The number of anti-semitic incidents rose in Sussex last year and, nationally, reached its highest level, according to the Community Security Trust (CST).
The trust said that a survey found that only 21 per cent of British Jews who had experienced anti-semitic harassment had reported it to the police or to any other organisation.
In Sussex, 19 anti-semitic incidents towards Jewish people, organisations or property were reported to the CST in 2021.
This was up from 17 the year before but fewer than the 23 incidents recorded in 2019.
Last year, there were 18 incidents of abusive behaviour – the most common type – and there was also one verbal or written threat.
The charity defines an incident as any malicious act which has anti-semitic motivation or content or the targeting of a victim because they are – or are believed to be – Jewish.
The CST said that a record 2,255 such incidents occurred across Britain last year – up 34 per cent from 1,684 in the previous year.
Reports peaked during a time of heightened conflict between Israel and Palestine, with 661 in May alone – a record monthly total.
There were 502 incidents that used far right or Nazi themes including 90 where the Holocaust was celebrated.
Meanwhile, 182 hate incidents happened in schools or involved school pupils or staff last year – up from 54 in 2020 and the most ever.
CST chief executive Mark Gardner said: “Record levels of anti-Jewish racism, reported by our Jewish community to CST and police, show how difficult last year was for Jews across Britain.”
He said that such hatred can grow over time, with perpetrators of these attacks taking any excuse to abuse Jews publicly.
Mr Gardner added: “This is exactly what happened during and after the Israel-Gaza war of May 2021, from schools and universities, through to the carloads of people who repeatedly drove to Jewish areas and yelled vile abuse at anyone who looked Jewish.”
The CST recorded 176 violent anti-semitic incidents last year, including three classed as extreme because they involved grievous bodily harm (GBH) or a threat to life.
And there were 82 instances of damage to or desecration of Jewish property.
A further 1,844 incidents involved abusive behaviour carried out verbally or via social media, through anti-semitic graffiti or one-off hate mail.
The CST also received 16 reports of so-called Zoom-bombing, where video calls are hijacked with anti-semitic material, although the total number of online incidents fell by 13 per cent in last year.
The Community Security Trust published a blog post on the latest figures as well as a full annual report.
