The American Jewish Committee released on Tuesday an updated and expanded edition of Translate Hate, the group’s widely used glossary of common anti-Semitic terms and tropes.
According to AJC, the date of the 2021 edition’s release commemorates the second anniversary of the fatal attack on Chabad of Poway, Calif., and includes more than 40 terms and expressions that are examples of anti-Semitism, explaining their nature when used in certain contexts and their origins.
The illustrated glossary has been widely downloaded and disseminated to politicians, law enforcement and other leaders, according to the release. It also recommends actions to take against hate speech.
The first edition was issued in November 2019. According to the release, it was downloaded tens of thousands of times and shared by AJC staff with key political leaders, including members of Congress.
“Given the proliferation of anti-Semitism online and offline, including the introduction of new terms and tropes during the pandemic, Translate Hate is increasingly recognized as an essential tool,” said Holly Huffnagle, AJC’s U.S. director for combating anti-Semitism.
The need for the glossary was reinforced by AJC’s 2020 State of Antisemitism ins America report, which indicated that while 53 percent of Americans are familiar with the term and know what it means, nearly half do not; 21 percent have never heard of the word; and 25 percent have heard the word anti-Semitism but don’t know what it means. These results were called a “stunning lack of awareness” about anti-Semitism.
“To effectively educate Americans about the many forms and sources of anti-Semitism and mobilize them to take action requires recognition that this hatred is a societal problem, not only a concern for Jews,” noted Huffnagle.
FBI officials requested copies for agents during a meeting in January with AJC staff experts, and in February, AJC staff presented the guide during a virtual training session of the National Association of Attorneys General.
