MUST-WATCH: an·ti-Sem·i·tism Rabbi Sacks addresses antisemitism [ /an(t)ēˈsem ˌtiz m/ ] noun Hostility to or prejudice against Jewish people. Antisemitism The mutation of The BDS and anti-Zionism antisemitism campaign

RABBI SACKS SPEAKS

“The hate that begins with Jews never ends “When bad things happen to a group, its members can with Jews... It wasn’t Jews alone who suffered ask one of two questions: ‘What did we do wrong?’ or ‘Who under Hitler. It wasn’t Jews alone who suf- did this to us?’ The entire fate of the group will depend fered under Stalin. It isn’t Jews alone who on which it chooses. If it asks, ‘What did we do wrong?’ it suffer under ISIS or Al Qaeda or Islamic has begun the process of healing the harm. If instead, it Jihad. We make a great mistake if we think asks, ‘Who did this to us?’ it has defined itself as a victim. antisemitism is a threat only to Jews. It is a It will then seek a scapegoat to blame for all its problems. threat, first and foremost, to Europe and to Classically this has been the Jews because for a thousand the freedoms it took centuries to achieve.” years they were the most conspicuous non-Christian minority in Europe and today because Israel is the most conspicuous non-Muslim country in the Middle East.” “Antisemitism means denying the right of Jews to exist as Jews with the same rights as every- one else. The form this takes today is anti-Zion- “Antisemitism, or any hate, “A society, or for that ism. Of course, there is a difference between become dangerous when matter a political Zionism and Judaism, and between Jews and three things happen. First: party, that tolerates Israelis, but this difference does not exist for the when it moves from the antisemitism, that new antisemites themselves. It was Jews, not fringes of politics to a tolerates any hate, Israelis who were murdered in terrorist attacks mainstream party and its has forfeited all in Toulouse, Paris, Brussels and Copenhagen. leadership. Second: when the moral credibility. You Anti-Zionism is the antisemitism of our time.” party sees that its popularity cannot build a future with the general public is on malign myths of not harmed thereby. And the past, you cannot three: when those who stand sustain freedom “Antisemitism is a prejudice that, like a virus, up and protest are vilified on the basis of has survived over time by mutating. So in the and abused for doing so.” hostility and hate.” Middle Ages, Jews were persecuted because of their religion. In the 19th and 20th centuries, they were reviled because of their race. Today, Jews are attacked because of the existence “Antisemitism is “What is antisemitism? Let’s be of their nation-state, Israel. Denying Israel’s the world’s most clear – not liking people because right to exist is the new antisemitism. And reliable early they’re different isn’t antisemi- just as antisemitism has mutated, so has its warning sign of tism. It’s xenophobia. Criticizing legitimization. Each time, as the persecution a major threat Israel isn’t antisemitism: it’s part descended into barbarity, the persecutors to freedom, of the democratic process, and reached for the highest form of justification humanity and Israel is a democracy. Antisem- available. In the Middle Ages, it was religion. the dignity of itism is something much more In post-Enlightenment Europe, it was science: difference. It dangerous – it means persecuting the so-called scientific study of race. Today it matters to all of Jews and denying them the right is human rights. Whenever you hear human us. Which is why to exist collectively as Jews with rights invoked to deny Israel’s right to exist, we must fight Photo: Blake Ezra Photography / Rabbi Sacks Legacy Trust Photography Photo: Blake Ezra the same rights as everyone else.” you are hearing the new antisemitism.” it together.”

| 51 Responding to Antisemitism Dr. Daniel Rose in the Thought of Rabbi Sacks zt”l

