What Real Inclusion Looks Like for the Jewish Community

Jewish people make up just 0.5% of the UK population - and only 0.2% of the world. By every measure, we’re a tiny minority. And yet, we’re often not seen as one.

Why? Because Jewishness doesn’t always match people’s idea of what a minority “should” look like.

Most British Jews are white. Many are perceived as successful, educated, or well-connected. And layered over that is one of the oldest, most dangerous antisemitic tropes: the belief that Jews are powerful, controlling, and somehow immune to harm. That plays directly into the dangerous misconception that we’re not marginalised, not at risk, not in need of protection or inclusion.

In fact, Jewish people face a double bind: we’re not only excluded from recognition as an oppressed minority, but often cast as the very image of the oppressor - the supposed “evil” force behind power, wealth, or control.

These narratives aren’t harmless. They shape how Jewish people are treated, how we’re left out of inclusion work, and how we experience risk in both visible and invisible ways.

And that’s why this conversation matters. Because real inclusion means recognising not just who’s been left out - but why.

It’s Not Just About Religion

Being Jewish isn’t just about what we believe. It’s about who we are. For many of us, Jewishness is cultural. Ancestral. Ethnic. It’s shaped by family, language, humour, food, trauma, pride, resilience - not just prayer books and holidays.

If your idea of inclusion is ticking a box for “religious accommodations” and listing Chanukah on the staff calendar, you’re missing most of what it means to be Jewish. Real inclusion means acknowledging the whole of who we are - the complexity, the context, and the community that shapes us. It also means recognising that when people target us, it’s rarely about individual belief. It’s about collective myths: centuries-old narratives portraying Jews as outsiders, threats, or dangerous holders of power.

It’s About Safety, Not Just Assumptions

Inclusion doesn’t start with good intentions or surface gestures. It starts with creating environments where Jewish people don’t have to shrink or hide. It means making sure we’re not bracing for awkward questions, casual stereotypes, or worse - resentment, suspicion, or subtle hostility.

It means understanding that antisemitism often doesn’t look like obvious slurs or attacks. It can look like “compliments” assuming we’re wealthy or influential. It can look like jokes about control or manipulation. And it can look like the silent belief that Jewish people don’t count as a minority because we’re seen as too successful to need support - or worse, as villains rather than victims.

Real inclusion pushes back against those assumptions. It creates spaces where Jewish professionals can show up fully - without carrying the weight of centuries of falsehoods.

It’s Asking, Not Assuming

If your business, organisation, or network says it champions inclusion, ask yourself:

• Are Jewish people in the room?

• Do they feel safe speaking up?

• Are their experiences included in your diversity and inclusion training?

• Are they given space to define their identity - or is it being defined for them?

It’s easy to assume Jewish professionals are “doing fine.” But visibility isn’t the same as protection. In fact, visibility without understanding can sometimes make us more vulnerable. Real inclusion means looking hard at the stories you’ve been told about who is powerful and who is marginalised. It means confronting your own internal bias - and asking who you’ve unconsciously left out.

What Practical Inclusion Looks Like

Inclusion isn’t vague. It’s not “We value everyone” on a mission statement. It’s concrete actions, like:

• Recognising Jewish holidays without making people choose between work and observance

• Listening when Jewish people say certain language or situations make them feel unsafe

• Making space to talk about antisemitism - not avoiding it for fear of controversy

• Not asking Jewish people to explain or defend an entire community

• Centring Jewish voices in conversations about Jewish inclusion

Real inclusion is proactive. It’s thoughtful. And most importantly, it’s grounded in listening - not assuming.

Why This Matters at Le’karev

At Le’karev, we know what true inclusion feels like - because we’ve built it.

We don’t just create spaces where Jewish professionals are allowed in. We create spaces where they can breathe once they’re there. Where no one’s bracing for stereotypes or assumptions about their background. Where being Jewish isn’t something to manage or justify - it’s simply part of the fabric of the room.

And importantly, we understand that being Jewish is only one part of a much wider intersection for inclusion: and we’ve created an inclusion policy that is clear about our intentions for being a truly inclusive organisation.

Real inclusion isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence. It’s about recognising the groups you haven’t seen, the needs you haven’t asked about, and the assumptions you’ve let sit unchecked. If you want to create spaces where Jewish professionals - and any underrepresented group - can truly thrive, start here:

Ask who’s missing from the conversation.

Listen to what they say.

And then, most importantly, act.