Holocaust

The most familiar act of anti-Semitism is the Holocaust, but anti-Semitism goes further back. The Holocaust began with the ideas of anti-Semitism, stereotypes, sinister cartoons, and the gradual spread of hate. Anti-Semitism is the prejudice and discrimination against or harassment of Jewish people. Martin Luther once wrote, “That next to the devil thou hast no enemy more cruel, more venomous and violent than a true Jew” (Dawidowicz, 23). Anti-Semitism is just like every other type of prejudice and discrimination, it represents a denial of human rights. Though violent Anti-Semitism acts are rare, there are still occurrences of anti-Semitism today.

The roots of anti-Semitism were believed to be started in Ancient Israel. When Ancient Israel was invaded and destroyed, rulers blamed the Jews for the disaster. “The Jews had turned to another God and neglected their own ancient laws and Gods, therefore the Gods punished Israel”(Patterson 3). The Jews were then forced to leave Israel.

After leaving Ancient Israel, many Jews arrived in Ancient Greece and Rome. “It was in Alexandria where the first anti-Jewish acts were recorded” (Patterson 5). There they had limits to social and commercial life. “The Syrian emperor Antiochos Epiphanes IV (175-163 BC) even tried to stop them from practicing their religion”(Patterson 4). They were forced to worship Zeus, but revolted. This gave the Jews political independence and granted them certain rights. This only led to more tensions within the city.

Greek writers attacked Jews and wrote they were slaves in Egypt and expelled because they were lepers. “In certain places Jews were tolerated but forced to wear certain clothing or identification, restricted to certain quarters, and required to pay special taxes” (Patai 74). Apion who was Alexandria’s most prominent anti-Semitic writer, held Jews accountable with every

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offense imaginable. “He accused them of hating people, being traitors, ridiculed their beliefs, killing human beings and kidnaping” (Patterson 5). Jews were said to have rituals celebrating their murders and kidnaping’s.

With the new faith, Christianity, and the failure to convert Jews, the Catholic Church charged Jews with the crucifixion of Jesus. Roman Emperors se...

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... Anne Roiphe wrote; “ In America there are so many kinds of snobbisms, prejudices and dislikes” (Chanes, 447). Jews have also been denied of jobs, quota systems, and limiting them from admissions to colleges and universities.

The Most notable anti-Semitism act was the Holocaust, but anti-Semitism goes further back. Today anti-Semitism still exist. Robert Wistrich stated “I don’t think the sort of psychosis which existed in Europe that saw the Jews as if they belong to a different species, I don’t think that is the norm among Arabs. But the danger is that you don’t need a majority of people to feel that way now” (McAllester, A15). The Jews were condemned for being too intelligent of too industrious and for being capitalist, socialists, communists and even atheists. David Harris

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concluded; “We have to make people understand that anti-Semitism is not a uniquely Jewish problem . . . It’s a cancer which left unchecked infects and ultimately kills democratic societies” (Horowitz, 33). Many suppose anti-Semitism unlikely to disappear.

“A dream, an illusion it was for us to believe that anti-Semitism would disappear”

~ Theodor Herzl, 1898

(Chanes, 121)