Belgian Jewish Family Told To Leave Vacation Home After Praying

A troubling incident unfolded involving a Jewish family from Belgium vacationing in Koksijde, a resort town about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Antwerp. The family, identified as Haredi (ultra-Orthodox), was vacationing in a rental home when the father invited friends for Shabbat prayers and a Friday night meal. Neighbors, disturbed by the gathering, reported it as a “suspicious gathering” to the landlord, who interrupted the meal to demand their departure.

The father explained it was a brief, peaceful event lasting about half an hour, but the landlord insisted they leave. The following day, the family received an email reinforcing the eviction demand. Neighbors also photographed the family, including children, on private property, sharing the images in a WhatsApp group with the owner, escalating the situation. The father threatened to involve the police if the photography continued, after which it ceased.

This isn’t an isolated case. Just last week, two other Haredi families renting nearby faced similar discrimination when a landlord canceled their bookings upon realizing they were Jewish, returning deposits without citing religion as the reason. These incidents reflect a troubling pattern in Belgium, where antisemitism has spiked, particularly since the Israel-Hamas war intensified.

Reports from Antwerp, home to Europe’s largest Hasidic Jewish population, indicate 90 antisemitic incidents in the first six weeks after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, with Holocaust survivors and community leaders expressing fear of a return to persecution. Some Jewish residents have packed bags, ready to flee, amid desecrations of graves, verbal assaults, and physical attacks on children.