greed | #TranslateHate
greed
theme \ 'grēd \
: a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (such as money) than is needed
WHEN IT’S ANTISEMITIC:
As a foundation for the most constant antisemitic falsehoods, the association of Jews with greed has fueled antisemitism throughout history and still affects Jews today. In the Middle Ages — when Christians were forbidden by the Church to lend money for interest — money-lending, trade, and commerce were the few professions Jews were allowed to have. Jews were blamed for usury, or the act of charging high rates of interest, and this association led to stereotypes about Jewish greed and wealth. These accusations were listed by the white supremacist who murdered a Jewish woman and injured others in Poway, CA, in 2019 as reasons for his attack. From Shakespeare’s sinister Jewish caricature in The Merchant of Venice to Rothschild schemes of world domination (see Rothschild) to Nazi propaganda on Jewish economic control, the antisemitic trope of greed can be found in everything from pop culture to deep-web conspiracy theories. In an interview given in October 2022, rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, said knowledge of the Jewish holiday Hanukkah would lead to knowledge of “financial engineering.”
The theme of greed in antisemitic rhetoric is so widespread that it’s led to a long list of Jewish stereotypes, including being excessively materialistic and money-oriented, exploiting others for personal gain, being overly wealthy, and controlling the world’s finances.
