philosemitism | #TranslateHate
philosemitism
theme \ ˈfil-uh-ˈse-mə-ˌti-zəm \
: a particular appreciation for the Jewish people based on “positive” characteristics of Jews.
Philosemitism is a special interest in, respect for, or admiration for Jewish people, Jewish history, or Jewish stereotypes. It is often used in a benign and positive way and some may proudly declare themselves “philosemites” in affirmation of their allyship with the Jewish community. That characterization is generally not antisemitic. However, some use the term to embrace or justify acceptance of stereotypical Jewish tropes like being adept with handling money, being well-connected to politicians, media, and other societal leaders, and more.
WHEN IT’S ANTISEMITIC:
While philosemitism might be something as innocuous as finding the resilience of the Jewish people to be inspirational, it can turn questionable when someone prefers to hire only Jewish lawyers or Jewish bankers, or appropriates the traditional Passover Seder meal for Christian religious purposes.
Even while focused on positive traits, philosemitism can become dangerous, as with the notion of Jewish “intelligence” which has been transformed into a negative stereotype of Jews being “cunning.” The myth of Jewish superior intelligence was one of the arguments used by antisemites since the 1890s that claims Jews are overrepresented in certain professions like law and medicine. This myth was later used by the Nazis when they revoked the professional privileges of German Jews. As journalist Yair Rosenberg has written, “At worst, given the right impetus, the coin of philosemitic antisemitism can easily be flipped, and all those formerly positive stereotypes can be weaponized against Jews.”
Philosemitism can also be common in Asia and other parts of the world without a Jewish presence. While philosemitism seems to come from a place of reverence or admiration or intended as a compliment, it still singles out Jewish people based on real or assumed characteristics. This can lead to antisemitic stereotypes that assume Jews are intrinsically different from non-Jewish people and fundamentally “other.”
Additionally, philosemitism has also been used by some for their own purposes. For example, while Christian Zionists strongly support the Jewish state, a small number are premillennial dispensationalists, meaning they only support the return of the Jewish people to Israel because they believe it will bring about the Rapture and the Second Coming of Jesus. While being openly philosemitic, their belief treats Jews as a means to an end and a target for conversion. It can even set the stage for scapegoating the Jews when the Rapture doesn’t come as expected (see scapegoat).
Finally, by depicting “ideal” characteristics of Jews, philosemitism creates a “model minority” myth, relying on and perpetuating stereotypes of Jewish traits and values.
