This week we released #UnravelingAntisemitism, a new visual work of art and discussion guide inspired by our 2017 “Understanding Antisemitism” paper. Today we’re breaking down the historical moments captioned in the poster, beautifully collaged by @katzcomics
The Roman Empire saw Jews as a backwards tribe, unwilling to accept Jesus and assimilate into imperial culture. The state made it illegal to convert to Judaism, illegal for Jews and Christians to intermarry, and illegal for a Jew to hold office or testify in court. 
Medieval rulers often barred Jews from owning land/joining trade guilds. Jews became overrepresented as tax collectors/money lenders for Christians w/ power. Everyday Christians often blamed Jews for harsh interest rates/taxes. That's where stereotypes of Jews and $ originate.
8th cent. Muslims invaded the Iberian Peninsula. During La Convivencia, Jews mostly flourished. It ended w/ the Catholic conquest-from 1478, the Spanish Inquisition tried, tortured, & executed 1000s of Jews & Muslims. 1492-1502: Jews & Muslims were to convert, flee, or face death
During the Virginia Slave Codes of 1705, European-descendant Jews were not quite white, but also did not suffer from anti-Blackness and some rose to the owning class. Jews were subject to discrimination via housing covenants, quotas/bans and immigration restrictions.
Under the Ottoman Empire’s “Millet System,” Jews kept their long standing status under Muslim rule as dhimmi (2nd-class subjects) and had a range of experiences. On the whole, they played an integrated role in economic life, generally fairing better than Jews in Christian Europe.
The Farhud: Nazi propaganda accused Iraqi Jews of siding w/ the British, sparking riots which killed roughly 180 Jews. Was used to promote Mizrahi migration to Israel & highlight Muslim antisemitism while minimizing the role of Europeans pitting Jews & Muslims against each.
1903 Europe: secret police promoted fake propaganda document called “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” depicting a secret, evil, global Jewish conspiracy which led to waves of violence against Jewish communities. In the U.S., Henry Ford & Father Coughlin promoted the Protocols
Bundism: a European political mvmt for a socialist Jewish labor union & party to fight antisemitism & worker exploitation. Bundists espoused doikayt—confronting issues Jews faced where they lived in solidarity w/ other oppressed grps. Many Bundists were murdered in the Holocaust.
After 1840 murder of Christian monk in Damascus, antisemitic French consul accused Jews of murder-blood libel. They were imprisoned & tortured. Muslim majority turned against city’s Jews. Key in spread of Eur. antisemitism to Muslim nations & Islamophobia amid Eur & American Jews
Nazis murdered 6 million Jews, millions of queer people, people w/ disabilities, Romani, & political dissidents, scapegoating “outsider” populations in a horrific genocide. In countries Nazis invaded, some ppl helped Jews hide or escape but many turned on their Jewish neighbors.
We're not even going to try to shorten this caption to fit 280 characters. Just read the whole thing 🙃
McCarthyism: targeted leftist Jews, convincing many to hide their radical politics. Used antisemitism to claim secret conspiracy was behind progressive power in unions, social mvmts, govt, & media. Blacklisted 100s of Jews & non-Jews & revoked citizenship from leftist immigrants
Antisemitism is a pillar of 20th cent. white supremacism in the U.S. During Southern Freedom Movement of the 1950s-60s, white supremacists attempted to discredit Black civil rights activists by claiming the movement was fake, concocted by Jews to weaken white, Christian America.
Trump spread antisemitic conspiracy theories suggesting Jews orchestrated immigration, Black freedom struggles, LGBTQ liberation—all to cause “white Christian genocide." Black Jews lead our community in the uprisings following the murders of #GeorgeFloyd, #BreonnaTaylor & others.
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