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Kinds of anti-Semitism

Scholars have often classified anti-Semitism into different categories "religious, political, murderous, 'benign,' 'eliminatory,' racial, economic, Nazi, and so forth" (Falk 8). Perhaps the earliest form of anti-Semitism is religious: during the development of the Christian religion (which sprang from Judaism), there began to be notable hostility between Jews (and later gentiles) who followed Christ and those who did not. Christianity eventually abandoned the idea that following Mosaic Law was necessary, and while it embraced the Hebrew scriptures, it viewed Jesus as a fulfillment of its prophesy and those who did accept Jesus to be fundamentally in error. Because of the Gospels' portrayal of the death of Jesus, the Jews were libeled as 'killing Christ.' This was used as a justification for anti-Semitism in the ancient world, particularly after the dissolution of the Roman Empire and the diaspora, when Jews were dependent upon foreign nations for survival. In the Middle Ages, this notion of 'blood libel' and responsibility was perpetuated by Church ideology and used as a justification for violence against Jews, particularly around the time of Easter. The notion of 'blood libel' specifically stated that during Passover Jews would murder Christian children for the Seder ("Blood libel," Encyclopaedia Judaica, 2008).

The notion of 'blood libel' is rarely circulated in the West today, although some Arab publications have occasionally invoked it. However, the influence of religious anti-Semitism should not entirely be discounted. Although few Christians still perpetuate it (and many evangelical Christians support Israel) it could be argued that the lack of action by the Vatican in regards to the tragedy of the Holocaust had its roots in religious anti-Semitism. "The Pope's reaction to the Holocaust was complex and inconsistent. At times, he tried to help the Jews and was successful. But these successes only highlight the amount of influence he might have had, if he not chosen to remain silent on so many other occasions" (Schoenberg 2013).

However, although religion may have justified some anti-Semitism, economics were also partially to blame. Because usury was prohibited in Christendom, and Jews were prohibited from entering guilds and taking up trades, many worked as moneylenders, which further stoked the fires of hatred against the Jewish people. (It should be noted that many Christians still did engage in usury amongst themselves, but the 'attitude' remained that it was evil and was a significant source of anti-Semitism). "the ever increasing tax burdens, on the one hand, and the relatively large profits to be made with virtually no risk, on the other, encouraged Jews to engage in moneylending on ever larger scales" (Roth 2013). The idea that Jews are 'good with money' persists even today, and is used to justify stereotyping Jewish people. Other notions attached to this concept are the idea that Jews are wealthy, control the nation's banks, are innately 'crafty' and are thus are to blame for any economic problems which may arise. This is perhaps the most pernicious form of anti-Semitism because it can 'adapt' to almost every country and every occasion -- even positive actions by Jewish people in the arts, finance, politics, and education are interpreted as 'evil' forms of economic control rather than admirable.