Have you ever encountered narratives about Jewish people that seemed more fiction than fact? Antisemitic myths have persisted for centuries – from medieval accusations of blood libel to claims of “Jewish space lasers” in 2018. In a world where misinformation spreads with alarming ease, it’s crucial to address and disprove such myths. Here, we’ll delve into the realm of antisemitic misconceptions and fight bias with truth. This exploration aims to shed light on the reality behind these age-old fallacies.
Myth: Jews control the media, banking, and government.
Truth: While there are certainly influential Jewish individuals in various industries, there is no overarching Jewish conspiracy to control these sectors. Jews, like any other group, are diverse in their professions and interests. This trope, however, is rooted in a discredited publication, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which accused Jews of plotting world domination. In 1962, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion’s distributor, Omni Publications, reprinted The Truth About the Slump, a 1931 attack on the Federal Reserve, which stated that “the Money Power that rules the world today is centered in the hands of individuals of a particular race and creed,” and that the founding of the U.S. Federal Reserve was when “the United States was enslaved under this German-Jewish engine of control.”
Jews’ depiction as octopuses, serpents, and spiders often reflects this trope of control.
Myth: Jews killed Jesus.
Truth: Blaming Jews collectively for the death of Jesus has been a historical source of antisemitism, but is not supported by historical or biblical evidence. Scholars disagree with this version of events and hold that Jesus was executed by the Romans, who similarly killed tens of thousands of Jews by crucifixion. In 2011, Pope Benedict XVI set the record straight and rejected this myth of Jewish guilt.
Myth: Jews are greedy and money-hungry.
Truth: Jews, like any other group, exhibit a wide range of behaviors and characteristics. Associating Jews with greed is a form of bigotry with no factual basis. Concepts of Jews being tied to money began in the Middle Ages in Europe. Then, there were many restrictions on Christians’ dealings with money; lending money with interest was considered a mortal sin akin to murder. However, Christian communities needed these loans to grow. As Jews were barred from owning land, they were pushed into roles as merchants and – with this new need from the Christians – bankers and money lenders. These jobs caused the Jews to get a reputation for being good with money, which lent itself to antisemitic stereotypes that persist today.
Myth: Jews control world events.
Truth: This conspiracy is often called the “New World Order.” It refers to global powers – historically rumored to be Freemasons, the Illuminati, and Jews – with a secret agenda for world domination, and it has been debunked several times. Jews don’t have a covert agenda to manipulate global affairs. Such beliefs are rooted in antisemitic paranoia.
Myth: Jews have dual loyalty and cannot be trusted as loyal citizens.
Truth: The charge of “dual loyalty” claims that Jews cannot be trusted as citizens because they will always prioritize their allegiance to other Jews over their nation. However, Jews, like members of any other religious or ethnic group, can be loyal citizens of their respective countries. Accusations of dual loyalty have been used historically to marginalize and discriminate against Jews. They are designed to raise suspicion about Jews and label them as “other.”
Myth: Jews are responsible for spreading diseases or plagues.
Truth: Blaming Jews for disease outbreaks or epidemics is a form of scapegoating and antisemitism. In the 14th century, Jews were blamed for “poisoning the well” and intentionally spreading the Bubonic Plague. Nazi propaganda blamed the rise of typhus on the Jews, which they used to justify ghettos. Jews were even blamed for “designing” and spreading COVID-19. There is no evidence to support such claims, and they have been widely discredited by historians and scientists.
These are just a few examples of the many antisemitic myths that persist today. It’s essential to confront and debunk these misconceptions whenever they arise to combat prejudice and promote understanding.
Sources
https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/jewish-control-federal-reserve-classic-antisemitic-myth
https://www.ajc.org/translatehate/control
https://www.ajc.org/translatehate/dual-loyalty
https://www.ajc.org/translatehate/poisoning-the-well
https://time.com/6311698/antisemitism-conspiracy-theories-rothschild/
https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/conspiracy-myths/the-myth-that-jews-spread-disease
https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/defining-antisemitism-dual-loyalty