Khazars

people kə'zär

: a people once existing as a nation in the Caucasus and

southeastern Russia

WHEN IT’S ANTISEMITIC:

In the 6th century CE, the Khazars—an obscure warlike tribe

in Turkistan [present day Kazakhstan]—fought for land that

was ultimately overtaken by Southern Russia and Ukraine.

Despite the decline in population and territorial defeat, the

Khazars continued to be mentioned throughout history—

especially as one of the first groups to adopt Judaism.

By the 8th or 9th century, antisemitic conspiracy theories

began forming around the Khazars’ reported conversion

to Judaism. This spurred antisemitic beliefs that they were

building a secret empire which sought widespread control

through financial gains (see Figure K1).

Given that the Khazars moved into and settled in Eastern

Europe, antisemites push the conspiracy that Ashkenzai

Jews—Jews descending from Eastern Europe—are not “real

Jews” and are working to infiltrate other nations on their quest

for world domination (see “not the real Jews”). The Khazar

trope is also used to undermine the Jewish connection to

Israel, and therefore Israel’s right to exist, because it falsely

says Jews originated from the northern Caucasus region and

were part of the Turkic empire—and not the Land of Israel (see

Figure K2).

American Jewish Committee

https://www.ajc.org › pdfPDF

AJC's glossary of antisemitic terms, phrases, conspiracies, cartoons, themes, and memes.

New World Order

conspiracy 'nü 'wər(-ə)ld 'or-dər

: the conspiracy of a small group of powerful individuals

working in secret to establish all-powerful control

WHEN IT’S ANTISEMITIC:

The New World Order conspiracy theory becomes antisemitic

when it’s followed by a reference to a Jewish business leader

or political official with a secret agenda who’s seeking global

control.

A widely-used conspiracy theory made popular in the 20th

century, the term centers on a cabal of world leaders using

the global stage to create an almighty, totalitarian regime

that strips people of their individual liberties and consolidates

power at the very top (see cabal).

The conspiracy theory behind the New World Order involving

Jewish leaders is based on the idea that Jews have formed

a power structure in which they control every aspect of

humankind—the economy, media, and political landscape (see

control).

American Jewish Committee

https://www.ajc.org › pdfPDF

AJC's glossary of antisemitic terms, phrases, conspiracies, cartoons, themes, and memes.

silencing

theme 'sīlənsiNG

: prohibit or prevent from speaking

WHY IT’S ANTISEMITIC:

One of the longest standing antisemitic attacks leveled

against Jews is the “silencing” of their opponents. The false

claim that Jews deem any criticism of Israel or the Jewish

people as antisemitic, and wield the power of the antisemitic

label to silence the opposition, is offensive and dangerous

for productive discourse. The idea of “silencing” speech plays

into the commonly used trope of “Jewish control” with the

false accusation that all discourse that criticizes the policies

of Israel should cease to exist in order for the State of Israel to

remain powerful.

It is yet another example of the nonsensical way in which

Jews are both blamed for silencing their critics and accused

of perpetrating hateful rhetoric by speaking out against them

in order to gain sympathy.