Why is it that anti-Judaism and antisemitism can thrive in societies with few or no Jews? Drawing on examples from the past and the present, this lecture shows how Jews and Judaism have been imagined not only as the enemies of whatever a society holds dear, but also as the emblem of whatever it most fears or despises—and why this idea can endure without either the presence of Jews or accurate knowledge of Judaism. The program also examines the crucial role Christian theology has played—and can play—both in fueling and in combating this distinctive form of hatred. |
