what is
antisemitism??
want to know what antisemitism is?
START WITH THIS
Antisemitism is racism, pure and simple. Hate and hostility towards Jews has been around for thousands of years. Antisemitism is growing at a rapid rate around the world, which is scary AF.
What Do Antisemites Believe?
Antisemites believe whatever it takes to justify their baseless hate. The particulars don’t seem to matter. The lies run from elitist conspiracy theories, such as Jews controlling government, finance, politics, media, and even the weather to Jews being a verminous, sub-human satanic, race. Either way the hate is rooted in scapegoating, stereotypes and overall, ignorance.
Why Does Antisemitism Matter?
We read about the Holocaust and wonder how people living in civilized societies like France, Germany, Poland, Hungary, and Greece could stand by (or worse, help round up their neighbors) and watch as they were taken away and killed. We said “Never Again,” but again is NOW. The world’s response to the massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023 demonstrated that pretty clearly.
Antisemitism affects everybody. It’s a canary in a coal mine. There were non-Jews in concentration camps too, but Jews were the scapegoat. Similarly, since the “globalizing the intifada” trend caught on amongst anti-Zionists, there has been a rise in violence against not only Jews, but many others. In the past year alone, a terrorist threat shut down a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, a terrorist in Germany drove into a Christmas market and killed six people, and a homegrown terrorist drove into the French Quarter in New Orleans killing fifteen people. None of these attacks were targeting Jews — they were targeting “Westerners.” When Jews are in danger, everyone is in danger.
The Holocaust and Holocaust Denial
Holocaust denial is antisemitism, just in different clothes. It undermines the truth, reality, and hateful beliefs that led to the Holocaust in the first place. Holocaust denial is a conspiracy theory, pure and simple. Despite having history and truth on our side, deniers continue to gaslight the gas chambers.
Antisemitism and Israel
You can oppose the Israeli government and still be a Zionist. Questioning laws on moral grounds is good, and very Jewish, by the way. Lots of Israelis don’t support their current government leaders and disagree with their government’s policies, just like most Americans do with many American policies. Israel is the Jewish state, but Jews are more than Israel.
Showing concern exclusively for Palestinians in the West Bank is neglecting the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living, struggling, and being killed in Syria and Iran. This hypocrisy is also antisemitism.
Left vs. Right Antisemitism
Something the Left and the Right have in common is antisemitism. Since the early 1900s in the US, the far-right wing antisemites have not tried to hide their feelings. In 2017, they proudly marched through Charlottesville screaming “Jews will not replace us!” at the top of their lungs. They fly Nazi flags. They don’t hide their hate.
The hate from the far-left wing, however, is different, if not more dangerous. Because they identify as progressive, they deny being antisemitic. Antisemitism on the far-left often takes shots at Israel, or claims that most Jews are white and rich, and therefore can’t understand the pain of being a minority. Although most Jews in the US do pass as “white,” half of the Jews in Israel are Mizrahi and come from Arab countries. Since this true fact doesn’t align with the far-left view of the “rich white oppressor Jews,” they ignore it. And that’s antisemitic AF.
Light Unto The Nations?
At JewBelong, we try to bring some light into the darkness. Jews really are quite amazing. Jews constitute less than .02% of the world’s population, yet our contributions are enormous. Did you know that Jews account for 22% of Nobel prize winners? Jews took thousands of years of prejudice and oppression and turned it into a culture that prioritizes education and advancement. Jews have overcome insanely difficult odds to make the achievements we’ve made and continue to make, not just for the Jewish community, but for every community we live in.
(Our light does not come from space lasers. Sorry to disappoint.)
What To Do About
Antisemitism?
call it out
When you sense that someone is being antisemitic, they probably are. Call it the fuck out. Do not let people get away with it. Yes, this is scary, but it’s important. I mean, obviously pick your battles and don’t get hurt, but don’t pretend you didn’t hear something antisemitic and let people get away with terrible stuff.
educate yourself
The facts never help antisemites. So, it’s always a good idea to read history, as well as the current news, and understand. That way, whether you are ever called upon to educate someone else or you simply want to know more yourself, you will be ready.
jewbelong billboards
break out of the echo chamber.
JewBelong is fighting back against growing antisemitism with this bold billboard campaign! We’ve been in NYC, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Orlando, Miami, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and the list of cities is growing! Make sure to follow us on social media to keep up to date! And donate today to help us put up more billboards! FYI a typical billboard can cost about $10,000 a month, so recurring donations help us keep them up consistently!
Antisemitism cheat sheet
to help you cut
through the bs
Hitler and the Nazis killed millions of innocent Jews and many other targeted groups not even eighty years ago. And on 10/7/23, Jews experienced the deadliest day since the Holocaust when Hamas attacked Israel. The tsunami of antisemitism that was unleashed on October 7th feels endless. Misinformation is a huge part of that. To help clarify some essential truths and cut through the bullsh*t, here are some facts to help.
