angry mizrachi rant below the cut

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The Shoah

THE SHOAH (HOLOCAUST)

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We dedicate this post to the 6 million Jews who were brutally murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. ⠀⠀

1.5 million children. 300,000 murdered at Chelmno. 1.5 million murdered at Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka. 1.1 million murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau at the rate of 6000 EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. 70,000 murdered at Madjenek. 1+ million murdered by the Einsatzgruppen (SS killing squads). ⠀⠀

To those who died of sickness and starvation in the ghettos. To those who were murdered in the labor and transit camps, including in North Africa. To the brave Jewish Resistance Fighters who were not only murdered by the Nazis - but also by the non-Jewish resistance fighters who sold them out (yes, this really happened. Often). To those who were murdered after being denied refuge by over 100 countries, including the US and British Palestine. To those who survived the Holocaust, only to be murdered by antisemitic locals the moment they tried to return to their homes (see: 1946 Kielce Pogrom). To the Jews of the Middle East, who suffered at the hands of Arab Nazi enthusiasts (see: the Farhud in Iraq). To those who had nowhere to go AFTER the war, because still, no country (including the US) would let them in. ⠀⠀

To the Sephardi, Maghrebi, Amazigh, Romaniote, and Mountain Jews, whose plight during the Holocaust is often ignored. To the Beta Israel who suffered under Mussolini’s occupation of Ethiopia. And to the Ashkenazi Jews, whose story is now whitewashed, as if Nazi hatred of the Jews wasn’t one based entirely on a racist ideology. As if their non-Jewish neighbors didn’t enthusiastically welcome their extermination at the hands of the Germans. ⠀⠀

To our Romani brothers and sisters, the only other group to be directly targeted for genocide. We remember the Porajmos with you. ⠀⠀

Finally: to the remaining survivors, many who live in poverty and with unspeakable trauma. We see you. We thank you. The way that our own communities have treated you is a disgrace. We will amplify your voices today and long after you’re gone. ⠀⠀

- Y and R (still on a break)

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Image source: New York Times

🗣We ask you to share this on every platform and with all your friends. (Photo is aftermath of the 1929 Hebron Massacre - buy our book for more info or scroll our posts). The reason so many of us Jews are taking about this massacre non stop is not because of shock but because so many of us have warned you all. The right wing Neo Nazi white nationalists AND the extreme anti Israel activists who personally threaten our very existence have been around for a long time. Some since the beginning of time. This isn’t new. When the Women’s March wouldn’t denounce Farrakhan where were you? When Linda Sarsour said to dehumanize Israelis where were you? When the KKK said “Jews will not replace at us” in Charlottesville where were you? Jews in France have recently been murdered in the name of “anti Israel” where were you? Screaming death to Jews is the same as screaming death to Zionists or Israelis. FACT. Either you are against both side of the coin or you’re against US. We are tokenized at best, but never truly defended and fought for, ever. You know our EU holocaust history but not our Mizrahi refugee crisis (much of that was also influenced by Hitler btw) that led to 850,000 of us being expelled from MENA countries. You know of the corrupt Israeli govt but never utter a word about the missiles from Hamas into Israel. You make jewish jokes, perpetuate stereotypes, white wash us, claim us as not indigenous to the land we were exiled from and now dwindle down this hate crime to simply “a gun issue”. So yes we are outraged on multiple levels. Our hearts ache not just for the lives lost of our brothers and sisters but because we have been screaming LISTEN to us, and you haven’t. We don’t care if you don’t like Trump or didn’t vote for him. While we personally feel he has emboldened white supremacy he did not create it. (See our feed and book for more info on history of anti semitism in the states). That IS NOT enough. We don’t want performative tokenization we want friends who will stand by us and say NEVER AGAIN. And right now the right sure as hell isn’t doing that and neither is the left . Amplify our voices - listen to us. That is all we ask. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bphhz3YlgCf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1dfjs65hsloa1