ntisemitism was a theme Rabbi However, in the age of reason of post-en- different. The best way for Jews to combat Sacks returned to often in lightenment Europe, no longer could a antisemitism is to wear our identity with his writings, broadcasts and rationale for prejudice be based on reli- pride. speeches (including his last two gious belief. Jews instead became hated for A But we cannot fight antisemitism alone. speeches in the House of Lords). He argued their ethnicity, an alien race polluting the He urged Jews to stand together with other that it is a pressing issue facing not only bloodstreams of Europe. This new form of victims of hate and to find allies from other Jews across the world but society as a pseudo-scientific, racial antisemitism led communities, to stand together with soci- whole. “The hate that begins with Jews directly to the crematoria of the Holocaust. ety as a whole against hate. never ends with Jews,” he wrote. “Antisem- itism is the world’s most reliable early Prejudice and hate always seek justifi- warning sign of a major threat to freedom, cation in a civilized society. This lowest In defense of difference humanity and the dignity of difference.” form of evil must seek legitimation from the highest source of authority of the age. He argued that antisemitism is the para- In explaining the historical phenomenon In the Middle Ages, this was religion, in digm case of dislike of the unlike and fear of antisemitism, he gave us a framework post-enlightenment Europe it was sci- of the other. The hatred of difference. For Rabbi Sacks, this is the quintessential role for understanding, the tools to respond, ence, and today it is “Human Rights.” So of the Jew – to be different and to teach and hope for a future without hate. the antisemitism of our age is disguised the dignity of difference. Antisemitism is as criticism of Israel that attacks Jews not an assault not on Jews alone, but on the The mutating virus as individuals but as a nation, directed human condition. Life is sacred because against their nation-state. Rabbi Sacks showed us that like a virus, each human is different and irreplace- a nefarious prejudice like antisemitism able. A world without room for Jews is needed to mutate to survive and defeat What should our one that has no room for difference, and the immune systems set up by cultures response be? a world without space for difference has no to protect themselves from hatred. In space for humanity itself. Our response to the Middle Ages, Jews were persecuted While encouraging the fight against antisemitism must be to honor the dignity because of their religion, at first because antisemitism, Rabbi Sacks warned Jews of difference. This is the Jewish message they rejected Christianity, and later as a not to internalize it. Antisemitism says to the world. perceived demonic force in Europe, who everything about antisemites and nothing were to blame for all the evils of the age about Jews. It is a mistake to say that since (poisoned wells, spreading the plague, the we are hated because we are different, Dr. Daniel Rose is the Director of Edu- ritual murder of Christian children, etc.) we should try as far as possible not to be cation for the Rabbi Sacks Legacy Trust.

Antisemitism can take many forms Theological or religious run the business world Political or ideological the Holocaust or exag- antisemitism | Jews are and control the economy. antisemitism | Jews are gerated the facts. Other persecuted because of their accused of being disloyal to conspiracy theories include Racial antisemitism | religious beliefs; they are their country or of harbor- the claim that Jews have The belief that Jews are of ing perverse and destructive portrayed as “Christ-kill- an inferior race, what was a secret plot to take over ers” or forced to convert political ideologies and are and control the world or behind the Nazi ideology seen as the cause of political to Christianity or Islam. that Jews are the cause of and the Holocaust. upheaval. Historically, Jews Coronavirus or other calam- Economic | Antisemitism were accused by nationalists Social or cultural antisem- ities or natural disasters. rises due to the Jews’ itism | Jews are considered of creating communism, financial and economic socially inferior; they are and by the communists Anti-Zionism | Hatred or as being capitalists. success; they are accused of accused of either not criticism of Israel is used being stingy and obsessed assimilating enough or of Holocaust denial and to mask hostility toward with money. This often assimilating too much and conspiracy theories | The Jews in general, even those includes the belief that Jews their culture is shunned. claim that Jews fabricated disconnected from Israel.

52 | Antisemitism Throughout History

6th Century 1000s–1200s Yemenite Jews living under the Muslim Christian Crusades massacre Umayyads are considered “unclean” and Jews in Europe and Israel forbidden from venturing outdoors (THEOLOGICAL/RELIGIOUS ANTISEMITISM) (SOCIAL/CULTURAL ANTISEMITISM)

1478 Medieval Europe Spanish Inquisition Jews accused of using Christian blood to (THEOLOGICAL/RELIGIOUS ANTISEMITISM) bake their matzah, sparking blood libels (ANTISEMITIC CONSPIRACY THEORIES)

1500s 19th Century European Jews restricted to Caricatures portray Jews as greedy, reside only in sectioned off powerful and money-hungry neighborhoods called ghettos (ECONOMIC ANTISEMITISM) (SOCIAL/CULTURAL ANTISEMITISM)

1925–1945 1903 Hitler publishes Mein Kampf, claiming The Protocols of the Elders of Zion that the Aryan race is superior; later published in Russia describes a secret developments led to the Holocaust Jewish plan for global dominion (RACIAL ANTISEMITISM) (ANTISEMITIC CONSPIRACY THEORIES)

1947 Today The proposal of a Jewish State in Israel Jews and Jewish communities worldwide leads to pogroms and massacres become the target of anti-Israel attacks of Jews in Muslim countries (ANTI-ZIONISM) (ANTI-ZIONISM)

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