Even in Berlin, Jews can often only live safely by avoiding being recognised. Out of a fear of being attacked, actions such as reading the “Jüdische Allgemeine Zeitung” in public, or wearing religious jewellery or a kippah are simply not a matter of course for many people. Public transport in Berlin is a hotspot for both anti-Semitic and other forms of racist attacks.

According to surveys, Anti-Semitic violence is on the increase in Berlin. The Berlin Research and Information Centre for Anti-Semitism (RIAS) recorded a total of 527 anti-Semitic incidents in the first half of 2018, including 18 attacks. There were therefore twice as many attacks as in the first half of 2017. People wearing a kippah or religious jewellery have been attacked on the street or in the subway, while school pupils have experiences sustained threats, sometimes with direct references to the Holocaust.

The RIAS documents various forms of anti-Semitic incidents in Berlin and publishes regular reports on them: report-antisemitism.de

By means of its OFEK counselling project, the Central Welfare Office for Jews in Germany (ZWST) offers a contact point in Berlin for victims of anti-Semitic violence and discrimination: zwst-kompetenzzentrum.de/beratung