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.

Maine Democratic Senate nominee-in-waiting Troy Jackson raises eyebrows in the Jewish community

While some Jewish Mainers questioned Jackson’s recent rhetoric on Israel, others said his long record in local government offered some assurances.

JULY 25, 2026|ByGRACE GILSON/JTA

Troy Jackson, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks during a demonstration outside of a federal immigration office, on July 14, 2026, in Scarborough, Maine.

Graham Platner and Troy Jackson (R), who is running to replace Platner as the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, stand together during a “Fighting Oligarchy” tour stop at the Collins Center for the Arts on the University of Maine campus on May 24, 2026, in Orono, Maine.

A community divided: Maine’s Jewish Democrats gear up for Platner’s replacement

The state of Maine has roughly 19,000 Jews across 10,600 households, with the population highly concentrated in and around Portland.

JULY 25, 2026|ByGRACE GILSON/JTA

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivers a speech to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States of America at City Hall in New York, NY, US, July 3, 2026.

Charles Kushner leaves New York over what he calls Mamdani's 'antisemitism'

According to US Ambassador to France Charles Kushner, his decision is driven less by Mamdani's socialist policies than by what he characterized as hostility toward Jews and Israel.

JULY 24, 2026|ByIDAN KWELLER

A sign at Harvard Hillel in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, on December 12, 2023.

Hillel files, then withdraws, brief supporting Harvard's campus antisemitism fight against Trump

Hillel argued that the Trump administration’s moves to defund the school “do not help Jewish students or improve the campus climate.”

JULY 24, 2026|ByANDREW LAPIN/JTA

Editor's Notes: Germany’s ‘good Jews’ thought they were safe, New York should pay attention

Nobody has to work anything out anymore. The question is whether a single one of Mamdani's Jewish voters will say they were wrong.

JULY 24, 2026ByZVIKA KLEIN

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at an unknown location, in this still image taken from handout video released July 21, 2026.

Attacker yells 'Allahu Akbar,' stabs two in potential Manhattan antisemitic hate crime

"The NYPD’s initial investigation suggests that mental health may have been a factor. They are also evaluating these stabbings as potential hate crimes," Mayor Mamdani explained.

JULY 24, 2026ByESTHER DAVIS

The Lincoln Square Synagogue at 200 Amsterdam Avenue on the corner of West 69th Street in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, was built in 1970 and designed by Hausman & Rosenberg.

US agency drops bid to force Penn to provide list of Jewish employees in antisemitism probe

Withdrawing the subpoena does not mean the commission has dropped its broader investigation into Penn, and the agency could still take legal action against the school.

JULY 24, 2026ByREUTERS

University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill testifies before a House Education and The Workforce Committee hearing titled "Holding Campus Leaders Accountable and Confronting Antisemitism" on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 5, 2023.

Debate erupts in Rotterdam over Israeli ambassador's planned speech at Holocaust memorial event

On July 30, Ambassador Vapni is set to speak at Loods 24, the site of a warehouse from which 6,790 Rotterdam Jews were deported to concentration and extermination camps in 1942.

JULY 23, 2026ByMATHILDA HELLER

Newly elected mayor of Rotterdam Carola Schouten attends her swearing-in ceremony at the City Hall of Rotterdam on October 10, 2024.

Will Chabad lead American Jewry? - opinion

Zohran Mamdani’s election as the mayor of New York City is the final nail in the coffin containing the deceased body of Jewish power in American politics.

JULY 23, 2026ByLEV STESIN

Thousands of Shluchim pose for a “class picture” outside Chabad World Headquarters

British Jews feel abandoned, no longer trust UK institutions on antisemitism, new report reveals

The report was compiled by Professor Shani Orgad at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) between December 2025 and March 2026, across six focus groups.

JULY 23, 2026ByMATHILDA HELLER

PEOPLE ATTEND a vigil organised by the Campaign Against Antisemitism and Chabad UK to honour victims of the Bondi attack in Sydney and mark the second night of Hanukkah, in London, Britain, December 15, 2025.

When Arabs lose, the Jew is summoned as the hidden hand - opinion

The lie about one soccer referee exposed how deeply antisemitic conspiracy theories remain embedded in Arab discourse

JULY 23, 2026ByDALIA ZIADA

Mohamed Salah and teammates of Egypt complain to referee Francois Letexier during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt on July 7.

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