness to Action
Understanding antisemitism is important, but inclusion only becomes real when organisations act on that understanding.
Jhive’s holistic approach helps employers move from awareness to action through practical support and expert-led training. Our workshops, listening sessions, and consultancy give HR and leadership teams the tools to:
- Identify antisemitism confidently, including its less visible forms.
- Create psychologically safe environments for Jewish employees.
- Review EDI and HR policies to ensure antisemitism is explicitly addressed.
- Build genuine allyship through open discussion, learning, and inclusion initiatives.
On that last point, I’m often asked what actions and changes I’ve seen after running our workshops and guidance sessions. The answer varies, every organisation starts from a different place, but what’s consistent is a genuine willingness to learn and act.
Some have taken proactive steps to identify their Jewish employees and then brought them together for their first bagel brunch. Others, following October 7th and based on guidance provided in our workshops for HR and EDI leaders, ran dedicated support sessions for Jewish employees who came forward. These sessions focused on understanding their experiences and identifying how the organisation could best support them. We’ve seen a corporate chef seeking to learn more about kashrut laws and kosher food provision for their staff.
We’ve also worked with our corporates to help them arrange Chanukah parties for both staff and the local Jewish community, and are starting to have conversations on what we do for Jewish Culture Month. One global retailer, following our workshop, took their first steps to identifying their Jewish employees in both the UK and US, then went on to create Jewish Employee Resource Groups. Another now encourages staff to write about their own experiences of celebrating Jewish festivals, featuring voices from a variety of denominations.
We’ve also seen a few organisations explore moving away from broad affinity groups to allow each group to form their own resource group, giving them space to shine, something we actively advocate for. In one case, Jewish staff didn’t want a formal Employee Resource Group at all, preferring an informal network with a flat leadership structure, and the organisation respected that.
Perhaps most meaningfully, we’ve heard directly from Jewish employees about the impact this work has had on their wellbeing and their relationships with colleagues. Our antisemitism workshops have created a greater sense of safety, respect, and understanding, strengthening working relationships and, for some, transforming their experience of being Jewish at work. Many have told us it’s also given them the confidence to bring more of themselves to work.
These sessions move beyond surface-level awareness. They bridge real gaps in understanding, helping colleagues better grasp their Jewish co-workers’ backgrounds, heritage, and the ways Jewish identity can shape everyday working life.
The Jewish Inclusive Workplace Standard
To help organisations go further, Jhive created the Jewish Inclusive Workplace Standard — the UK’s first framework dedicated to recognising employers that actively support Jewish inclusion.
The standard is a fee-free, evidence-based accreditation that supports employers to embed Jewish inclusion into workplace culture. It guides organisations through antisemitism awareness and training, inclusive policy development, and practical actions that lead to clear, measurable outcomes.
Achieving the standard sends a clear message: your organisation is committed to Jewish inclusion, taking active steps to understand, support, and protect Jewish employees, and demonstrating credible allyship through action, not just intention.
The Cost of Inaction
Failing to address antisemitism has consequences beyond compliance. When Jewish employees experience bias or exclusion, it affects morale, retention, and trust.
The data is stark. In a 2025 Work Avenue survey, nearly two-thirds of Jewish employees reported experiencing antisemitism in the workplace. Research from the Institute for Jewish Policy Research shows that 83 percent of British Jews now see antisemitism as a significant national problem — up from 48 percent in 2012 — and 73 percent say they feel less safe since 7 October 2023.
For organisations committed to inclusive, high-performing teams, these figures are not theoretical. They point to real consequences for engagement, retention, trust, and staff safety when antisemitism is left unaddressed.
How Employers Can Take the First Step
Here are three ways every organisation can begin building Jewish inclusion today:
- Acknowledge antisemitism explicitly within your EDI strategy.
- Provide targeted antisemitism training for HR, leadership, and teams.
- Listen to Jewish employees — create safe feedback channels and act on what you learn.
Jhive supports organisations at every stage of that journey, from policy development to training and accreditation.
Conclusion: Awareness Is the Beginning, Not the End
Understanding antisemitism in the workplace isn’t just about protecting one group, it’s about strengthening inclusion for everyone.
When employers take proactive steps to address antisemitism, they create workplaces defined by respect, trust, and belonging.
At Jhive, we believe inclusion starts with listening, grows through learning, and lasts through action.
To learn more about Jhive’s antisemitism training, workshops, and accreditation, get in touch to discuss how we can support your organisation.