J7 Leaders Stand with Irish Jewish Community at Dublin’s Herzog Park

Dublin, Ireland, October 13, 2026—Jewish leaders from the world's seven largest diaspora communities gathered at Herzog Park in Dublin to stand in solidarity with Ireland's Jewish community and raise concerns about antisemitic rhetoric and actions in Ireland, against a backdrop of unprecedented levels of antisemitism worldwide. The J7 (Large Communities' Task Force Against Antisemitism) brings together the leadership of representative Jewish organizations from Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States to coordinate responses to rising anti-Jewish hate. Together, these communities represent over 90% of the Jewish diaspora.  

During their visit to Dublin, the J7 delegation met with the Taoiseach, Government officials and representatives of Ireland’s Jewish community. The delegation also gathered at Herzog Park for public remarks, beginning with an address by Maurice Cohen, Chairman of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, followed by a statement delivered by ADL (Anti-Defamation League) CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, on behalf of the J7. 

Maurice Cohen, Chairman of the Representative Council of the Jewish Community in Ireland: 

Good afternoon, and a very warm welcome to our friends and colleagues from the J7. It means a great deal to me personally, and to our entire Jewish community, that you have travelled to Dublin to stand beside us. We are a small community of just 2,200 people, but our roots in Ireland stretch back centuries. I can think of no more fitting place to welcome you than Herzog Park, named after Chaim Herzog, who grew up here in Dublin and went on to become President of Israel. The attempt to remove his name was deeply hurtful to our community and is typical of the ubiquitous, ambient antisemitism that reflects a growing hostility that Irish Jews increasingly encounter. No Jew in Ireland should ever feel they must choose between being proudly Irish and proudly Jewish. 

That is why the presence here today of the leadership of the J7, representing the seven largest Jewish diaspora communities in the world, means so much to us. You have come to Ireland because you recognise that what happens to a small Jewish community matters just as much as what happens to a large one. Between July 2025 and January 2026, we recorded 143 antisemitic incidents, a deeply troubling number for a community of our size. We are grateful for the increased attention of An Garda Síochána, but we need more than expressions of concern. We need practical security measures, political leadership and a clear recognition that antisemitism, whatever language it is dressed in, has no place in Irish society. We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking to live openly and safely as Jews in the country we call home. To our friends and colleagues from the J7, thank you for coming, for listening and, above all, for standing beside us.   

J7 statement, delivered by Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director: 

Good afternoon. We are here in Dublin as leaders of the J7 Task Force, a coalition representing the world’s seven largest Jewish diaspora communities. Today, we stand in solidarity with Ireland’s Jewish community and sound the alarm about antisemitic rhetoric and actions here in Ireland, before they escalate further.

As Maurice mentioned, of all the places we visited today, we chose to gather here in Herzog Park - named after Chaim Herzog, a Belfast-born Jew who grew up in Dublin, the son of Ireland’s Chief Rabbi, and who went on to become the sixth President of the State of Israel. 

Last year, a campaign to strip his name from this park was rightly condemned by Irish government leaders as an act that transcends political debate and instead targets Jewish memory itself.  

Anti-Israel rhetoric in Ireland is creating an increasingly hostile environment for Ireland’s Jews, directly affecting the safety and daily lives of this small, historic Jewish community. That must change, for the community’s safety and for Irish society as a whole.  

2025 was the deadliest year for antisemitic attacks in the diaspora in more than three decades, with 20 people murdered simply because they were Jewish or near a Jewish event.  

Ireland is not immune to this disturbing trend. Although it is not one of the J7 member countries, we felt is was crucial for our annual J7 report to include a special chapter on Ireland this year, using data provided by the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland that Maurice just shared.  

While Ireland’s national police have certainly increased their surveillance and security presence, there remains an urgent need for dedicated security funding for the Jewish community. Ireland cannot afford to wait for a tragedy before taking action.  

We are calling on the Irish Government to introduce concrete, preventative measures now. That means dedicated security funding for Jewish communal and educational institutions, consistent enforcement of hate crime legislation, and clear political accountability when rhetoric demonizes Jews or crosses the line into antisemitism.  

Just as Chaim Herzog’s name endures here in this park, Ireland’s Jewish community continues to endure and contribute to Irish life.  We stand with that community today, and we will continue to stand with it, now and always. Am Yisrael Chai.

About the J7 Task Force 

The J7, the Large Communities' Task Force Against Antisemitism, was formed in response to increasing rates of antisemitism around the world and comprises major Jewish organizations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Argentina and Australia. In addition to top-level consultations, the J7 leads working groups comprised of subject matter experts from each community to develop strategies and action plans within areas such as policy and advocacy, tech policy, security, extremism and education against antisemitism.