On this day, the victims of the Holocaust are honored in various places in Sweden and around the world.
– My father survived and for me this day means an awful lot, says Mira Kelber, vice president of the Jewish Youth Association in Sweden.
Mira says that she and other Jews in Sweden have experienced anti-Semitism after the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza.
– For many young Jews, it has hit very hard and they have taken off their Stars of David and removed Jewish symbols in the home, she says.
Hopeful of Jewish life
Mira tries to be hopeful and sees signs that it is possible to live a Jewish life in Sweden without being afraid.
– I see that people have dared to take back their Jewish identity and there are a lot of people who have been supportive.
30 Jewish women tell
In a study at Malmö University, 30 Jewish women were interviewed about their lives in Sweden.
– We did not ask specific questions about anti-Semitism, but women told us that after the 7 October attack they felt insecure and that they were forced to answer for what is happening in Gaza, says Malin Thor Tureby, professor at Malmö University.
At the same time, many women want to highlight the positive aspects of living Jewishly in Sweden, she adds.