JEWS IN ROMANIA ⠀⠀ Small Jewish communities have existed in Romania (by way of the Roman Empire) since the 2nd century, but most didn’t arrive until the mid-1800s. In the 1500s, many Ashkenazi Jewish merchants from Poland were expelled from Romania. In the 1500s and 1700s, laws forced Jews to wear different garments than the rest of the population. Blood libels (please purchase our ebook for more on blood libel) were incredibly common in the 1700s and 1800s, leading to numerous pogroms and massacres (see post on pogroms). ⠀⠀ In 1875, more discriminatory laws were enacted, forbidding Jews from living in the Romanian countryside. In the 1920s, antisemitic sentiment grew in Romania, and Jewish quotas were established at schools and universities. During WWII, the Romanian regime passed its own antisemitic racial laws, as well as torturing Jews and destroying Jewish homes and businesses. The Romanian government murdered between 280,000 to 380,000 Jews during WWII. ⠀⠀ After the war, the vast majority of Jewish refugees in Romania fled to Israel. The Romanian government did not oppose this emigration, as they were looking to decrease the Jewish population. During the period of the communist regime, the Jewish leadership was arrested and the remainder of the Jewish community was placed under tight scrutiny and suspicion. In 1947, all Jewish organizations were outlawed. Jews suspected of Zionism were imprisoned. In the 1960s, dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu allowed Jews to emigrate to Israel in exchange for cash from Israel. After the fall of his regime in 1989 and the political and economic uncertainty that followed, the majority of the remaining Jewish community settled in Israel. Currently, there are just over 3000 Jews in Romania. Romania held its first Holocaust Memorial Day in 2004. ⠀⠀ Image: children in a Jewish orphanage in Romania. Source: Yad Vashem https://www.instagram.com/p/BooreHwFYfV/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=from0rq7uno6

SHIRAZ BLOOD LIBEL ⠀⠀ The Shiraz blood libel was a false accusation and pogrom that took place against the Jewish community in Shiraz, Iran in 1910. A bazaar merchant informed the authorities that his 4-year-old daughter had disappeared in the Jewish Quarter. The leaders of the Jewish community insisted that they knew of no such girl, but the community was threatened anyway. ⠀⠀ That same day, the body of a (male, Jewish) child was found outside the Jewish cemetery. The body was used as “evidence” that the Jews had murdered the Muslim girl, and the next day, angry mobs raided the Jewish Quarter. Troops were called in to end the violence, but the soldiers ended joining in, attacking Jewish men, women, and children. ⠀⠀ 27 Jews were murdered, 40 injured, and the rest fled. Every single Jewish house was destroyed and/or robbed. ⠀⠀ Image: Jewish community members of Shiraz in the 70s. Source: Beit Hatfutsot https://www.instagram.com/p/BorSm_slMkT/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=hsjn1plmevcl

ANTISEMITISM IN CANADA ⠀⠀ The history of antisemitism in Canada began with French colonialism. In the 1600s, only Roman Catholics were allowed to enter the colony. Esther Brandeau, a Jewish girl disguised as a Catholic boy, settled in Canada in the 1700s but was expelled once her true identity was discovered. ⠀⠀ Jews started settling in Canada with the British conquest of the French colony. In the late 1700s, only about 200 Jews (primarily of Sephardic origin) lived in Canada, particularly in Montreal. In 1831, Jews were granted equal rights, although no more than 450 Jews lived in Canada by 1850. However, by the late 1800s, around 155,000 Jews immigrated to Canada, the vast majority fleeing pogroms in the Russian Empire (see posts on pogroms and Jews in the Russian Empire). In the 1930s, antisemitic sentiment was widespread, leading to violent riots in 1933. Nazi-like organizations formed all throughout Canada in the 1930s. Antisemitic residential segregation was common in the 1930s and 1940s, with Jews being unable to rent or buy in certain neighborhoods. Many employers also refused to hire Jews or people with Jewish-sounding names. A poll in 1939 indicated that Jews were the third least-desirable immigrants to Canada, behind the Japanese and Germans. Like all other countries, Canada highly restricted Jewish immigration right before and during WWII. Like the US, Canada turned away the MS St. Louis, a ship with Jewish refugees from Europe, in 1939. ⠀⠀ Antisemitism is still a concern in Canada, with hate crimes ranging from defacing property to physical attacks and fire bombings. Jews were the biggest target of hate crimes in Toronto in 2014, with 30% of hate crimes targeting Jews, despite only being 3.8% of the population. Attackers come from both right-wing and left-wing groups. ⠀⠀ Image: sign outside Jackson‘s Point, Ontario in 1938. Source: Anne Frank Guide https://www.instagram.com/p/BomCQgwF9Ge/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=17b4q7c35qsvs

