What is it?
Antisemitism is prejudice towards or discrimination against Jews. Someone who acts like this is an antisemite. Something that is considered a form of racism.
How is it manifested?
It can be manifested in many different ways. It can start with expressions of hatred or discrimination against individual Jews to pogroms from mobs or police forces to even military attacks on the entire Jewish communities. Even if it wasn’t in common usage until the 19th century, Antisemitism could also be applied to previous and later incidents. Some notable examples of persecution include:
The Rhineland massacres before the First Crusade in 1096
The Edict of Expulsion from England in 1290
The persecution of Jews during the Black Death during 1348-1351
The list goes on and on.
When did it begin?
Hatred of Jews dates from ancient times, maybe the start of Jewish history. From the Bible until the Roman Empire, they were criticized or punished for their efforts to stay a separate social and religious group. A group refused to change into the values and the ways of life of the non-Jewish societies.
The rise of Christianity increased the hatred for Jews. They became seen not only as outsiders but as people who rejected Jesus and crucified him, even with the fact it was the Roman authorities who ordered and carried out the crucifixion. By the 11th-14th centuries, they were seen as “Evil” or “Christ-killers.” They were falsely charged with poisoning rivers or wells during times of disease. Some were tortured and executed for apparently abducting and killing Christian kids to drink their blood or use it in baking matzoh. To avoid being killed, many Jews were forced to convert to Christianity. Although, most of them were practicing Judaism in secret after their conversion.
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