Definitions
Please find a list of terms, phrases and claims that are often misused, misunderstood or used as a vehicle for antisemitism. Often, when discussing difficult or complex topics involving Jews, trigger words are used to vilify, delegitimize, and demonize Israel and the Jewish people. We hope these myth-busting facts are a starting point for you to learn and feel comfortable educating others. In turn, they can be used in defending against them and combating antisemitism. The list is by no means comprehensive so if you think anything is missing, please contact us.
Zionism
Zionism is the national liberation movement of the Jewish people, who sought to restore their freedom and independence in their ancestral homeland in the Land of Israel. The Jewish people trace its ancestry back to the Land of Israel. And though they were dispossessed through successive imperial conquests, always maintained a connection to its historic […]
Rainbow washing
Rainbow washing is the allegation that Israel uses the fact that it is the most gay-friendly country in the Middle East to whitewash its alleged negative human rights record. There is no question that Israel is the most liberal country in the Middle East. There is a significant LGBTQ+ population in Israel, particularly in Tel […]
Nakba vs. Independence Day
On May 14, 1948, Israel declared its independence. The armies of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq invaded the young state to destroy it. Israel, however, prevailed, and has thrived ever since. On that day, Israel took its cue from Resolution 181 of the UN General Assembly, which approved the partition of Palestine into as […]
Intifada
Intifada is an Arab word referring to a rebellion, uprising, or resistance movement. In the context of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, it refers to two popular uprisings in recent decades. The First Intifada: Started in 1987, and lasting until approximately the time of the Madrid Conference in 1991, the First Intifada was a violent uprising by […]
BDS
BDS stands for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement against Israel. It is a well funded and well organized, global propaganda campaign with a focus on negatively impacting Israel via economic, diplomatic, legal, and cultural warfare – its goal is to undermine support for Israel’s right to exist and defend itself, and ultimately to cause […]
Antisemitism (IHRA definition)
The working definition of antisemitism In the spirit of the Stockholm Declaration that states: The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Committee on Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial is made up of international experts from a variety of fields. The committee called the IHRA Plenary in Budapest 2015 to adopt the following working definition of antisemitism. On […]