The History of Antisemitism: Blood Libel

Throughout history, Jews have been accused of using the blood of non-Jews for “rituals.” This accusation, which as come to be called “blood libel,” dates to the second century BCE and continued to grow with the spread of Christianity. In the Middle Ages, the motif made its way into art and literature like Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. These charges continued through the Nazi era; there was even an accusation in upstate New York in 1928. Today, the Roman Catholic Church repudiates blood libel, but accusations continue throughout the world. This panel discussion about this history and the role it plays in contemporary antisemitism is with Edward G. Berenson, Magda Teter, and Francois Soyer, and is moderated by Sara Lipton.
00:00 Introduction
3:51 What is Blood Libel?
6:55 What is the role of media in turning perceived lies into fact?
10:59 What is the role of conspiracism and the authorities?
14:31 How were "The Jews" defined as targets of conspiracies and prosecutions?
18:21 The case of Barbara Griffiths and American Jews
25:20 What is the role of religion in America?
29:59 What was the role of the media in Barbara Griffiths case?
32:00 What was the role of religion in history?
39:21 How is this related to antisemitism today? To what extent is it a political weapon?
48:10 Audience Q&A