Antisemitism is defined as hostility and prejudice toward Jews as well as taking discriminatory action towards Jewish people. Some consider antisemitism to be a form of racism.
The word antisemitism finds its roots in the German word antisemitisch, first used in 1860 by Austrian Jewish scholar Moritz Steinschneider, in his work regarding false ideas of "Semitic races" in comparison to "Aryan races." However, the discriminatory ideas and actions towards Jews have existed since long before the term was coined.
Early incidents of antisemitism and anti-Jewish persecution include the Edict of Expulsion from England in 1290, the persecution of Jews across Europe during the Black Death from 2348 - 1351, and the Spanish Inquisition and expulsion from Spain in 1492.
The 20th century saw both the Holocaust, the genocide of European Jews, and the expulsion of Jews from countries across the Middle East, leading to the displacement of approximately 850,000 Mizrahi Jews.
In recent years both Europe and the US have seen a steady increase in antisemitic incidents, and 90% of Jews in the European Union have said that they feel this is a serious problem.
My Holocaust survivor roots taught me to sense danger early. On October 7, that sense returned
In the days following the attack, Boulder’s Jewish community has been reeling from shock and fear.
“After October 7, 2023, Columbia University’s leadership acted with deliberate indifference towards the harassment of Jewish students on its campus," said the US Education Secretary.
A swastika mowed into a front lawn in the Illinois town of Alhambra prompted a hate-crime investigation by Madison County authorities last week.
Barbra Steinmertz, 88, was one of 12 injured while walking to raise awareness of the remaining hostages in Gaza.
Santa Ono drew criticism from both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel voices.
Poissy mayor Sandrine Dos Santos condemned "in the strongest terms the incident that occurred in a synagogue in Poissy."
The flames in Paris are not just physical. They are the burning embers of decades of self-delusion.
The ideological war against Israel has not ended, but the momentum is shifting.
Sarah and Yaron loved Israel, each other, and life itself, with joy, hope, and plans for a future they were never able to build. Their memory, and our response, must be defined by action, not fear.
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