HIJACKING OF AIR FRANCE FLIGHT 139 ⠀⠀ Air France flight 139 was a flight headed from Tel Aviv to Paris in 1976 with 246 mostly Jewish passengers. It was hijacked after a stop in Greece by two Palestinians from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and two Germans from a leftist German group called the Revolutionary Cells. ⠀⠀ The hijackers diverted the plane to Libya, where they remained for several hours and freed one British-Israeli passenger who pretended to have a miscarriage. From there they flew the plane to Entebbe, Uganda, supported by the military forces of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. ⠀⠀ The hostages were separated into two groups: non-Jewish hostages and Jewish hostages (including non-Israeli Jews and a Holocaust survivor). A day later, many of the non-Jewish hostages were released. ⠀⠀ The Israeli government, Uganda, and Egypt tried to reach a political negotiation, but all efforts failed. Eventually, most of the hostages were rescued safely during a surprise raid by Israel. Three hostages were killed in the crossfire. A 74-year-old Jewish woman was later killed in a Ugandan hospital as retaliation. Amin also later ordered the murder of 245 Kenyans in retaliation for Kenya’s aid to Israel during the raid. ⠀⠀ Image: Jewish survivors arrive safely in Israel. Source: The Times of Israel https://www.instagram.com/p/BoeaNmflWiN/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1txx7ptlj6ir3

MASHHADI JEWS AND THE ALLAHDAD ⠀⠀ The Allahdad was a violent pogrom against the Jewish community in Mashhad, Iran, which took place in 1839 (see post on pogroms). As with most pogroms, it was incited by blood libel (purchase our ebook for more info on blood libel). As a result of the pogrom, the Mashhadi Jewish community “converted” to Islam while still secretly adhering to their Jewish religion and culture, thus becoming Crypto-Jews (for more on Crypto-Jews, see our posts on the Spanish Inquisition and Bnei Anusim). ⠀⠀ On March 27, 1839, on the government’s orders, Jewish businesses and homes were looted and destroyed and between 30-40 Jews were killed. Seven young Jewish girls were abducted and forced to become child brides. Within 24 hours, afraid of what was to come, 300 Jewish families pretended to adopt Islam, and thus the term “Allahdad” was coined. Some Jews fled to Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. ⠀⠀ After the Russian Revolution in 1917, some returned to Mashhad. Those who stayed in Turkmenistan were heavily targeted by the Soviet Union, as they were considered part of the “bourgeoisie” (this wasn’t necessarily true, but it’s a common antisemitic trope that Jews are wealthy). ⠀⠀ Those who remained in Mashhad were victims of another blood libel in 1946, prompting them to flee to Tehran and Jerusalem. ⠀⠀ Through the years, the majority of Mashhadi Jews practiced endogamy (marrying within their ethnic group) and remained committed to Judaism, despite outwardly appearing to be Muslims. Many remained Crypto-Jews until the 1920s, when some finally were able to come out as Jews. ⠀⠀ Image: Mashhadi Crypto-Jews. Source: Beit Hatfutsot https://www.instagram.com/p/Bobw36nF_64/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=9r0fhhcau0fq

US & Anti-semitism PART 3 : The US is often regarded as the “great hero” of the Holocaust, but extensive evidence shows that both the American government & public were aware & indifferent to the plight of Europe’s Jews. As early as 1933, American newspapers published stories about Jews being systematically oppressed in Germany (being fired from their jobs, beaten on the streets, etc.). Although there were some protests & petitions for the US to help Germany’s Jews, the US decided not to get involved. After only a few months, most of the US public stopped paying attention to what was happening in Germany. Newspapers published stories, but were usually short & hidden somewhere in the middle of the newspaper. The US ambassador to Germany wrote President Roosevelt’s instructions on the matter: “The German authorities are treating the Jews shamefully & the Jews in this country are greatly excited. But this is also not a governmental affair.” Two weeks after the Kristallnacht pogrom (1938), 71% of Americans opposed admitting more Jewish refugees into the US, and 2/3 of them opposed admitting refugee children. In 1939, the US turned away the MS St. Louis, which carried 936 refugees from Germany, 935 of them Jewish. Many later died during the Holocaust. Additionally, the US persistently refused to allow Jewish refugees in, even though refugee “quotas” were not even being met. It’s estimated that 200,000 Jews could have been saved. As a response to the outcry of American Jews, the America First Committee was formed, accusing Jews of trying to bait the US into another war with Germany. In 1944, the US government & public received more information about the Nazi death camps, particularly Auschwitz-Birkenau. Many American Jewish leaders tried to get the US to bomb the gas chambers, the trains leading to the camps, or even the entire concentration camps. The US refused to do so, claiming that the camps were not a military target (US and its Allies did not only bomb military targets eg; Dresden). After the war, the US still placed heavy immigration restrictions on Jewish Holocaust refugees, many were sent to Displaced Persons camps in EU until 1948, when Israel was reborn. https://www.instagram.com/p/BlQQv2QAqYc/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1uzv5ovs8erwf