WHAT HAPPENED ON 10/7
On October 7th, 2023, the terrorist organization Hamas invaded Israel. They murdered 1,200 people, including babies, children and the elderly. They raped and gruesomely mutilated women. They beheaded babies. They kidnapped 240 civilians of all ages into Gaza, many still held hostage.
WHO IS HAMAS:
Hamas is a globally-recognized terrorist organization, not a resistance movement. Hamas’s goal is the destruction of Israel and the killing of Jews. It says so right in their charter. Hamas does not care about the wellbeing of Palestinians. They have diverted nearly all of the billions of dollars that have poured into Gaza since 2006 to fund their terrorism. They use Palestinians as human shields to protect their terrorists. Many Palestinians hate Hamas but cannot say so because Gaza is run as a police state.
WHO IS HAMAS: 2
Attacking civilians, rape, torture, kidnapping and murder are not legitimate forms of protest. Those who support Hamas dress up their Jew-hate as social justice. They are apologists for rape, torture, and murder.
WHO IS HAMAS: 3
Hamas is largely supported by Iran, an anti-American, anti-democratic, anti-Western regime. Iran and its sidekicks like Hamas hate Jews everywhere, hate America, hate democracy, hate the LGBTQ community and women’s rights. They might be starting with Israel, but they sure as heck aren’t going to end there.
CEASEFIRE?
A recent ceasefire reunited three Israeli hostages with their families, but 95 still remain captive in Gaza. In return for these three hostages, 1,000 Palestinian prisoners will be released, some of whom have committed terrorist attacks. Within days of the ceasefire, masked Hamas gunmen returned to the streets and remain the dominant Palestinian power in Gaza. Hamas isn’t just our enemy, but everyone’s enemy. The safety of both Israelis and Palestinians will continue to be fragile while Hamas remains in control.
ZIONISM
Being a Zionist means you stand for a safe and secure Israel. PERIOD! In most cases, those being anti-Zionist are just being antisemitic. If you don’t agree with all of Israel’s policies, that’s okay — but it’s a different conversation. Being a proud Zionist can and should mean that you stand for the humane treatment of Palestinians, Israeli Arabs, Jews and anyone else. Peace between neighbors of different races, religions, and cultures happens all over the globe. It can happen in Israel, too.
MYTH: Israel is the oppressor.
FACT: Israel is situated in a region where many close neighbors practice appalling oppression of their citizens. In parts of Iran, women can be killed for showing their hair. In the Hamas-held city of Gaza, gay people are killed for just existing. It is both astounding and wonderful that in this region of the world, Israel fosters a culture of tolerance and social progress. In fact, 25% of the population of Tel Aviv is gay, making it the safest space in the Middle East for this violently persecuted minority.
MYTH: Israel provides no value to the world
FACT: Israel is home of some of the most significant advances in medicine and technology, which they happily share with the world. Like using your cell phone, USB stick, and Waze? You can thank Israel!
MYTH: All Jews are white, rich, and powerful
FACT: Jews are every skin color under the sun. And many live below the poverty line.
MYTH: Israel is “occupying” Gaza
FACT: Israel left Gaza entirely in 2005.
MYTH: Israel is an apartheid state.
FACT: Israel is not an apartheid state. Arab citizens of Israel are more than 20% of the population. They hold high-ranking positions in government and the military, account for more than 25% of Israel’s doctors, and are experiencing triple digit growth in earning degrees in higher education*.
MYTH: Anti-Zionism IS NOT antisemitism.
FACT: Anti-Zionism IS antisemitism. Anti-Zionism says that, of all the nations in the world, the Jews are the only ones that should not have their own state. That is antisemitism pure and simple.
MYTH: Israel is committing “war crimes.”
FACT: Israel warns civilians in advance to leave areas of combat. The percentage of civilians killed in Gaza is about the same as the percentage killed in the American fights against Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
WHY JEWS NEED ISRAEL:
The Jewish people need Israel — history has made this clear. We’ve been expelled from countless countries, or killed when we stayed. When we were no longer safe, we were displaced from Spain during the Inquisition, Russia, France, Iran, Egypt, Morocco and Turkey to name just a very few. After the Holocaust, Israel absorbed hundreds of thousands of Jewish refugees with no country to return to. The only place where Jews have a national home is Israel.
WHAT HAPPENED ON 10/7
On October 7th, 2023, the terrorist organization Hamas invaded Israel. They murdered 1,200 people, including babies, children and the elderly. They raped and gruesomely mutilated women. They beheaded babies. They kidnapped 240 civilians of all ages into Gaza, many still held hostage.
