The Netherlands loves to see itself as tolerant, open, and liberal. Amsterdam, in particular, is routinely romanticized as a global sanctuary of freedom and acceptance. But for the Jews who actually live here, that polished image is becoming impossible to recognize.

A recent, sobering investigation by the Dutch daily NRC laid this crisis bare. Based on conversations with eight Jewish citizens aged between 15 and 66, the feature asked a straightforward question: What is it like to be Jewish in the Netherlands today, in the wake of October 7 and the subsequent wave of targeted attacks on Jewish institutions?

The answers are deeply disturbing, revealing a daily existence defined by hyper-vigilance. People describe hiding visible symbols of their faith, feeling unsafe wearing a kippah in public, looking over their shoulders in the street, and worrying constantly about the security of their synagogues and schools.

This is not an abstract political debate; it is the erosion of basic safety. One story in the NRC........

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