Institute for Jewish Policy Research

Tonight begins the Jewish holyday of – the Feast of Weeks – which commemorates one of the most foundational moments in Jewish history: the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. It marks the point at which a collection of tribes became a nation: The .

For the occasion, 𝗝𝗣𝗥 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗼𝗹𝗮, examining the forces that shaped throughout history – and how those might affect what the Jewish People look like 100 years down the line: https://www.jpr.org.uk/reports/jewish-people-2126-demography-identity-and-future-global-minority

You can also read this interview with Sergio in TThe Jewish Chronicle https://www.thejc.com/news/world/post-october-7-hostility-is-making-diaspora-more-jewish-says-leading-demographer-k6o3wk6k

Sinai did not give us solidarity alone. It also gave us a collective conscience. And it insists we resolve the two, however difficult it might be, writes Dr JJonathan Boydin his latest op-ed for TThe Jewish News https://www.jpr.org.uk/insights/sinai-jewish-solidarity-and-jewish-conscience

How has the changed in recent years? Dr Jonathan Boyd discussed the topic in a recent event, now available on the JPR website: https://www.jpr.org.uk/insights/diaspora-jews-shifting-landscape

Despite all these important themes, our latest data show that only 42% of celebrated Shavuot last year. In his op-ed for The Jewish News, OOmri Galwonders whether this important holyday has a ‘branding’ problem: https://www.jpr.org.uk/insights/shavuot-has-branding-problem

Something to read over the long weekend? Sorted!

Chag sameach from JPR!

With antisemitic attacks rising across the UK, and record numbers of British Jews making aliyah in 2025, a critical question is coming into sharper focus: 𝗱𝗼 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗝𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲?

JPR’s latest report by Dr Jonathan Boyd examines patterns of 'aliyah' (immigration to Israel) since October 7 and has already been widely covered in the UK and international media, including BBC Panorama and BBC News, The Guardian, CNN, Haaretz.com, מעריב אונליין Maariv Online, The Jewish News, and The Jewish Chronicle.

The findings come amid a growing sense among many British Jews that they are being held responsible for events in Israel — raising urgent questions about belonging, security and the future.

This is not just about aliyah. It is about how British Jews are navigating identity and safety in an increasingly uncertain environment.

As Israel marks Yom Ha’atzmaut this evening, these questions feel more immediate than ever.

Read the full report: https://www.jpr.org.uk/reports/time-leave-uk-patterns-jewish-migration-israel-post-october-7

According to our latest report, Pesach ( ) is perhaps the single most participated event on the calendar.

Tonight, amid differences in beliefs, practices, backgrounds, and circumstances, Jews worldwide will gather around tables to celebrate our freedom from slavery and becoming a Peoplehood. In the UK, more than 8 out of 10 attended a seder in 2025.

It is traditional to ask questions during the seder, but we figured - why stop at just the standard four?

Dr Jonathan Boyd suggests four other questions worth discussing around the seder table this year: https://www.jpr.org.uk/insights/four-questions-pesach-year

Omri Gal highlights Pesach's instructions to remember a different narrative: https://www.jpr.org.uk/insights/night-remember-different-narrative

And our annual 'Whose Passover is it Anyway?' family quiz has ten new questions to read along the Haggadah: https://www.jpr.org.uk/insights/whose-passover-it-anyway-2026

From all of us at JPR,
Chag sameach!
🍷🍷🍷🍷

This coming Wednesday, Jews worldwide will attend seder night - the main tradition of the holyday of Pesach (Passover). In the UK, our data shows more than 8 out of 10 British Jews attended a seder last year.

The seder is a perfect recipe for strengthening Jewish identity in ways that resonate across different levels of religious engagement and generations. For parents, leaders and educators, seder night is an opportunity to reach those parts of our community that are normally less involved in Jewish life year-round.

That's why, for the fifth year running, we have produced our '𝗪𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗔𝗻𝘆𝘄𝗮𝘆' 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘇 for you to download, print and bring to the seder table: https://www.jpr.org.uk/insights/whose-passover-it-anyway-2026

It is traditional to ask questions during the seder, but why stop at just the standard four?

Chag sameach from JPR

Purim is here. A festival of masks, paradoxes and noisy joy, marking the story of how Persian Jews thwarted the evil Haman’s plot to annihilate them. An old tale that takes a real form in current events.

Compared with other key festivals, is among the least widely observed by , with just under half celebrating it last year. Yet the patterns beneath prompt important questions about how Purim might serve as a key moment in the calendar for engaging those on the fringes of community and and at particularly formative life stages.

Download our latest report on Purim in the UK from our website, and read JPR experts' latest insights into Purim in The Jewish News.

Have a safe holiday from JPR.