Why have Jews been hated so much throughout history?

Answer 1

Probably the salient reason is that Jews have, for thousands of years, not wanted to totally assimilate to the civilizations in which they found themselves. Being satisfied to stay with their own beliefs and customs was ( and is ) often considered to be an affront to those civilizations. During the Spanish expulsion, for example, Jews who converted to Christianity were not hated ( unless it was suspected that the conversion wasn't sincere; it was to counter this possibility that the Spanish Inquisition was created ). This feeling of being affronted by Jews was ( is ) reinforced by the lack of desire on the part of Jews to convert others to Judaism.

There is also the circumstance that being a Jew transcends Judaism and implies a camaraderie based on ethnicity and culture, as well as religion. This sometimes wrongly raises questions about the loyalty of Jews to the countries in which they live, since Jews hew to their own morality.

Another aspect of Jew-hatred is the fact that Jews have, by and large, done well and succeeded financially and intellectually in most contexts in which they have found themselves ( starting with Joseph, perhaps, who foresaw the need for saving grain and established a monopoly for the Pharoah of Egypt ). This success has created universal feelings of envy and resentment ( to add to the resentment that Jews didn't want to be like their neighbors in diet, dress, customs, education, etc ).

The concept of "chosen people" is also and continually misunderstood by others who hear it. It doesn't mean that Jews think they are in any way better and more loved by God. Rather, it means, that Jews are chosen to exemplify the ethical life that God ( or, perhaps, custom eventually ) has ordained for them. That is, they have to BEHAVE better than others and will be punished as an example to others if they do not. In Jewish belief, one does not have to be Jewish to reap whatever rewards might be available. One doesn't even have to observe the Ten Commandments ( or 713 for truly pious Jews ); rather, a gentile need only observe the seven Noahide commandments to be person worthy of all rewards.

Jews also have an intellectual tradition that is sometimes resented by others who don't like "egg-heads" who prefer pursuits of the mind to more physical ones.

Answer 2

The Hatred of Jews is relatively old. Ever since the Romans adopted Christianity has the Jewish people been hated but the real hatred started during the First Crusade where thousands of German Jews were killed because they didn't worship Jesus Christ.

To correctly answer this question we must look at the facts of the Jewish people.
a) Before 1948, they lacked a state
b) Spread widely across the globe as a people and a religion
c) No one, unifying leader

Without these factors a people like the Jews, Gypsies, Ainu, Kurds, Lakota can easily be used by a nation to achieve its own needs. Whatever the purpose. Since the Jews lacked a state, were widely disperesed and lacked one leader, they simply were killed or forced to be ruler's banker until the Industrial Revolution in Europe.

Answer 3

My honest opinion is that a big part of why Jewish people have been viewed negatively over the years is partly the view of #1 and #5, but also because of #2. However, I think the main reason is because of how isolationist and uncompromising the Jewish culture is. It is very much an "us versus them" culture, and completely unbending in that stance. It's not many cultures that have a specific word that means someone who is not them (gentile). Orthodox Jews take this to an extreme, to a very stand-offish place that really can't do anything but rub people the wrong way. I think they've given all Jewish people a bad wrap for it, and are the source of the animosity directed towards Jews in general.

Answer 4

Christians held them responsible for the death of Jesus and considered them the fallen people, with Christianity proudly picking up the religious relay.
As well, usury was forbidden to Christians and since many jobs were forbidden to Jews they filled that too much needed but badly considered branch. They became usurers (people who by their job are not well liked) and bankers. Dangerous jobs in a time when the powerful were quite ready to beg you for money but were not that good at reimbursement. With jewish bankers it was even easier to renege on one's debts. Thus came the myth of the rich Jewish usurer living of the misery of other people. Of course, it ignored all the Jews who had much less wealthy jobs.
A third reason is that the Jews didn't mix with the 'locals'. Keeping a close community, and saying they were the Chosen People among people who already do not like you, or have been taught to consider you with wariness and superiority, only added to the friction.
After WWII Christianity took a look at those beliefs and did not much like the results.
Strangely enough, during all that time the Jews lived much better under Muslim rule as a whole than in Christian lands. They were second class citizens just like any other non Muslim but there's no record of systematic discrimination against them, when Muslim pogroms happened they usually hit both Christians and Jews together.

Answer 5

There is an Arabic proverb that says "Whoever doesn't know something, he would hate it."

The problem is ignorance. Jews have been a minority in many places and it's usual that a majority would look with doubt at a minority. Furthermore, in most communities, Jews preferred to be closed to themselves and this has caused more doubt from the side of the majority.

Peace/salaam.

Answer 6

Jews have NOT been hated all through history. They have been targets, though. The reason is they keep their own culture and they are visibly different in their customs.

They are less visible, though, than Muslims and the tide may turn in the future as Muslims stick out as being the most different culture. This is not helped by the number of Muslims extremists causing death and destruction around the world.

The tales of Jewish persecution should be a cautionary tale to other cultures. It is not wise to insist on being different.

Answer 7

People have been hating the jews since ww2. Maybe people are just too prejudice these days. Some believe the jews killed jesus. Others dont like people of other cultures or religions. Thats why jews have been hated so much.

Answer 8

My teacher once said that the Jews were hated because they were so succeesful. After the Germans lost a war, Hitler decided to blame the Jews. A majority of Jews were rich and succesful.

Answer 9

Because throughout most of recorded history they have been a people without a country. Thus they were outsides everywhere they went. In times of trouble the ruling power always blames the outsiders.

Having said that, now that they do have a country why do they behave so abominably?

Answer 10

People were jealous of them because they had money but were not selfish and managed it well. They also looked after each other well and didn't show off. Other people needed someone to take the blame and it was a case of 'We didn't do it, the Jews did!'. This turned people against them and they got hated through no fault of their own....

It's sad really :(