"One only has to think of the rally against antisemitism that the North West Friends of Israel organised [in October, attended by 2,500 supporters], or the launch conferences for the Edinburgh and Glasgow Friends of Israel groups, each of which were attended by 150 to 200 people."
Steven Jaffe, grassroots consultant to the Board of Deputies - which was criticised over its perceived lack of response to the Gaza conflict - said the growth of grassroots involvement predates last summer .
"When you look at Friends of Israel groups in Northern Ireland, Sussex and Yorkshire, these all date from 2009 and 2010. The work was already starting in these regional communities."
However, he acknowledged that organisations like North West Friends of Israel, founded last summer, have "been a great spur in developing these groups". The rise in activism had been "dramatic", he added.
Mr Jaffe, who co-chairs Northern Ireland Friends of Israel, said that for many years anti-Israel activists had little opposition on the streets.
"Now people have got out there and responded… there's a growing confidence in the Jewish community, which we're now seeing all over the country."
