LibGuides: Hate Has No Place: Combatting Antisemitism: About Antisemitism

Definitions

Who defines antisemitism?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary
"hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group"
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)
“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
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Endorsed by Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, and the US Department of State.
ADL (Anti-Defamation League)
"The belief or behavior hostile toward Jews just because they are Jewish. It may take the form of religious teachings that proclaim the inferiority of Jews, for instance, or political efforts to isolate, oppress, or otherwise injure them. It may also include prejudiced or stereotyped views about Jews."
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The ADL is an international Jewish non-governmental organization based in the US specializing in civil rights law.

A Very Short Introduction

"Antisemitism is a hatred of Jews that has stretched across millennia and across continents; or it is a relatively modern political movement and ideology that arose in Central Europe in the late 19th century and achieved its evil apogee in the Holocaust; or it is the irrational, psychologically pathological version of an ethnocentric and religiocentric anti-Judaism that originated in Christianity’s conflict with its Jewish roots – and achieved its evil apogee in the Holocaust; or it is a combination of all of these. It all depends on how one defines the term." -- Steven Beller

Antisemitism: a Very Short Introduction by Steven Beller
Call Number: Ebook & Print Memorial Library Main Book Collection DS145 .B394 2015
Publication Date: 2015
Antisemitism, as hatred of Jews and Judaism, has been a central problem of Western civilization for millennia, and its history continues to invite debate. This Very Short Introduction untangles the history of the phenomenon, from ancient religious conflict to "new" antisemitism in the 21st century. Steven Beller reveals how Antisemitism grew as a political and ideological movement in the 19th century, how it reached its dark apogee in the worst genocide in modern history - the Holocaust - and how Antisemitism still persists around the world today.

Viral: Antisemitism in Four Mutations

Antisemitism in the US and Europe is worsening in ways not seen since the 1930s, mutating across cultures, borders and ideologies. Explore its infectious behavior through interviews with victims, witnesses, antisemites, and others in this 2020 documentary from PBS.

Featured Book

Antisemitism is confusing in its complexity. In one of the most apt analogies I’ve heard used, this ever-evolving and constantly morphing hatred of the Jewish people was compared to the boggart in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series. The boggart, a magical creature, is a shape-shifter that will assume the form of whatever the person who encounters it is the most frightened of. So, too, is the nature of antisemitism. It defies logic, reason, and rationality. Instead, in every place, and seemingly in every generation, antisemitism emerges in a way that feeds into the fears of the populace. -- Samantha A. Vinokor-Meinrath

#antisemitism: coming of age during the resurgence of hate by Samantha A. Vinokor-Meinrath
Publication Date: 2022
Exploring what it means to come of age in an era marked by increasing antisemitism, readers see through the eyes of Jewish Gen Zers how identities are shaped in response to and in defiance of antisemitism. Using personal experiences, qualitative research, and the historic moment in which Generation Z is coming of age, Jewish educator Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath uses antisemitism from both the political left and the right to explore identity development among Jewish Generation Zers. With insights from educators, students, activists, and more, she holds a lens up to current antisemitism and its impact on the choices and opinions of the next generation of Jewish leaders. Chapters cover Holocaust education for the final generation able to speak directly to Holocaust survivors and learn their stories firsthand; anti-Zionism as a modern manifestation of antisemitism; and how the realities of 21st-century America have shaped the modern Jewish experience, ranging from the synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh to how Generation Zers use social media and understand diversity. The core of this book is a collection of stories: of intersectional identity, of minority affiliations, and of overcoming adversity in order to flourish and thrive. Provides a comprehensive deep dive into multifaceted manifestations of modern antisemitism and their impact on the emerging Jewish identities of Generation Z Explores the common thread of antisemitism through the lens of Israel, the Holocaust, social media, and racial justice during a large national uptick in anti-Jewish hatred. Offers personal and research-based perspectives on how antisemitism impacts the modern American Jewish experience.

An End to Antisemitism!

"We argue that antisemitism can be stopped over several generations. This long-term perspective is important and should be kept in mind. The question should not be if antisemitism will end, but when it will end, and how it can be ended. The need to fight antisemitism creates a categorical imperative that everyone must do everything humanly possible to end antisemitism!"