If you are a person who wants to end antisemitism and believes it’s a critical step toward a safe, liberated future for all of us – Jewish or not, no matter our religions, races, or genders – this guide is for you.
If you are Jewish and are looking for ways to talk about antisemitism that lead to action and help bring people together across lines of difference to end it, this guide is for you.
If you are progressive – no matter who your people are – and you want to learn how to take the lead on addressing antisemitism, creating more equitable and liberated movements, and winning the thriving future we all deserve, this guide is for you.
“Language alone cannot solve all of these problems. But we also cannot solve them without finding the words to create the world we desire.”
As this guide goes into publication, many Jewish people are experiencing more antisemitism—and, as a result, more fear—than many of us have in recent memory. Those of us working to advance justice and democracy are experiencing differences in perspectives and understandings that are straining key alliances. To many, this feels incongruous with the story of progress we’re taught in America: that history moves in a straight line towards justice. But the reality is that progress only happens when people take action, and reversals and setbacks are part of the struggle toward a more just and equitable society.
This is long-term, essential work which requires a broad range of educational, organizing, relational, and spiritual strategies. Language alone cannot solve all of these problems. But we also cannot solve them without finding the words to create the world we desire.
Fortunately, we can tell a different and more accurate story, one that helps us overcome fear and division and motivates us all to take action toward a future where freedom and safety are for everyone, no exceptions. The purpose of this guide is to provide specific language recommendations to help people from all backgrounds reshape conversations about antisemitism into ones that serve this purpose.
It can be used in educational materials and programs, organizational efforts, public media, and as a narrative basis for proactive work intended to end antisemitism.
What You’ll Find
This guide contains specific language recommendations advocates should use to tell a coherent story about antisemitism and how we can eliminate it, including a powerful new metaphor and guidance on how to avoid unhelpful and even damaging metaphors that are commonly used today, advice for responding to accusations of antisemitism, and guidelines for ensuring that our responses to antisemitism do not damage other connected movements and people.
The language was strongly informed by insights from polling and message testing research, including the extensively tested The Race-Class Narrative Research Project. The guide may be updated as new research emerges.
For more analysis on the history of antisemitism and its current expressions, as well as its role in white nationalist and anti-Black ideology, we have included a list of resources at the end of this guide.
