Antisemitism

Antisemitism is defined as hostility and prejudice toward Jews as well as taking discriminatory action towards Jewish people. Some consider antisemitism to be a form of racism.

The word antisemitism finds its roots in the German word antisemitisch, first used in 1860 by Austrian Jewish scholar Moritz Steinschneider, in his work regarding false ideas of "Semitic races" in comparison to "Aryan races." However, the discriminatory ideas and actions towards Jews have existed since long before the term was coined.

Early incidents of antisemitism and anti-Jewish persecution include the Edict of Expulsion from England in 1290, the persecution of Jews across Europe during the Black Death from 2348 - 1351, and the Spanish Inquisition and expulsion from Spain in 1492.

The 20th century saw both the Holocaust, the genocide of European Jews, and the expulsion of Jews from countries across the Middle East, leading to the displacement of approximately 850,000 Mizrahi Jews.

In recent years both Europe and the US have seen a steady increase in antisemitic incidents, and 90% of Jews in the European Union have said that they feel this is a serious problem.

Homeward bound: Why South African Jews are making aliyah to Israel now - opinion

Recently, the Jewish Agency introduced an aliyah project aimed specifically at South African couples aged 60+ with family already in Israel, who cannot afford to purchase a home here.

JANUARY 17, 2026|ByBRENDA KATTEN

South African Jews, aged 60 and over, recently arrived via a Jewish Agency aliyah project, meet at Telfed - South African Zionist Federation in Raanana.

Protestors take part in a pro-Palestinian demonstration, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Berlin, April 6, 2024.

The biggest threat to Israel is mass cognitive warfare - opinion

The war against Israel is being fought not only with rockets and resolutions, but synapse by synapse – inside the minds of the next generation.

JANUARY 17, 2026|ByJEFFREY KAHN

BBC Broadcasting House, London, UK.

The BBC haunted by bias - and the Israeli connection

Senior journalist Malcolm Balen examined hundreds of hours of BBC broadcast material, TV and radio, analyzing the content in minute detail. His 20,000-word report was later classified as top secret.

JANUARY 17, 2026|ByNEVILLE TELLER

A Belarusian border guard with a service dog keeps watch at Novaya Guta crossing point on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border in the Gomel region on January 28, 2025.

Nine Israeli tourists detained by Ukrainian authorities over bag of salt found in vehicle

The group was detained while crossing the border from Ukraine to Moldova after authorities misidentified a bag of salt found in their vehicle as a suspected illicit substance, according to N12 News.

JANUARY 17, 2026|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Ukrainian Christmas tradition depiction of Jews draws criticism after New Jersey pageant

The Christmas pageant, performed on Sunday in New Jersey, also included a Hasidic Jewish caricature, carrying a sack of coins and dancing with the devil.

JANUARY 17, 2026ByJACKIE HAJDENBERG/JTA

Participants of nativity scene, Vertep in Ukraine, adjust their costumes before performing in the subway in Kyiv on December 24, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Uncomfortable truth behind being a Diaspora Jew today - opinion

A stark look at the comfort, denial, and growing danger facing Jews abroad and the hard choices history keeps demanding from Jews.

JANUARY 17, 2026BySTEWART WEISS

An aerial view of emergency personnel working at the scene of a shooting incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, December 14, 2025, in this screen grab from a video.

Holocaust survivor to address US Congress on anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation

Albert Garih, a French Jew who survived the Holocaust, is set to speak about the rising antisemitism worldwide during the commemoration of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

JANUARY 17, 2026ByTOBIAS HOLCMAN

A view of the dome of the US Capitol building, during a vote in the US House of Representatives.

Ex Navy SEAL with 'Amalek' shirt convicted of planning to throw explosives at cops

Gregory Vandenberg had purchased fireworks in New Mexico on June 12 with the intention of throwing them at police officers during the June 14 protests against US President Donald Trump in San Diego.

JANUARY 16, 2026ByMICHAEL STARR

Vandenberg wearing a t-shirt bearing the word ‘AMALEK,’ a term meaning ‘destroyer of Jews’ at the travel center on June 12, 2025

Hochul proposes buffer zones around houses of worship after pro-Hamas synagogue protest

"That’s harassment. And targeting a Jewish community in this way is antisemitism," said Hochul in the wake of a pro-Hamas protest.

JANUARY 16, 2026ByMICHAEL STARR

New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaks at a press conference in Manhattan in New York City, U.S., February 20, 2025.

Editor's Notes: Future of Jewish Diaspora should follow spirit of 'October 8 Jewry'

For world Jewry, October 7, 2023, was that violent intrusion. The worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. What followed on October 8 was something nobody predicted: a mass awakening.

JANUARY 16, 2026ByZVIKA KLEIN

‘WHAT ARE the effects, in Israel, in the US, and the rest of the world, of the perceived opinions of American Jewry?’

'We must unite with our Christian brothers and sisters': Flicker on the next front

Public diplomacy, online influence, and the surge in antisemitism took center stage at the 2026 Jerusalem Post Miami Conference.

JANUARY 15, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Abraham Accords advocate Loay Alshareef, influencer Sigi Flicker, US Justice Department Task Force to Combat Antisemitism head Leo Terrell, and philanthropist Natalie Hister Ostad in a discussion moderated by Jerusalem Post content strategist Inbal Ann Bouskila.

If New York can expel Betar US, why can't it crack down on anti-Israel extremists? - comment

If the legal tools exist, and they can be applied to marginal groups such as Betar, then Jewish leadership and the state of New York can also apply them to WOL and other anti-Israel groups.

JANUARY 15, 2026ByMICHAEL STARR

A PALESTINIAN flag emblazoned with an image of Hamas military spokesperson Abu Obaida is waved during Nakba Day protests in Brooklyn, New York, May 15.

The Middle East’s once-in-a-century moment

This is not chaos but convergence: a historic opening to dismantle regional extremism and replace it with integration, stability, and growth.

JANUARY 15, 2026ByCOBY SCHOFFMAN

he Middle East’s Once-in-a-Century Moment

Meta removes 'hate speech against Zionists when antisemitic tropes are invoked'

“As part of a robust framework to combat antisemitism, we have industry-leading policies designed with the safety of the Jewish community in mind,” Cutler said.

JANUARY 15, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Meta’s Jordana Cutler told the Jerusalem Post Miami Conference that the company removes “hate speech against Zionists when antisemitic tropes are invoked.”

Moshe Lion in Miami: Jerusalem is Israel’s 'next big thing,' a global anchor for Jews everywhere

At the Jerusalem Post Miami Conference, the mayor touted growth, warned of antisemitism, praised Trump, and urged Diaspora Jews to “come home.”

JANUARY 15, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Moshe Lion Mayor, Jerusalem.