By Daled Amos
There has been a huge spike in antisemitism following the Hamas massacre on October 7. The riots and chanting border on the bizarre, accusing Israel of deliberate genocide while attacking Jews around the world.
But of course, not all antisemitic claims are of recent vintage:
oh ok then pic.twitter.com/l8EWDyCiNp
— Affirm Reality 🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱 (@MirabelleW18) April 1, 2024
The Holy Week referred to here is the week before Easter, where in Leon, Spain, it is popular to say, "Let's kill Jews!" but the actual meaning is supposed to refer to "drinking carbonated, spiked lemonade during Holy Week.”
How does that work?
According to UCLA's Jewish newsmagazine, Ha'Am, the history of the phrase goes back to the Middle Ages:
The strange usage is rooted in Middle-Age pogroms in Spain during Holy Week. Eventually, around 1320 CE, authorities decided to permit the consumption of a soft alcoholic beverage, overriding the usual prohibition against alcoholic drinks during Holy Week in the hopes that people forming mobs would drink themselves into a stupor and be unable to assemble against the Jewish communities. The drink evolved into carbonated lemonade and the original description of the traditional Holy Week practice was applied to the drink’s name instead.
Interesting solution.
Unfortunately, it is unlikely to help control the antisemitic riots we hear about on a nearly daily basis.
Unfortunately, it is unlikely to help control the antisemitic riots we hear about on a nearly daily basis.
Another explanation ascribes the source for this custom to a 15th-century knight, Suero de Quiñones, who owed money to a Jewish merchant. In 1449, he incited a mob of his fellow knights to follow him into the Jewish quarter, where they murdered the lender and others on Good Friday.
But despite the bloody history behind the phrase, the phrase "Let's kill Jews!" is now merely a custom:
Today, residents say the phrase is a social custom devoid of any connection to murder, religion or real-life Jews.
“People are used to it here, it’s an expression that is not racist at all,” said José Manuel, who works at Vychio Cafe Bar. “It’s an expression from a time period of racism but now, no, it’s an expression out of custom.” [emphasis added]
The idea that "Holy Week" is an occasion for the 'custom' of calling for the death of Jews is reminiscent of the additional aspect of Ramadan. As The Christian Science Monitor pointed out in 2003:
For Islamic militants, Ramadan allows them not only to reaffirm their religious observance but to strengthen their political ideological convictions as well. "Ramadan is a month of commitment and renewal to their faith and also to their cause, whether by military or nonmilitary jihad," says Prof. Nizar Hamzeh, a specialist on political Islam at the American University of Beirut. "It is a month of martyrdom and commitment to one's Islamic ideology."
Throughout Islamic history, Ramadan has been seen as a time of victory for Muslim armies - and a period when those who are martyred have a greater assurance of a place in paradise. [emphasis added; hat tip: Elder of Ziyon]
Elder of Ziyon has written about Ramadan: The month of fasting, prayer, and murdering Jews where he points out numerous Palestinian terrorist attacks that have taken place during Ramadan.
The Ha'Am article lists other "popular" phrases of antisemitic origin. There is the "Wandering Jew" plant. The Kurds have a phrase, knishta Juhiya, (Jewish synagogue) describes a noisy, unruly gathering. The chant "Hip, Hip Hooray" is believed by some to be a corruption of the phrase "Hep, hep," which is an acronym for Hierosolyma est perdita -- "Jerusalem is lost," which was chanted during German Jew-hunts in the Middle Ages.
Others believe the antisemitic name was given by the Jews themselves. According to this theory, Jews who converted to Christianity wanted to emphasize their repudiation of Judaism and convince the Spanish authorities of their loyalty.
Another theory is that the name change from Castrillo Mota de Judios to Castrillo Matajudios was just a slip of the pen.
Sometimes, these antisemitic phrases and names are corrected.
The tiny Spanish village of Castrillo Matajudios — which means “Camp Kill Jews” — on Monday officially changed its name back to Castrillo Mota de Judios (“Jews’ Hill Camp”) following a referendum and regional government approval.Apparently, the name of the town was changed to "Camp Kill Jews" in 1627 when a 1492 Spanish edict giving Jews the choice of either converting or leaving was enforced. Those Jews who remained faced the Spanish Inquisition and many were burned at the stake.
The village, with about 50 inhabitants, voted to change the name in 2014 after Mayor Lorenzo Rodriguez argued that the term was offensive and that the village should honor its Jewish origins. [emphasis added]
Others believe the antisemitic name was given by the Jews themselves. According to this theory, Jews who converted to Christianity wanted to emphasize their repudiation of Judaism and convince the Spanish authorities of their loyalty.
Another theory is that the name change from Castrillo Mota de Judios to Castrillo Matajudios was just a slip of the pen.
Although no Jews currently live there, the town reportedly has Jewish roots, a claim which is supported by the town's shield:
The article reported that the mayor was planning to open a center to promote the study of Sephardic Jewish culture.
In 2016, they "twinned" with the Israeli town of Kfar Vradim in the north and a delegation from the Castrillo Mota de Judios arrived in Israel for the official ceremony linking the two towns.
In 2016, they "twinned" with the Israeli town of Kfar Vradim in the north and a delegation from the Castrillo Mota de Judios arrived in Israel for the official ceremony linking the two towns.
That's one small victory in the fight against antisemitism.
We badly need many more.
We badly need many more.
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