1840 British newspapers: Hamantashen were made with Christian blood, with three sides to ridicule the Trinity ~ Elder Of Ziyon

Thursday, March 17, 2022

1840 British newspapers: Hamantashen were made with Christian blood, with three sides to ridicule the Trinity

In reaction to the infamous 1840 Damascus blood libel, at least two British newspapers published an antisemitic article that pretends to confirm that Jews indeed have many rituals involving murdering Christians and consuming Christian blood.

The Cheltenham Chronicle and Gloucestershire Advertiser (July 2) and The Northern Liberator (July 4) both published, without comment, a lengthy antisemitic blood libel as if it was simple truth. (The Liberator claimed the text came from The Times of London. but I could not find that anywhere.)

The specific accusations of that essay don't only concentrate on the Passover blood libel. According to this account, every Jewish holiday and event is dedicated somehow to consuming Christian blood, from the eve of Tisha B'Av to the day of one's marriage and one's death.

It is the most lurid description of the blood libel I have ever seen.

Here is what it says about Purim:

According to the Newcastle Journal a few days later, this essay was written by a Moldavian Jewish convert to Christianity in 1803.

Most newspapers at the time were sympathetic to the Jews suffering from persecution in Damascus because of the blood libel, but these two (at least) incited hate against Jews.