WHO IS HAMAS:
Hamas is a globally-recognized terrorist organization, not a resistance movement. Hamas’s goal is the destruction of Israel and the killing of Jews. It says so right in their charter. Hamas does not care about the wellbeing of Palestinians. They have diverted nearly all of the billions of dollars that have poured into Gaza since 2006 to fund their terrorism. They use Palestinians as human shields to protect their terrorists. Many Palestinians hate Hamas but cannot say so because Gaza is run as a police state.
WHO IS HAMAS: 2
Attacking civilians, rape, torture, kidnapping and murder are not legitimate forms of protest. Those who support Hamas dress up their Jew-hate as social justice. They are apologists for rape, torture, and murder.
WHO IS HAMAS: 3
Hamas is largely supported by Iran, an anti-American, anti-democratic, anti-Western regime. Iran and its sidekicks like Hamas hate Jews everywhere, hate America, hate democracy, hate the LGBTQ community and women’s rights. They might be starting with Israel, but they sure as heck aren’t going to end there.
CEASEFIRE?
A recent ceasefire reunited three Israeli hostages with their families, but 95 still remain captive in Gaza. In return for these three hostages, 1,000 Palestinian prisoners will be released, some of whom have committed terrorist attacks. Within days of the ceasefire, masked Hamas gunmen returned to the streets and remain the dominant Palestinian power in Gaza. Hamas isn’t just our enemy, but everyone’s enemy. The safety of both Israelis and Palestinians will continue to be fragile while Hamas remains in control.
ZIONISM
Being a Zionist means you stand for a safe and secure Israel. PERIOD! In most cases, those being anti-Zionist are just being antisemitic. If you don’t agree with all of Israel’s policies, that’s okay — but it’s a different conversation. Being a proud Zionist can and should mean that you stand for the humane treatment of Palestinians, Israeli Arabs, Jews and anyone else. Peace between neighbors of different races, religions, and cultures happens all over the globe. It can happen in Israel, too.
MYTH: Israel is the oppressor.
FACT: Israel is situated in a region where many close neighbors practice appalling oppression of their citizens. In parts of Iran, women can be killed for showing their hair. In the Hamas-held city of Gaza, gay people are killed for just existing. It is both astounding and wonderful that in this region of the world, Israel fosters a culture of tolerance and social progress. In fact, 25% of the population of Tel Aviv is gay, making it the safest space in the Middle East for this violently persecuted minority.
MYTH: Israel provides no value to the world
FACT: Israel is home of some of the most significant advances in medicine and technology, which they happily share with the world. Like using your cell phone, USB stick, and Waze? You can thank Israel!
MYTH: All Jews are white, rich, and powerful
FACT: Jews are every skin color under the sun. And many live below the poverty line.
MYTH: Israel is “occupying” Gaza
FACT: Israel left Gaza entirely in 2005.
MYTH: Israel is an apartheid state.
FACT: Israel is not an apartheid state. Arab citizens of Israel are more than 20% of the population. They hold high-ranking positions in government and the military, account for more than 25% of Israel’s doctors, and are experiencing triple digit growth in earning degrees in higher education*.
MYTH: Anti-Zionism IS NOT antisemitism.
FACT: Anti-Zionism IS antisemitism. Anti-Zionism says that, of all the nations in the world, the Jews are the only ones that should not have their own state. That is antisemitism pure and simple.
MYTH: Israel is committing “war crimes.”
FACT: Israel warns civilians in advance to leave areas of combat. The percentage of civilians killed in Gaza is about the same as the percentage killed in the American fights against Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
WHY JEWS NEED ISRAEL:
The Jewish people need Israel — history has made this clear. We’ve been expelled from countless countries, or killed when we stayed. When we were no longer safe, we were displaced from Spain during the Inquisition, Russia, France, Iran, Egypt, Morocco and Turkey to name just a very few. After the Holocaust, Israel absorbed hundreds of thousands of Jewish refugees with no country to return to. The only place where Jews have a national home is Israel.
ISRAEL
Israel is complicated. If you read this for six minutes, you’re going to learn a lot.
Early History
Israel (the kingdom of Judea) has its roots in the bible, previously as Canaan. It continued as a Jewish kingdom until it was conquered, back and forth, throughout history.
A Jewish presence remained, but Jews had been scattered into exile for a while. You’ve probably heard about that.
1890's - 1900's
Theodore Hertzl was the primary Zionist thinker, which means he was one of the first people to call for the establishment of a Jewish nation. He was a German Jew alarmed at antisemitism in Europe, and in, 1896, formally declared interest in a Jewish state.
Interestingly, he specified Argentina or ideally Palestine as the location. British authorities would later counter with Uganda. It was considered but rejected.
1910's - 1920's
You’re doing great. Keep reading.
So: early settling and land purchase had begun in Palestine by Jewish settlers. A major breakthrough came in 1917, when the British government declared support for “a national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine.
