Jewish Berliners describe shrinking safe spaces in the city

In a long feature published on October 1, 2026, Tagesspiegel speaks with Jewish Berliners who describe how the spaces where they feel safe in the city have continued to shrink two years after the October 7 attack on Israel. Interviewees recount avoiding certain neighbourhoods, hiding Stars of David under their clothing, cancelling visits to clubs, and sending their children to school by car instead of public transport. Several say that recent election results in Berlin, in which both the AfD and far-left pro-Palestinian lists made gains, have intensified their feeling of being politically squeezed from both sides. Community representatives report a renewed increase in antisemitic incidents, from insults in supermarkets to graffiti on homes. The article contrasts the testimonies with reassurances from Berlin's police president and the Senate's antisemitism commissioner that security around synagogues and Jewish schools has been intensified. Civil society groups call for stronger prevention work in schools and youth clubs.