antisemitism quiz #1

19th century, Germany, express hatred of Jews as a race

when, where, and why the term antisemitism coined

group of languages that originated in Middle East and have some linguistic similarities

what does semitic denote

hatred of Jews as a race

what did the term antisemitism originally denote

anti-Jewish prejudice

what does antisemitism denote today

can help determine if something is a hate crime, can solve a problem, word can lose significance if used in wrong context

what can the definitions of antisemitism be used for (how can they be useful)

“typical” Jewish person that antisemites picture in their heads when they think of Jews in general

what is the imagined jew

it evolved over time

why are there so many different definitions of antisemitism

opposition to the existence of a Jewish state in the territory of Israel

what is anti-Zionism

Anti-Zionism can be seen as antisemitic because it means denying Jewish people the right to have their own country, which can be viewed as discrimination against Jewish people.

what is the role of anti-Zionism in recent definitions of anti-semitism

• criticism of Israel is not always antisemitic but can be antisemitic

• criticizing Israel using classic antisemitic tropes is antisemitic

• Holding all Jews (except for “exceptional Jews”) responsible for the actions of Israel is

  antisemitic

what do the three most recent definitions of “antisemitism” (IHRA, Jerusalem, and Nexus) all agree on?

• would be legally hard to catch

• Undermining early intervention

dangers of definitions of antisemitism being too narrow

• can suppress free speech

• overburdening the legal System

What are the dangers of definitions of “antisemitism” being too broad?

central/northern European ; from Spain, North Africa, Turkey, Greece ; Middle Eastern Jews

Who are Ashkenazi, Sephardi, and Mizrahi Jews?

Ashkenazi

To which group of Jews do most North American Jews belong?

Evidence that many Jews trace back to Ancient East ; have shared characteristics with people who their ancestors lived with after migrating

What do modern DNA studies reveal about the ancestries of Jews

• monotheism

• torah

what are the two central features of Judaism as a religion?

• binding, binding but open to interpretation, non binding

• for the most part only men can become rabbis, women and LGBTQ Jews are officially accepted as able to serve in same roles as straight men but in practice this is still evolving, egalitarian

What types of things differentiate Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Jews?

by ancestry and/or religion

two main components of most dictionary definitions of “Jews”

comparatively really small (0.2%)

How does the size of the world’s Jewish population compare to the size of other major religions?

one of the oldest recorded monotheistic religions in the world and significantly older than Christianity and Islam, but younger than Hinduism

How old is Judaism compared to other major world religions (such as Hinduism, Christianity, Islam)?

Israel and United States for the most part

where around the world do Jews live?

Understanding the diversity of Jews and Judaism is important because Jewish people have different beliefs, cultures, and backgrounds, which means antisemitism can affect them in different ways.

How is understanding the diversity of Jews and Judaism important for understanding the nature, expressions, or impact of antisemitism?

eliminate Jews, keep Jews away, none

Compare and contrast Debra Lipstat’s “extremist,” “social,” and “clueless” antisemites in terms of their goals.

overt, sometimes violent ; comments, “jokes” ; comments, “jokes”

Compare and contrast Debra Lipstat’s “extremist,” “social,” and “clueless” antisemites in terms of their means of expression

Compare and contrast Debra Lipstat’s “extremist,” “social,” and “clueless” antisemites in terms of their self-awareness.

high: core to identity ; present (although likely to deny, dissmulate) ; absent

no

do white nationalists view Jews as white

blames a Jewish conspiracy for the world’s problems

What special role do White Nationalists see Jews as playing in their world view?

His model shows that a person who starts out with just casual, everyday biases can easily slide into much harsher, more active hostility if the social or political environment changes.

What does Michael Marrus emphasize about the relationship between different categories of antisemites?

“Social antisemites” can be seen as especially dangerous because they may spread antisemitic ideas in everyday life, making prejudice seem normal or acceptable to other people.

Why can “social antisemites” be regarded as uniquely dangerous?

disagreements over its definition, the risk of chilling free speech, and the potential to weaponize the term to suppress legitimate geopolitical critique

Why can it be problematic to label people “antisemites”?

essentialist theory

the belief there is something inherent in Jewish people that causes antisemitism ; legitimizing antisemitism

eternalist theory

antisemitism existed for a long time so antisemitism will always be around ; Jew killing is a normal human occupation

functionalist theory

antisemites are being antisemitic as a coping mechanism ; blaming Jews for their problems ; a. Fails to answer the question Why the Jewish people

historicist theory

can’t just see antisemitism as unchanging ; Why is it always the Jews if it is always different

functionalist

Where do the “scapegoat” and “envy” theories fit into these categories?

scapegoat theory

that individuals or societies transfer blame for their own social, economic, or political failures onto Jewish people

The “onion model” shows that antisemitism has many historical layers. As history changes, new forms of antisemitism can develop while older ideas may still remain underneath.

What is the “onion model” of antisemitism?

envy theory historical example

In nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Germany, non-Jewish Germans felt increasingly economically insecure. This created a sense of inferiority, insecurity, resentment, and envy toward Jews, many of whom advanced socially, economically, and professionally following Jewish emancipation (i.e., being granted full citizenship rights). To render Jews less threatening to the self-esteem of non-Jewish Germans, non-Jewish Germans promoted anti-Semitic stereotypes that both undercut and offset Jewish achievements. Jews were characterized as dishonest, conspiratorial, unattractive, rude, and ultimately profoundly threatening to German society. These stereotypes were embraced so intensely that they ultimately led to genocidal policies.

scapegoat theory - historical example

During the 14th century, the Black Death decimated the population of Europe, leading to extreme despair and frustration. In some parts of Europe, non-Jews created an outlet for their frustration by blaming Jews for spreading the plague. They characterized Jews as demonic, disease-spreading, and conspiratorial. They arrested Jews on false charges and put them to death.