This was back when a British declaration really meant something, so settling and such picked up in earnest.
1930's - 1940's
You don’t need to be a historian to know that this is when the Holocaust happened. Palestinian settling picked up. Through the 1930’s, immigration picked up enough to inflame local Palestinian and Jewish tensions, leading to riots and leading to a British restriction on Jewish immigration.
Interestingly, Palestinian settlers and Nazi Germany did overlap in one key respect. The Grand Mufti Husseini of Palestinians was in contact with Hitler and Nazi Germany, even meeting with him personally in 1941.
What a dick.
1947
Tensions were high; attacked perpetrated by Palestinians and Jewish settlers forced Britain to withdraw from the land.
They made a proposal that two states would be formed: an independent Palestinian state, an independent Jewish state, and the city of Jerusalem as a neutral territory for the world.
Jewish leaders accepted this; Arab leaders rejected it. And this led to…
1948
On 14 May 1948, the day before the expiration of the British Mandate, Jewish leaders including David Ben-Gurion declared establishment of a Jewish state. The next day, the armies of four Arab countries — Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Iraq — declared war.
Israel won, but at great cost. Around 700,000 Arab Palestinians fled or were forced into exile, beginning a refugee crisis still present to this day. For the Israelis, this was Independence Day; for the Palestinians, this was “The Nakba,” or “disaster.”
1950's - 1970's
Power through. We’re almost there. You can be smug forever if you finish this.
So: a burgeoning Jewish state received international recognition, beginning in the United Nations in 1949. And, in 1967, Israel won the Six Day War with Egypt, Syria and Jordan, capturing the Sinai Peninsula and Jerusalem.
The Yom Kippur war followed in 1973, again with Egypt and Syria, leading to a historic peace treaty between Egypt and Israel in 1978, creating a framework for Israel and Arab states.
Importantly, this was the last era of outright interstate wars with Israel. From here on out, wars are replaced with skirmishes, terrorist attacks, and general unrest which is still present.
1980's - 1990's
Israel was here to stay at this point. Close to a million soviet Jews left the former USSR to come to Israel; Yitzhak Rabin became Prime Minister for a second time on a platform of compromise.
Peace talks started promising. The PLO recognized Israel’s right to exist and swore an end to terrorism; in 1994, Israel signed a treaty with Jordan making it the second Arab country (after Egypt) to enter normal relations.
Unfortunately, public support faltered in the face of terrorist attacks. Rabin was assassinated by a right-wing Israeli, and the process crumbled.
2000's - Present
Here we go; the finale. You’re almost done!
So: in 2000, Israel offered Palestinians a state with Gaza, the West Bank, and a shared Jerusalem with monetary compensation for refugees from the 1948 war. The deal was rejected, marking an end to a golden period of peace talks.
Ariel Sharon withdrew from Gaza, ceding control to Palestinians. He also led the construction of the West Bank barrier in the face of 1,100 casualties via suicide bombings.
The Israeli government began a rightward shift, culminating in Netanyahu’s rise to power, and marked by proxy wars and heightened tensions.
With no rewards for peace talks, Netanyahu found the benefit of banging the drums of war.
That’s it! You did it! An insultingly simplified overview of Israel that you can always refer to!
PRINT YOUR OWN SIGNS!
Many of you asked for the ability to print your own JewBelong antisemitism signs, so here ya’ go! Print whatever size you need for rallies, dorm rooms, lawn signs, etc.! Unless you have a great color printer, it’s easiest to send the JPEG or PDF to Staples or any other professional printer. We just ask that you keep the art intact with the JewBelong logo. If you need more sizes, please email us at hello@jewbelong.com. Enjoy!
Coming soon– Because antisemitism is global, the signs are being translated into a few languages and will be available for you here!
WE’RE JUST 79 YEARS SINCE THE GAS CHAMBERS. SO NO, A BILLBOARD CALLING OUT ANTISEMITISM ISN’T AN OVERREACTION.
LET’S BE CLEAR: HAMAS IS YOUR PROBLEM TOO.
3,500 YEARS OF JEW HATE DOESN’T MAKE IT RIGHT.
BEING WOKE AND ANTISEMITIC IS LIKE BEING A VEGAN WHO EATS VEAL.
I NEED TO BE ABLE TO TELL MY CHILDREN I DID NOT STAY SILENT.
I PROMISE TO LOVE BEING JEWISH 10X MORE THAN ANYONE HATES ME FOR IT.
STANDING AGAINST ANTISEMITISM IS STANDING WITH AMERICA.
JEWISH STUDENTS DESERVE TO BE SAFE ON CAMPUS.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A JEW TO PROTECT JEWS.
Resources
We’ve got a lot of resources right here on JewBelong.com, but we’d be silly not to share all of these other amazing books and articles.
Here is a selection of our favorite reads. Check ’em out!
