Why Antisemitism ? ? ?

by Danna Shirley

The internet defines Antisemitism as: "Hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious or racial group." 

I was born after WWII. We said the Pledge of Allegiance every morning in school. Although there were no Jewish kids in class (that I knew of), I never heard of anyone being hostile or discriminating against Jews in my little world of Pinole, CA. 

I was raised a Methodist but didn't become a Christian until I was 32. As a Christian, I learned I was engrafted into the vine of God's chosen people...the Jews.

"This mystery is that through the Gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus." (Eph 3:6 NIV) 

So why antisemitism? I don't understand why anyone can hate a group of people and not know any individuals in that group. 

I've heard some say it was the Jews who killed Jesus and therefore, they are to blame for killing our Lord. Don't they understand that WE ALL are to blame for killing our Lord.... because WE ALL have sinned and put Him on the cross. 

I've also heard it said that the Jews denied Jesus as Messiah but WE ALL were born into denial of Jesus before accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. We are all on level ground at the foot of the cross. No one can claim any higher calling or lower plane because Jesus died for us all.

So why antisemitism? Why hate and discriminate against any group of people?

After seeing my ancestry.com results, I believe WE ALL have a little bit of everything in our blood line. I am...

Africa North 2%                  

Countries include: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, & Western Sahara. 

Nigeria 1%

Cameroon/Congo 1%          

Native American 6%           

I know I am Choctaw as my grandmother was an original enrollee in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

Asia South 1%                      

Countries include: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

Ireland 28%

Scandinavia 26%                 

Countries include: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Denmark.

Europe West 22%                

Countries include: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Switzerland. 

Europe East 8%                   

Countries include: Russia, the Czech Republic, Poland (Warsaw, my great-grandmother came from Poland and married a mix of Choctaw Indian and unknown), Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Croatia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Belarus, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia.

European Jewish 2%

Great Britain 1%                 

Includes England, Scotland, Wales.

Iberian Peninsula 1%          

Territory comprising Portugal, Spain, Andorra, small part of France, as well as Gibraltar.

Caucasus 1%            

A region at the border of Europe and Asia and is separated between northern and southern parts. The south consists of the independent sovereign states of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. The north is under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation. 

SO WHY ANTISEMITISM???