'I don't wear a yarmulke anymore': Netherlands’s Jews endure outbreak of antisemitism

Jews in the Apeldoorn municipality, an hour's drive from the Dutch capital, have experienced an outbreak of antisemitism since the attacks in Amsterdam earlier this month, De Telegraaf reported on Saturday. 

Over the past week, residents have reported a number of stickers demanding “Apeldoorn Jew Free.” The stickers are often accompanied by an image of the Ajax soccer team, a team known to have a large number of Jewish fans. 

A municipality spokesperson told the Dutch paper, "This is pure antisemitism, and we do not accept that. After the events in Amsterdam, the mayor immediately sought out the Jewish community here to show his support. That was before these stickers were distributed here. Of course, we will take action, and we hope that the police can find the perpetrators."

Ajax played a friendly match against Maccabi Tel Aviv on November 7, drawing in thousands of Israeli tourists to the city. After the match, the Israeli fans were targeted in a “Jew hunt,” resulting in the hospitalization of five visitors. The government banned protests for three days following the incident, leading to violent riots breaking out on Monday and further arrests being made. 

In Amsterdam, it was previously reported that pro-Palestinian stickers backed with razor blades were discovered.

Impact on the community 

In the city of Apeldoorn, with a population of only 164,781 as of 2021, the Jewish residents told the media they felt depressed and alone in the wake of the attacks. 

Donald de Leeuw, a member of the Jewish community in Apeldoorn, told De Telegraaf, “It hurts me; it makes me feel depressed. I can now imagine how Jews felt in the years 1940-1945: the feeling of loneliness, of the idea that many look the other way and do not dare to express themselves.”

“In here [his home], I still feel connected to my Jewish identity. Outside, I don't wear a yarmulke anymore,” he added.

De Leeuw explained that he was only alive now thanks to the efforts of some “well-meaning people who already had three children” during the Holocaust. Some 49 members of his family were killed during the genocide. 

De Leeuw, working with the organization Stichting Westerbork, has arranged to speak to local schools about the Jewish community, the Holocaust, and the dangers of hate.

"My goal is to teach respect for fellow human beings instead of hate. We must prevent history from repeating itself. This is not an isolated incident, unfortunately. Antisemitism seems to be occurring more and more often. It is a problem that we must fight together. We must not remain silent or look the other way," he explained. "I can't believe that people take the trouble to do this. The message is that Apeldoorn must be freed of Jews. So I'm not allowed to be there. Not again. Just like my mother's family. And that hurts, of course."