Any event that causes British Jews to feel less safe is a cause for concern. This week's poll of the Jewish community shows that 37 per cent now feel less safe as a result of the decision to leave the EU. Coupled with that, a 57 per cent increase in reported hate crimes is also worrying. Yes, the numbers involved are small - from 54 to 85.
And yes, there is always a spike in such incidents when there is a crisis of some kind. But it is also striking that so many people have reacted to these appalling incidents as if they are revealing a dark and previously unknown secret of racism and bigotry in Britain. And yet any Jew - not that we are alone in this - who engages with social media will greet this 'revelation' with bemusement.
Antisemitism has long been part of the fabric of Twitter and Facebook. And in the real world, the police's figures show that last year was the third worst for antisemitic incidents, with 924.
Brexit or not, racism has always been with us and must always be tackled.
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