Anti-Semitic Stereotyping
Religious Studies: KS3, topic 3.3.8
Anti-Semitic Stereotyping
To stereotype is to say that all people from a certain group have the same character or attitude.
Anti-Semitic Stereotyping
- The Jewish people have suffered from stereotyping since the first 'Christ-Killer' myths started.
- Throughout history, all kinds of stories have been told about Jewish people to maintain anti-Jewish attitudes.
- It was said that Jewish people poisoned wells to cause plague.
- There was a belief that Jewish people killed Christian babies and used their blood to bake bread.
Spreading hate and fear
- Many people were willing to believe these ridiculous stories.
- This might be because they were taught by religious leaders.
- Or it might be because people wanted someone to blame for their misfortune.
Expulsion
- As a consequence, Jewish people were expelled from many countries, including England in 1290.
- The large Jewish population in Spain was expelled at the end of the 15th Century.
- They could avoid expulsion only by renouncing their faith and becoming Christian.
Ghettos
- In some cities Jewish people were forced to live in Ghettos, walled-off areas often with gates locked at night.
- This happened in 1555 in Rome to the 2000 Jewish people who lived there.
Violence
- There was also anti-Semitic violence.
- In York in 1190 all of the Jewish people were massacred by the local population.
- Similar events took place in Russia in 19th and 20th Centuries, including a massacre at Odessa in 1905.
Test yourself on Anti-Semitic Stereotyping
In which city in 1555 were 2,000 Jewish people forced to live in ghettos?
In which British city were all the city's Jewish population massacred by the local population in 1190?