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Anti-Semitism predates Israel, predates the Holocaust, predates the Inquisition, the Crusades, the Romans. It has been a persistent drumbeat throughout history. Those who use the most-modern excuses to hate or scapegoat Jews are simply another beat in an ancient rhythm.
Anti-Semitism is the most ancient of conspiracy theories, one that adapts to every era. From right to left, anti-Semitism seeks out Jews, defines them as a power far beyond their real numbers, then denies them humanity, nationhood, legitimacy, and in many cases life itself.
Those who believe Israel should be condemned above all nations, who are ignorant of history beyond the latest headline, should take a look at the words being used to condemn “Zionism” and see them in context of a long line of excuses to keep anti-Semitism alive.
Those who mindlessly and condescendingly lecture Jews about how criticism of Israel is not anti-Semitism should listen to what Jews are actually saying and experiencing.
On the right, anti-Semitism is baked in, borne of ancient conspiracy theory. On the left, there is a refusal to view the Jew as anything other than exploiter and colonizer rather than historically dispossessed refugees. Both views show how deep anti-Semitic mythology runs.
I can think of only one reason why the ethnic cleansing of Jews from Arab lands is not a cause of the left, which prides itself in speaking for the dispossessed. It is the same disease of anti-Semitism that the left likes to think only infects the right.
My father escaped the Holocaust when he was four. So, I am only one generation removed from refugee. With the rise in anti-Semitism, even US and British Jews are beginning to realize that this era of relative safety may be over and the world is going back to its default setting.
As @Yair_Rosenberg said, Jews are not shocked that anti-Semitism is still a thing. We know it never went away. Even those of us who seem outwardly prosperous understand how fragile that prosperity is. So there is no need to lecture us on what anti-Semitism is and is not. We know.
