Jewish leaders rally in Dublin against rising antisemitism

Jewish leaders from seven of the largest Diaspora communities worldwide gathered at Herzog Park in Dublin on Tuesday to show their support for Irish Jews and sound the alarm over rising antisemitism.

The J7 Large Communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism brings together Jewish leaders from Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States to combat antisemitism. Together, these communities represent more than 90% of the global Jewish Diaspora.

In Dublin, the J7 delegation is meeting with government officials and representatives of Ireland’s Jewish community.

“I can think of no more fitting place to welcome you than Herzog Park, named after Chaim Herzog, who grew up here in Dublin and went on to become president of Israel,” said Maurice Cohen, chairman of the Representative Council of the Jewish Community in Ireland, referring to the late father of Israel’s current president, Isaac Herzog.

“The attempt to remove his name was deeply hurtful to our community and is typical of the ubiquitous, ambient antisemitism that reflects a growing hostility that Irish Jews increasingly encounter. No Jew in Ireland should ever feel they must choose between being proudly Irish and proudly Jewish,” he added.

Between July 2025 and January 2026, Ireland recorded 143 antisemitic incidents, Cohen noted, a deeply troubling figure for a community of its size.

“We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking to live openly and safely as Jews in the country we call home,” he said.

Anti-Israel rhetoric in Ireland is creating an increasingly hostile environment for Irish Jews, directly affecting the safety and daily lives of the country’s small, historic Jewish community, said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and national director of the Anti-Defamation League.

“That must change, for the community’s safety and for Irish society as a whole. 2025 was the deadliest year for antisemitic attacks in the Diaspora in more than three decades, with 20 people murdered simply because they were Jewish or near a Jewish event,” he said.

“While Ireland’s national police have certainly increased their surveillance and security presence, there remains an urgent need for dedicated security funding for the Jewish community. Ireland cannot afford to wait for a tragedy before taking action,” he added.

Although Ireland is not one of the J7 member countries, Greenblatt said he believes it is crucial that this year’s annual J7 report include a special chapter on Ireland, drawing on data provided by the Representative Council of the Jewish Community in Ireland.

“We are calling on the Irish government to introduce concrete, preventative measures now,” he said. “That means dedicated security funding for Jewish communal and educational institutions, consistent enforcement of hate crime legislation, and clear political accountability when rhetoric demonizes Jews or crosses the line into antisemitism.”

“We stand with that community today, and we will continue to stand with it, now and always. Am Yisrael Chai,” he added.

The J7 Large Communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism was established in response to rising antisemitism worldwide.

The task force leads working groups made up of subject-matter experts from each community to develop strategies and action plans in areas including policy and advocacy, technology policy, security, extremism and education to combat antisemitism.