Am I a Temporary Jew in Sweden

“After October 7, hate crimes against Jews in Sweden increased by 360 percent. Nearly half of the Jewish population is now considering emigration, writes political analyst and commentator Mohamed Saad Khiralla in an exclusive piece for Bulletin.

If I were to describe the compulsive exile from one’s homeland, I would call it “a wound that never heals, one that follows you throughout life.”

I am one of them. On April 1, 2018, seven years and a few months ago, I was forced to leave Egypt for Sweden to save my life, because I opposed the authoritarian military regime that still governs the country.

Since then, I have suffered, and that suffering has been central to my empathy for all who undergo a similar experience, including Egyptian Jews who were subjected to ethnic cleansing during the 1950s and 1960s, when approximately 85,000 highly skilled Jews were expelled. Today, fewer than ten remain in Egypt.

Following the terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, I have highlighted in my writings the alarming polarization and the consequences of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for Europe.

It is permissible to observe that many hidden aspects of the conflict and the stubbornness exhibited by Arab parties since the British Peel Commission’s report in 1937 are largely absent from European debate, as if there exists a deliberate willingness to demonize Israel and Jews.

The Jewish side has presented dozens of initiatives to the Arab parties, all rejected in turn. The question remains: is the Swedish public broadly aware of these facts?

Recently, Sweden’s Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, warned of the rising antisemitism in the country, noting that reports of hate crimes against Jews had increased by 360 percent in the months following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, compared with the previous year.

He stated, “Jews in Sweden feel insecure in their own country, and we will not accept Middle Eastern conflicts as an excuse for hatred or threats.” He emphasized that hostile and antisemitic rhetoric directed at Swedish Jews is entirely unacceptable.

Yet the reality is stark: conflicts from the Middle East have already permeated Swedish society. The consequences were made evident in a report from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå), which noted the heightened vulnerability of Jews and that nearly half are now considering emigration, particularly to Israel.

We confront a harsh reality, and it is essential to convey some of their voices: to hear their complaints directly and present them through three testimonies, in the hope that this may contribute to change.

When asked about the recent report describing “the sensitive situation of Swedish Jews, with nearly half considering leaving the country,” Yair Elsner, a Jew, Zionist podcaster, and social commentator, replied:

“One can, of course, debate the academic aspects of the study, but to claim it does not reflect reality is only possible if one is disconnected from the Jewish community in Sweden, or ideologically committed to denying these facts. Those who live within Swedish Jewry know this; it is a recurring discussion. Some take the step.

I see it as an inevitable effect of the demographic changes that have occurred in Sweden. It is the main cause, beyond the political situation of the Middle East conflict, that antisemitic tendencies particularly among those with Middle Eastern roots and connections to Israel have surfaced so forcefully.

The government could not stop this entirely, no matter what measures it took, but it could have managed the situation far better.

When the government engages in performative ‘criticism of Israel’ and supports EU-level sanctions, it provides space for the Palestine/BDS movement.

There is a clear line from Ulf Kristersson and the Moderates to Morgan Johansson and the Social Democrats, onward to the radical left and the Palestinian movement, and from there to violent extremist groups.”

Adele Josephi, an experienced journalist, stated:

“I understand those who want to leave Sweden. I myself will also leave. Yes, I see this as a failure of Swedish politicians spanning more than ten years.”

Adam, a Jew living in Malmö for nearly seventy years, explained:

“Not many have left yet, but many maintain what we call a ‘mental suitcase,’ packed in the closet, ready for use if a sudden escalation arises and one feels compelled to depart.

This is by no means new. Already in the mid- to late 1980s, explicit threats were made against the Jewish community in Sweden by Islamist and other radical anti-Israel and anti-Jewish groups.

We employed our own guards at the synagogue, at funerals, and at other communal events. We installed bullet- and bomb-proof glass in synagogue windows. At times, K-pistol-armed police stood outside community buildings, and we passed them while dropping off our young children at the Jewish preschool.

So this is truly nothing new.

As Daniel Eisenberg wrote in a debate article: ‘Am I a Swedish Jew, or merely a Jew living in Sweden? Here because I was born and lived here for the first fifty years of my life. But the rest of my life? Where should I live then, to avoid insecurity and fear for my life and that of my family?’

For my part, our family settled in Sweden after fleeing Hungary in 1956 and were allowed to stay two years later. I grew up here, raised four children and now have eight grandchildren. Are we Swedish Jews, or simply Jews with temporary residence here, some born here without any guarantees or sense that we can remain indefinitely?”

In conclusion, I confront a painful reality: nearly half of Swedish Jews stand at a crossroads, weighing the prospect of leaving their homeland, hearts heavy with anxiety and fear.

Their testimonies reflect a bitter truth, caught in a conflict where three-quarters of reality has been obscured. Islamist terrorist movements, supported in part by elements of the left in Europe, the United States, and elsewhere, have succeeded in creating a “complete mixture of lies, distortions, and manipulation” in favor of Hamas a movement whose leaders occasionally declare that their ultimate aim is to “erase Israel from the map.”

It is a shame for all of us that Swedish Jews must pay the price for a conflict that certain forces wish to perpetuate, citing religious texts from the Qur’an, hadith, and the Prophet’s biography.

This article is a cry from a citizen with roots in the Middle East, one who knows the truth. The question remains: will this cry be heard, or will it be scattered in winds poisoned by those who seek to conceal it?

Important Note: This article should have been published in Sweden in the Swedish language and has indeed been published in the newspaper Bulletin under the title “Am I a Temporary Jew in Sweden” on Sunday, September 14, 2025. The English version, however, is being published exclusively and solely in The Times of Israel.