Defining antisemitism
“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.” - International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)
"Jewish Canadians remain the most targeted religious minority for hate crimes." - Police Reported Crime Statistics in Canada, Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety, 2021.
Examples of antisemitism
Historical
Historic examples of antisemitism may include:
- Blood Libel—the idea that Jewish people engaged in the planned murder of Christians
- Depicting Jewish people as having horns and tails
- Using the Jewish people as scapegoats for disasters (including plagues)
- Forcing Jewish people to live in ghettos and wear specific symbols of demarcation (including stars, badges or pointed hats)
- Expelling Jewish people from countries or areas
Modern
Modern examples are those that happened from the 1800s onwards. These can include:
- Believing that Jewish people are an inferior race
- Publishing and promoting the views of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion
- Projecting negative stereotypes on television and in the media
- Perpetuating the belief that Jewish people are trying to take over the world or specific countries
- Murdering Jewish people for their race or religion
- Blaming the Jewish people for economic, social or political turmoil
- Killing six million Jewish people during the Holocaust
Contemporary
Contemporary examples of antisemitism, those that have manifested since the Holocaust, can include:
- Denying the existence of or accusing Jewish people of exaggerating or inventing the Holocaust.
- Making dehumanizing or stereotypical allegations against Jewish people
- Denying Jewish people the right to self-determination
- Perpetuating the ideas of antisemitic conspiracy theories including that the Jewish people secretly run all banks, governments and media
- Holding Jews accountable for the actions of the State of Israel
Online
Social media and the internet have created a place for antisemitic messages and conversations to thrive. Some examples of this are:
- Using platforms to spread antisemitic beliefs or to recruit members to antisemitic organizations
- Using coded wording or content to secretly spread antisemitic content or beliefs
- Sharing QAnon content, a conspiracy group that believes in antisemitic conspiracy theories
- Sharing antisemitic dog-whistles
- Replying to videos made by Jewish people with hateful comments or stereotypes
What can we do about it?
Call out antisemitism
When hate goes unchallenged, it allows people to think that they can get away with these words and actions.
Document evidence for police
If it is safe to do so, collect evidence that will help when reporting to the police. This includes descriptions of the perpetrators, video or photo evidence of the action and details of what was said or done.
Report online antisemitism
Report actions of antisemitism online to the social media platform.
- On Facebook and many other platforms, this can be done by clicking the three dots at the top of the post and clicking report.
Educate yourself and others
- Learn about antisemitism by visiting museums or reading the trusted resources below
- Educate your kids and family members about antisemitism and how it affects the community
- Share the facts and resources with others to stop misinformation
Crimes, Incidents, and Harassment
Criminal Harassment
The Canadian Criminal Code defines criminal harassment as:
- Repeatedly following from place to place the other person or anyone known to them;
- Repeatedly communicating with, either directly or indirectly, the other person or anyone known to them;
- Besetting or watching the dwelling-house, or place where the other person, or anyone known to them, resides, works, carries on business or happens to be; or
- Engaging in threatening conduct directed at the other person or member of their family.
Hate Incident
A hate incident is a non-criminal action committed against a person or property, the motive for which is based in whole or in part upon the same characteristics mentioned above.
Examples of hate incidents are:
- Racial comments or slurs
- Offensive symbols
Hate Crime
A Hate Motivated Crime is a criminal offence committed against a person or property that is motivated in whole or in part by the suspect’s hate, bias or prejudice towards an identifiable group based on real or perceived colour, race, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex, sexual identity, gender identity or expression, or any other similar factor
Examples of hate crimes include:
- Violence, threats of violence,
- Acts of mischief or graffiti
- Distribution of hate propaganda
- Threatening phone calls, and/or
- Destruction of religious property or symbols.
Who is affected by antisemitism?
Although antisemitism mainly affects the Jewish population through direct targeting, it is not a problem that only affects the Jewish community.
In 2021, about 1,300 Jews in Canada reported hate crimes. This is 10 times more than any other religion in Canada.
The impacts of antisemitism include suppression of identity for Jewish people, and at the most extreme, violence towards the community.
More broadly, the existence of antisemitism targets the foundations of society for everyone. Like other forms of intolerance, antisemitism needs to be addressed by more than just Jewish communities.
The mosaic art project
The Shine a Light on Antisemitism mosaic was created by the Jewish Federation of Edmonton in partnership with Lewis Lavoie to start conversations about antisemitism. Funding for the mosaic art project is from the Jewish Federations of North America's annual Shine a Light on Antisemitism awareness campaign.
Current location: Beth Israel Synagogue
To host the mosaic in a public or private space, please contact the Federation.
Resources
Want to learn more about antisemitism? Check out these resources:
IHRA's Shine a Light Antisemitism Primer
Antisemitism Uncovered
Shine a Light Partner Resources
Unlearn Antisemitism (Resources for parents and educators)
Antisemitism in Canada
ADL Antisemitism History
Alberta Hate Crimes Committee
Shine a Light on Antisemitism
Shine a Light for Antisemitism, organized by the Jewish Federations of North America, is a platform for companies, organizations, individuals and institutions to learn about and shed light on antisemitism.
The Shine a Light campaign takes place every December, and was created to stand up to the harmful prejudices and stereotypes against the Jewish community.