T’ruah rabbis created “A Very Brief Guide to Antisemitism” amid rise of violent attacks in the United States
NEW YORK — As people around the world come together to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day, T’ruah, a rabbinic human rights organization, released a resource for both Jews and non-Jews that offers an introduction to antisemitism and addresses common questions and misconceptions. The guide responds to the rise in antisemitic violence against Jews in the United States by providing historical context, language, and tools to understand and recognize antisemitism, as well as how to differentiate between criticism of Israel and antisemitism.
“With antisemitism on the rise in the United States and around the world, most recently evidenced by the man who took hostages in a synagogue in Texas because he believed in a conspiracy theory about Jewish power, it’s more important than ever to understand and recognize antisemitism,” said T’ruah CEO Rabbi Jill Jacobs. “This resource offers historical background on antisemitism, as well as tools for addressing antisemitism within individual communities in a way that both keeps Jews safe and helps build a liberated world for everyone. Like all forms of oppression, fighting antisemitism must be part of our struggle for freedom and justice for all people.”
The resource, which was vetted by six historians of different parts of the Jewish world, includes a basic outline of the history of antisemitism, a guide to some of the most common false and destructive tropes, tips for distinguishing between challenging criticism of Israel and antisemitism, and suggestions for addressing antisemitism in one’s own community.
“This new resource from T’ruah comes at exactly the right moment as non-Jewish communities grapple with how best to understand and fight rising antisemitism alongside our Jewish siblings,” said The Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, Senior Minister of Middle Church.
Eric Ward, Executive Director of Western States Center, added:
“Until everyone can live, love, worship, and work free from bigotry and fear, including antisemitism, our fight against hate must continue. This urgently needed resource from T’ruah is a perfect concise introduction to fighting antisemitism and provides concrete ways to identify and call it out.”
Download a copy of T’ruah’s Very Brief Guide to Antisemitism.
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights mobilizes a network of more than 2,300 rabbis and cantors from all streams of Judaism that, together with the Jewish community, act on the Jewish imperative to respect and advance the human rights of all people. Grounded in Torah and our Jewish historical experience and guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we call upon Jews to assert Jewish values by raising our voices and taking concrete steps to protect and expand human rights in North America, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories.