- Antisemitism is one of the world's oldest
and most enduring religious prejudices,
one that some would argue goes back
as far as biblical times.
The beliefs that drive antisemitism
have evolved over the centuries
and some continue until today.
In fact, all signs point to antisemitism
only growing in the US today.
So let's take a closer look
at some of the antisemitic tropes we see in America today
and explore the underlying conspiracy theories
that drive them.
In 2018, a right-wing extremist
attacked the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh
and killed 11 Jews during Sabbath services.
The murderer shared his motives
in online message boards like 4chan and Gab.
His antisemitic ideology was inspired in part
by a conspiracy theory that a migrant caravan
was headed toward the US
and was being funded by Jewish billionaire, George Soros,
as part of a Jewish plot to destabilize America.
Singling out wealthy Jews like George Soros,
who are involved in media and finance,
is a trope that's part of a larger conspiracy theory
claiming that Jews control everything
as part of some global plot.
But where does this conspiracy theory come from?
This trope finds its roots
in 18th and 19th century Russian antisemitism.
Jacob Brafman seems to be one of the people
who gave this theory a major push.
Brafman was a Russian Jew
who had a falling out with his local community,
converted to the Russian Orthodox Church,
and authored attacks against Jews.
Most notably, "The Local and Universal Jewish Brotherhoods"
which claimed Jewish organizations were coordinating
an internal Jewish conspiracy.
1878 saw the publication
of "The Conquest of the World by the Jews"
and more would follow.
But the most enduring of all such books
would be "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,"
a fabricated antisemitic text
describing a Jewish plan for global domination
by taking control of the media and financial institutions,
among other things.
And while the book was proven as a forgery as early as 1921,
it became an enduring source of inspiration
for antisemitic conspiracy theorists
around the world - even today.
Another example of this trope being perpetuated
by the fringe right in the US was in 2017
at the Unite the Right rally.
American neo-Nazis, white supremacists,
and members of the alt-right movement
marched proudly in Charlottesville, Virginia.
There were images of angry young men
carrying tiki torches and chanting--
- Images of the rally sent fear through Jewish communities
around the country.
Many Jews had never seen such public displays
of antisemitism in their lifetime.
But what did they mean by "Jews will not replace us"?
It means the Jews, the secretive,
all-powerful string pullers, will not get rid
of the white working class men by hiring
or bringing in others, presumably immigrants and minorities.
The chant is built on the same age-old theory
of global Jewish control of the media,
economy, and government.
Now, the reality is that the ideas behind this trope
aren't confined just to the fringe right.
On the fringe left is the Boycott, Divestment,
and Sanctions movement or BDS.
The BDS movement seeks to advance the Palestinian cause
by boycotting Israeli goods and institutions,
banning investment in Israeli businesses,
and applying sanctions against the Israeli government.
In recent years, BDS has gained traction
on American college campuses, putting many Jewish students
on the defense.
Some professors and students aligned with the movement
call for a boycott of Israeli academic journals
and refuse to let students study abroad in Israel.
Through events, rallies, and support
from university professors and student bodies,
movements like BDS have cast Israel
as a foreign, occupying power
seeking to dominate the Palestinians.
This, again, takes us back
to the same conspiracy theories
behind "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion".
There was this book published just prior
to "The Protocols" called "The Talmud and the Jews"
that claimed that Jews were a foreign people,
seeking to conquer Russia and divide it among themselves.
The BDS movement continues this idea
that Jews are foreigners seeking domination
of an indigenous population,
in this case, Palestinians rather than Russians.
Despite the antisemitism at the roots of BDS,
the movement continues to grow,
beginning to find support not just on campus
but also on Capitol Hill.
The US has been and continues to be
a strong supporter of the Jewish community at home
and in the State of Israel,
and most Americans bear no ill will
toward Jews or Israel.
But that doesn't mean that antisemitism
hasn't infected a growing number of disaffected,
misinformed, and angry Americans.
Throughout Jewish history, the great fires
which have raged against the Jewish people
have always begun as small embers of hatred.
Understanding the underlying tropes of antisemitism
can shed light on why it arises
and help us combat its spread
by calling out antisemitic tropes when we see them.
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