Director of synagogue: ‘Jewish community in Groningen experiences little anti-Semitism, but protests against Israel’

Anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism is simply ‘hatred of Jews’. In addition to being a complex historical phenomenon, it is now also a current topic with the situation in the Middle East. Anti-Semitism is an umbrella term for the ways in which Jews are talked about and how they are depicted. ‘Jewish hatred has existed since late antiquity. Much of today’s anti-Semitism comes from Christianity. The story that the Jews murdered Jesus contributed to this. During the Crusades, Jews who did not convert were murdered. In addition, the anti-Semitic image of the Jew as a swindler or money-hungry trader arose in the Middle Ages,’ says Judaism teacher Bakker.

The term anti-Semitism was coined around 1880 by the German journalist Wilhelm Marr. He did not invent the word, but he did go down in history as the ‘father’ of anti-Semitism. With this new understanding he expressed his disgust for Jews and wanted to find supporters.

Anti-Zionism
Anti-Zionism refers to resistance to Zionism. Zionism is the political movement that seeks a Jewish homeland or state for the Jewish people in the area of ​​present-day Israel and Palestine. Anti-Zionists are therefore against this.