History of Antisemitism

Blood Libel

the accusation that Jews murdered Christian children in a religious ritual where they would lure them in, fatten them up for 10 days, and then use their blood in their Passover dinner celebration. Written about by famous authors who spread the tale and made it more common and believed throughout the community

Shylock

A Shakespeare character based off of Jews who worked as a moneylender and demanded ridiculous forms of payment from his clients, including high rates and human flesh. Made the stereotype of usury and moneylending even more popular and damaging to the Jewish people's reputation

The Rothschilds

Wealthy Jewish family that made their money through banking in Germany and mainly Britain. Antisemites associated the Rothschilds with the idea that Jews used usury and cheated their banking clients in order to get rich and increase their power until they could take over the world.

Scapegoat

Blaming someone for the faults of others or for circumstances beyond anyone's control -> Hitler blamed the Jews for all of Germany's economic, social, and political problems despite them being such a small section of the population.

Infidels

a person who does not believe in religion or who adheres to a religion other than one's own

Circumcision

Jewish ritual that takes place in all branches

Diaspora

the scattering of Jews from Israel mostly to parts of Europe. 70 CE Romans expelled Jews from Israel

Antisemitism

the hatred or discrimination towards the Jewish

Crusades

series of battles in which Christians were fighting for control over Israel and other holy lands; During the crusades Jews were massacred as infidels

Usury

money lending and charging high interest rates

Vatican II

Saint John XXIII called this meeting for all the religious figures to meet and discuss issues, one of the main issues being how Christians interacted and felt towards Jews

Kosher

Monotheism

following one God, Jews were the first and only religion during the ancient Greek era to follow this, this was one of the reasons they were prosecuted in this time

Black Death

Jews were blamed for causing this incident becuase they were accused of poisoning wells.

The Protocols of the Elders of Zion

a forged document ordered by Czar Nicholas that said a group of Jewish leaders had been meeting in secrecy in order to devise a plan on how to take over the world. This became a damaging image of Jews and was reflected in propaganda in many different countries.

Maimonides

a successful physician in the Egyptian court who wrote several books about Jewish law and traditions that influenced Jews and Gentiles like Thomas Aquinas.

Nostra Aetate

a document passed by the Second Vatican Council that was meant to change the relationship between Jews and the Catholic Church by saying Christians can not blame Jews for the death of Jesus.

Trope

a significant or recurring theme; a figurative or metaphorical use of a word of expression

anti-judaism vs antisemitism

anti-Judaism could have been stopped if the Jews agreed to convert to a different religion; antisemitisim started in the 1800s and added that Jews were a race and therefore they had no power to change the innate qualities of their religion. could not convert to escape antisemitism

causes for antisemitism in roman era, middle ages, and early 1800s

in the roman era Jews were blamed for the murder of Jesus, in the middle ages the Jews were blamed for causing the black death, and in the early 1800s Jews were limited as to what jobs they had and were left to work in banking, this is what lead to the assumption that Jews were greedy and cheat you.

historical support exonerating the jews for killing Jesus

Jews said "may his blood be upon us and upon our children", conflicts between followers and non-followers were presented to be conflicts between Jews and Jesus making Jews look bad.

Restrictions on Jews during Middle Ages

couldn't practice law or medicine, forbidden to own land, not eligible to hold public office, ordered to remain inside during Easter week, and could not live in Christian communities

Advent of the word Antisemitism

the world antisemitism was created by a German journalist in 1873 who added the racial element that innate differences prevent Jews from assimilating into the "supreme host" culture

Ecclessia and Synagoga

Figurines and statues that appear in a more strongly contrasting light, Ecclesia has a cross and a crown, Synagoga has her head down and is blindfolded. Symbolizes Jews being blinded by the "right religion" of Christianity

Increased rights for Jews during Enlightenment

emphasized natural rights, equality, and tolerance for all and condemned past treatment of the Jews. given political rights of voting and citizens, individual rights, and greater legal and economic rights in Poland, Holland, and England. since they were educated people they were forced into diamond trading and banking.

Thomas Aquinas

Roman Catholic Priest and theologian influenced western thought. Much of modern philosophy is centered around ideas

1791

France became first Europeans to grant Jews citizenship, but modernization stops at eastern Germany not in Poland and Russia

xenophobia

fear of foreigners

No hyphen

the word is created without a hyphen because
antisemites in the Middle East point to the indication that antisemitism does not exist.