Although much of the anti-semitism in the US pre-WWII was right-wing/conservative in nature, nowadays, left-wing anti-semitism has become a serious threat, sometimes resulting in violence against Jews. Many times left-wing antisemites hide under the guise of being “anti-Zionists” or “pro-Palestine” (important to note that there is nothing antisemitic about fighting for the rights of Palestinians and Palestinian self-determination, but using “anti-Zionism” to attack Jews—even Israeli Jews—is anti-semitic). This is especially an issue in American college campuses, where recent polls show that up to 54% of Jewish students have reported antisemitic incidents or feel unsafe for being Jewish. Many have reported that their concerns are ignored or not taken seriously by their university’s administration. These statistics show the percentage of anti-semitic incidents is higher in campuses with larger/more active anti-Zionist organizations. Anti-semitic “anti-Zionist” graffiti, for example, has become increasingly common at university synagogues and Jewish centers. Additionally, Jewish students at various universities have been attacked during pro-Palestine demonstrations and Jewish cultural events have been disrupted by “anti-Zionist” organizations. In the last two years alone, there are numerous examples of social justice movements excluding Jews because of Israel or only accepting anti-Zionist Jews into their movements (further perpetrating the centuries-old “good Jew, bad Jew” anti-semitic trope). Examples include the Chicago Dyke March and the Women’s March. Other examples of leftist anti-semitism include the Nation of Islam, especially under the leadership of Louis Farrakhan, considered an antisemitic group by many Jewish, Christian, and Muslim organizations. The Nation of Islam has engaged in Holocaust denial, blamed the Jews for the Atlantic slave trade, accused Jews of controlling the media (classic anti-semitic trope), accused Jews of causing AIDs, and claimed Jews are “the most violent people,” among other anti-semitic statements. Currently, there are several anti-semitic leftists and liberals running for office. CONT. in comments https://www.instagram.com/p/BmBbbyLAMgs/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=10dk2nc3j4cy1

The US & Anti-semitism - Liberals & The Left part 2: Other examples of leftist anti-semitism include the Nation of Islam, especially under the leadership of Louis Farrakhan, considered an antisemitic group by many Jewish, Christian, and Muslim organizations. The Nation of Islam has engaged in Holocaust denial, blamed the Jews for the Atlantic slave trade, accused Jews of controlling the media (classic anti-semitic trope), accused Jews of causing AIDs, and claimed Jews are “the most violent people,” among other anti-semitic statements. Currently, there are several anti-semitic leftists and liberals running for office. Since 2000, in the United States, there have been at least 5 synagogue/Jewish community center shootings/bombings perpetrated by leftist anti-semites. Additionally, in 2002, there was a mass shooting at the El Al (Israeli airline) counter at Los Angeles International Airport, perpetrated by a leftist “anti-Zionist” anti-Semite. You can learn more about leftist anti-semitism in our book. Link in bio. https://www.instagram.com/p/BlaS9PNgyQa/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=awpevah2fqgn

ANTI-SEMITISM IN CLASSIC ADULT & CHILDREN’S LITERATURE Anti-semitism is so embedded into Euro-centric societies that many of us are unaware of the vast and ugly history of anti-semitism and anti-semitic stereotypes in literature, including English and English-language literature. Even though the Jews were expelled from England in 1290 (and did not return until the mid-1600s), anti-semitism was so pervasive that writers (who’d never met a single Jew) continued to depict villains and anti-heroes using anti-semitic stereotypes (e.g. hooked noses, weak chins, etc.). In The Canterbury Tales, a Christian child is murdered by Jews. In William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, the character Shylock embodies the stereotype of a greedy Jew. Charles Dickens (including in Oliver Twist), Virginia Woolf, T.S. Elliot, Roald Dahl, and others used Jewish villain archetypes in their work (whether they were explicitly described as Jewish or not). Anti-semitic stereotypes are present in classic Russian, French, and German literature. The Grimm Brothers (Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, etc.) are especially notorious for their outright antisemitism. For example, Cinderella’s evil stepsisters embody Jewish stereotypes (including but not limited to physical appearance) and Little Red Riding Hood was meant to be a metaphor for “the suffering of the German people at the hands of the Jews.” Unfortunately, as these classic fairytales were later translated onto the movie screen, the anti-semitic stereotypes persisted (think of the physical features attributed to most Disney witches). Walt Disney himself was a known anti-semite and at one point attended meetings for the German American Bund, an anti-semitic organization. https://www.instagram.com/p/Blkn3y9Aj02/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=7o857xtsq7ni

