Hostility, prejudice, or discrimination against Jewish people as a religious, ethnic, or racial group. This form of persecution has taken many forms throughout history, from social exclusion to systematic genocide.
Coined in 1879 by German journalist Wilhelm Marr from 'anti-' meaning 'against' and 'Semitic,' referring to peoples speaking Semitic languages, though the term specifically targets Jews. The concept evolved from religious persecution in medieval times to racial theories in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Anti-Semitism tragically culminated in the Holocaust, but its roots stretch back millennia through blood libels, pogroms, and expulsions that shaped Jewish diaspora communities worldwide. Modern anti-Semitism often disguises itself as anti-Zionism, showing how ancient prejudices adapt to contemporary political contexts.
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