Erasive antisemitism is a subcategory of Antisemitism first coined by Benjamin M. Freeman in the fall of 2020.^[1] Erasive Antisemitism manifests in two primary ways, including the erasure of Jewish identity^[2] and the erasure of Jews as victims of prejudice and discrimination.^[3] Although not a new phenomenon, Erasive Antisemitism is becoming increasingly more common, particularly in progressive circles.^[4]

Erasure of Jewish identity involves the deliberate downplay or omission of Jewish identity in historical and modern narratives. Freeman notes how mainstream news coverage did not prominently mention the Jewishness of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, the first Jewish, female justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, upon her passing^[5] – despite the fact that “Ruth Bader Ginsberg herself centered her Jewishness. It was an important part of her law practice.”^[6] Additionally, erasure of Jewish identity may include portraying Jews as solely a religious group, despite the fact that many Jews are secular,^[7] thereby neglecting Jews’ rightful status as an ethnoreligious group with a shared peoplehood and national identity.

Erasure of Jews as victims of prejudice and discrimination includes cases as severe as Holocaust denial and distortion.^[8] Eleven percent of U.S. Millennials and Gen Z Americans believe Jews caused the Holocaust^[9] – not only distorting history but also erasing the experiences of millions of Jews targeted and murdered by Nazis and their collaborators. On February 1, 2022, Whoopi Goldberg was suspended for two weeks as co-host of “The View” following comments that race was not a factor in the Holocaust.”^[10] The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum responded to Goldberg’s comments: “Racism was central to Nazi ideology. Jews were not defined by religion, but by race. Nazi racist beliefs fueled genocide and mass murder.”^[10] Louis D. Brandeis Founder and Chairman Kenneth L. Marcus explained: “In her error, she was reflecting a misunderstanding of Jewish identity that is both widespread and dangerous that is sometimes described as Erasive Antisemitism.”^[10]

Erasive Antisemitism also includes framing Jews as "white" and "privileged,” which is becoming increasingly common on American college campuses. In January 2020, a Stanford University Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee refused to incorporate antisemitism into its curriculum based on the erroneous perception that Jews belong to a privileged group,^[11] erasing the historical and continued oppression and violence Jews face.Both forms of Erasive Antisemitism seek to erase and rewrite Jewish identity and experiences, sidelining Jews from defining both for themselves.^[1]

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