Some people hate Jews because of antisemitism, a very old form of prejudice that mixes religious, racial, political, and conspiracy-based hatred. This hatred is irrational and says more about the haters and the societies they live in than about Jews themselves.
What antisemitism is
Antisemitism is hostility, prejudice, or discrimination directed at Jews as a group, whether they are seen as a religion, an ethnicity, or a “race”. It has existed for over 2,000 years in different forms, from social exclusion and legal restrictions to mass violence and genocide such as the Holocaust.
Historical religious roots
In parts of the ancient world, Jews were targeted because they refused to worship multiple gods and kept a distinct religion and way of life, which some majority groups saw as threatening or offensive. Later, in Christian Europe, church teachings and popular myths falsely blamed Jews for rejecting or “killing” Jesus, which justified segregation, forced conversions, and periodic violence.
Scapegoating and conspiracy theories
When societies face wars, plagues, or economic crises, leaders and angry populations have often blamed Jews as convenient scapegoats for complex problems they did not cause. Over time, antisemitic conspiracy theories have claimed, without evidence, that Jews secretly control finance, politics, or media, which fuels fear and hatred even where few or no Jews actually live.
Racism and “othering”
From the 19th century on, racist ideologies began to describe Jews as an inferior or dangerous “race,” which played a central role in Nazi ideology and the Holocaust. Jews have also often been treated as permanent outsiders—too different, too separate, or “not really” part of the nation—so people looking for someone to blame direct resentment at them as “the other”.
Why it is never the victim’s fault
Modern historians and human rights groups emphasize that antisemitism, like all bigotry, is not caused by anything Jews do but by prejudice, fear, and the need some people have to blame others for their own problems. Understanding that this hatred is irrational and learned is important, because it means it can also be challenged and unlearned through education, empathy, and strong social norms against all forms of racism.
