The changing face of antisemitism

Welcome to the second week of the course “Antisemitism - from its Origins to the Present.” Last week we began our exploration of the historical roots of antisemitism. We discussed attitudes towards Jews in the Greco-Roman World, and saw how the formulation of Christianity led to a new perception of Jews and Judaism, based on religious and theological beliefs. We ended our lesson with the Middle Ages, showing how this period brought with it extreme and violent forms of anti-Jewish attitudes and acts, stemming, once again, from religious doctrine. This week we will move on to the Modern Era.

We will examine how the attitudes towards the Jews were affected by the major religious, social, and political movements that were shaping Europe during this time, eventually leading to the rise of new forms of antisemitism. As we will soon see, the new attitudes and perceptions of the Jews developed in this time period, though stemming out of earnest attempts to better their position in society, at times led to opposite results. It is important to note that the new forms of antisemitism that emerged during the Modern period did not replace the older forms we have encountered so far. Instead, both older and newer forms existed during this period, often reinforcing and feeding off of each other.

As we will see, there exist patterns of continuity and change between the pre-Modern and Modern period, with some of the older, traditional forms of antisemitism being adapted to the needs of the changing times.