Some things you need to know if you really want to be an ally to Jews:
-There is no such thing as a "Semitic people", and if there was, only Jews would be considered "Semitic people", since "antisemitism" was coined specifically as an alternative to the word Judenhasse, which means "Jew-hatred", and specifically to refer to Jews. If "Semites" was a legitimate identity, the only "Semites" would be Jews. People from the Levant who are not Jewish are not "Semitic", and are still very much capable of being antisemitic. In linguistic sense, "Semitic" only refers to a language family, not a cultural identity.
-"Goy" is not a slur. It means "nation", it's literally a word that means "non-Jewish person."
-Only Jews get to define what is and isn't antisemitic. If Jews are saying that something is antisemitic, listen to them.
-Jews are not White People Lite. There are Jews of every skin colour, and even light-skinned Jews can still be subject to racialized antisemitism. Listen to Jews when they say they experience racialized antisemitism.
-Judaism isn't just a religion. It's an ethnoreligion, a tribe, and a peoplehood. There are non-religious Jews. There are atheist Jews. And all Jews experience antisemitism.
-Judaism is a closed practice. Yes, we allow conversion, but it is a long and difficult process, and we do not allow prosletizing. It's like a locked gate where getting the key is extremely difficult.
-Judaism is not Christianity-Lite. Judaism came first, it is an ancient identity and peoplehood independent from Christianity. Christianity appropriated and butchered elements of Judaism.
-There are Jews of every sexuality and gender identity, and we have a long history of gender diversity and non-heteronormative sexuality. Include LGBTQ Jews in your activism.
-The Holocaust isn't your metaphor or comparison tool.
-Antisemitism has been around for thousands of years and it's still extremely prevalent and rising today.
-The Jewish community is a diverse, multi-faceted community. There are so many ways to be Jewish and so many ways to express one's Jewish identity. No two Jews are the same, but we are united by our shared history, heritage, and identity.
Thank you for taking the steps to being a true ally to Jewish people.
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