US & Anti-semitism: The right wing; Christian Zionists. Part 2: Since the 1960s, the “Christian Zionist movement” has become popular in American Christian society and culture; however, it’s important to note that this movement is actually arguably antisemitic, as it tokenizes Jews, seeing them as vehicles for the Second Coming, rather than concerning itself with the safety of a marginalized group (a perfect example is Robert Jeffress, who while damning Jews to hell, also gave the blessing at the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem). “When I was young, our pastor insisted that Jerusalem had an important role to play in these end-times events. When the Jews rejected Jesus as the messiah, he explained, God chose the church to accomplish his mission. Soon this "church age" would end with the rapture of true believers. But God still loved the Jews, he told us, and wanted to redeem them. Thus, absent the church, the Jews would experience a great religious rebirth and rebuild their temple in Jerusalem. This would spark a series of cataclysmic events that would culminate in the Battle of Armageddon, the last war of humanity. But it would also cause the Jews to finally accept Jesus as their savior. After all this occurred, Jesus would return in glory and God's kingdom -- a thousand-year reign of peace. And it would begin in Jerusalem.” https://www.cnn.com/2017/12/08/opinions/jerusalem-israel-evangelicals-end-times-butler-bass-opinion/index.html https://www.instagram.com/p/BlVJ23Wg-jy/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1es1j1xndf08u

RECENT/PRESENT-DAY ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE UNITED STATES, PART I: We want to reiterate that antisemitism in the US is nowhere comparable to antisemitism in Europe or the Middle East. However, it’s important to acknowledge that antisemitic views and policies have existed in America since the 1700s. Today, this antisemitism not only comes from people with conservative/right-wing (including far right) views, but also from people with liberal and leftist views (in fact, often leftist antisemitism in America has been more dangerous). Although only 2.2% of the US population, the majority of religiously motivated hate crimes target Jews. Right-wing antisemitism: since the 1900s, the KKK has targeted Jews (including lynchings). White nationalists, white supremacists, and neo-Nazis target Jews. Most recently, neo-Nazis marched in Charlottesville chanting “Jews will not replace us!” which was hardly reported in the non-Jewish media (non-Jewish media often quoted them as saying “you will not replace us,” which is incorrect). Up until the early 1970s, many universities had Jewish “quotas,” limiting the number of Jewish students who could pursue higher education. President Richard Nixon’s antisemitic views are well-documented, as well as his paranoia that the “Jewish lobby” was out to get him. Numerous synagogue and Jewish community center/Jewish day school shootings and bombings have been perpetrated by right-wing antisemites, including white supremacists. Donald Trump has also used numerous antisemitic statements (“America First!” which dates back to the antisemitic America First Committee). In addition, in his “anti-establishment” rallies, Trump used various euphemisms for antisemitic Jewish conspiracies. Many in his government have expressed antisemitic views (e.g. Steve Bannon and Robert Jeffress). Some of the most virulent antisemitic organizations, such as the Institute for Historical Review (a Holocaust-denying organization), are based in the US. https://www.instagram.com/p/BlSmd5wgYgf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1105ph1d61vhs

Systemic anti-semitism in the United States : PART 1 Although anti-semitism in the US has never been remotely comparable to anti-semitism in Europe and the Middle East (and although it’s in no way, shape, or form comparable to anti-blackness/racism in the United States), we thought we’d shed a light on historical American systemic anti-semitism and the problems that persist to this day. It’s important to note that Jews in America have enjoyed a level of assimilation into mainstream society never before seen in Jewish history; HOWEVER, it’s also important to be aware that in pre-WWII Germany, Jews actually experienced high rates of assimilation as well. Therefore, even in America, Jews who appear white experience CONDITIONAL whiteness. Colonial era: colonial government described Jews as “repugnant,” “very deceitful,” and “hateful enemies and blasphemers of the name of Christ.” Although only about 12 Jews lived in the US during the 17th century, they were barred from practicing many professions, such as law, medicine, and art. They also could not hold public office as they had to pass religious tests to do so. In the late 1800s, some states tried to pass laws banning Jews from voting, but ultimately they were overruled. 19th century: during the Civil War, Ulysses S. Grant ethnically cleansed Jews from western Tennessee. From the late 1800s to the 1920s, 3 million Ashkenazi Jews arrived in the United States, escaping violent pogroms, poverty, and marginalization in Eastern Europe. This coincided with a rise in anti-semitism. Groups like the Immigration Restriction League were formed, in an attempt to halt Jewish immigration (as well as other immigrants from Asia) as they were considered culturally and biologically inferior. Initially these Jewish immigrants worked as shopkeepers and clothing manufacturers. Eventually some started working as bankers, and the general distrust of Jews, as well as the stereotype that Jews were greedy and ran the world, grew. Jews were blamed for economic hardships during this time. https://www.instagram.com/p/BlK22btgDvs/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1bxo1u0gbjtxt

US & Anti-semitism Part 2: the first half of the 1900s, Jews were barred from social clubs and access to housing. Universities had “Jewish quotas,” limiting the amount of Jews who could pursue higher education. This persisted until the late 1960s to early 1970s. In 1913, a Jewish man Leo Frank, who had been sentenced to death was lynched by an angry mob after a judge decided to review his case and said the he was innocent. Anti-semitism reached its peak in the US in the 1920s, with the rise of the KKK, the anti-semitic writings of Henry Ford, anti-semitic Christian radio preachers, and the usual scapegoating of Jews to explain economic hardships. Jews were accused of being Communists and trying to bring Communism to America (while also being accused of being greedy Capitalists who ruled the world). In 1924, Congress passed a law severely restricting immigration, which had devastating effects on the persecuted Jews of Europe. During WWII, the America First Committee was formed, accusing American Jews of trying to bait the US into war with Germany. Charles Lindbergh and many politicians were part of this committee. There were also pro-Nazi marches and rallies in the US in the 1930s, which targeted Jews. Also during WWII, the US government persistently refused to allow Jewish refugees in. The S.S. St. Louis, a ship with some 935 Jewish refugees from Germany, was turned away from the US. Many of the refugees were killed in the Holocaust. It’s estimated that up to 200,000 Jewish Holocaust victims would have been saved had it not been for the US’s refusal to allow refugees in. To this day, the majority of religiously-motivated hate crimes (over 50%) in the US target Jews. Jews comprise only 2.2% of the US population. Photo: Goodizen.com https://www.instagram.com/p/BlN41dYg2uG/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1qo7ell3d0mk7

US & Anti-semitism Part 2: the first half of the 1900s, Jews were barred from social clubs and access to housing. Universities had “Jewish quotas,” limiting the amount of Jews who could pursue higher education. This persisted until the late 1960s to early 1970s. In 1913, a Jewish man Leo Frank, who had been sentenced to death was lynched by an angry mob after a judge decided to review his case and said the he was innocent. Anti-semitism reached its peak in the US in the 1920s, with the rise of the KKK, the anti-semitic writings of Henry Ford, anti-semitic Christian radio preachers, and the usual scapegoating of Jews to explain economic hardships. Jews were accused of being Communists and trying to bring Communism to America (while also being accused of being greedy Capitalists who ruled the world). In 1924, Congress passed a law severely restricting immigration, which had devastating effects on the persecuted Jews of Europe. During WWII, the America First Committee was formed, accusing American Jews of trying to bait the US into war with Germany. Charles Lindbergh and many politicians were part of this committee. There were also pro-Nazi marches and rallies in the US in the 1930s, which targeted Jews. Also during WWII, the US government persistently refused to allow Jewish refugees in. The S.S. St. Louis, a ship with some 935 Jewish refugees from Germany, was turned away from the US. Many of the refugees were killed in the Holocaust. It’s estimated that up to 200,000 Jewish Holocaust victims would have been saved had it not been for the US’s refusal to allow refugees in. To this day, the majority of religiously-motivated hate crimes (over 50%) in the US target Jews. Jews comprise only 2.2% of the US population. Photo: Goodizen.com https://www.instagram.com/p/BlN41dYg2uG/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=afrvxji8ufvv