Why have Jews been so unpopular in the past? And has that changed much?
150822
It's a historical thing. Ever since the advent of the Christianity, there has been lots of anti-Semitism. Popes encouraged the poor treatment of Jews, and in other countries whenever anything went wrong Jews were blamed. \n\nIn medieval times, the Church forbade Christians from charging interest of anything. This meant that no Christians wanted to be moneylenders, so Jews took up the role. This has led to the idea that all Jews are rich and stingy, although this was one of the few jobs Jews were allowed to do.\n\nMany Christians also think that Jews are "Christ-killers" and hate Jews for killing their God. They also think Jews are stubborn for not believing in the Messiah that they believe already came, and will come again. Jews believe that   a messiah has not come.\n\nUnfortunately, it hasn't changed much. People still have a perception that Jews are rich and stingy (much like the stereotype that all Asians are smart) and this shows in TV and high schools. "Jew" is a common insult for a frugal person. If you pick up a quarter on the ground in the average high school, you are likely to hear an anti Semitic joke.\n\nWhat's more, Hitler jokes and Nazi music are become increasingly popular. \n\nIn Europe, there has always been even more anti Semitism. The birthplace of Hitler is a holy place for Neo Nazis, and in France Jewish graves are commonly "decorated" with swastikas.
11662
First off, spelling is "antisemitic." Antisemitism has existed in multiple forms since there were Jews. It was originally a form of religious persecution, first by pagans and later by Christians (Muslims were quite tolerant of Jews up until the 20th century.)  Later, some folks in Germany in the late nienteenth century came up with the idea that the Jews as an ethnic group were inferior and undesireable.  That is where Hitler got hist ideas from.  Around the same time, Russians blamed Jews for the assasination of Alexander II.  And a bit later, during the depression, there was a backlash against Jews in America based on the need to blame someone.  In general, hatred of Jews comes from the fact that they are often more educated and hence more succesful than folks around them.  The exception, of course, is recent antisemitism in the Muslim world which is based on dislike of the state of Israel and falsely extended to include a dislike of all Jews, contrary to Islamic teachings.
704699
The are not anywehre near as active as they once were...but they pop out from under their rocks every once in a while.   Personally I never understood how a group that claims to be white supremist can follow a religion founded in the Middle East by the followers of a Jewish man.   They haven't been a group capable of doing much since the 70's.   That's when the last of the leaders with any actual inteligence was around.    While I never agreed with any of their ideas, at least back then they acually had formulated ideas based in something other than simple racial bigotry.   Back then their bigotry was born from their understanding (flawed though it was) of social and economic influences, biblical verse and misinterpreted scientific theory, and they could explain it logically.   Now their bigotry is just that...with no rhyme or reason beyond racial hatred.   Hopefully, in a couple more generations they will disappear alltogether, and good riddance I say...
215809
JEWS ARE AWESOME. how else could they have survived when just about the whole world are for their destruction... then and now. i am not jewish but i like and admire the Jewish people.
912875
wow so sad.\n\nI grew up in as a Reform Jew. I left when I was 17 because I did not find it to be authentic Judaism. My heart crys when I read the other answers. I have yet to meet a Orthodox Jew that dose not truly care about his Reform brethren. They might disagree what is Judaism but they truly care about every Jew. \n\nfor the life of me I dont where the that idea came from. I am actually having trouble finish this because it really bothers me that Jews would actually think that other Jews would look down on them just because how they practice their faith. \n\n-I have to stop this or I will cry
197990
You obviously do ,but i got news for you not every one is like you and to say the maximum people is incorrect.\n\nbillions of people on this planet dont even know what Jews are.\n\nthe reason for their continuous persequesions are ,because theologically speaking they betrayed jesus and denied him as their king or something\n\nthey also have been bankers , like for ever,and many people.\nowed money to Jewish banks.Often it was easier to kill them ,than to pay them back.\n\nYes, it is true Jew s are disliked by many people but globally speaking this is still a very small percent, to say the maximum ,borders on a racist remark.\n\nI am sure some jewish people will take this issue up with you in much more detail.
628606
Although anti-Semitism had existed since the establishment of Christianity Jews were only one of Hitler's target groups for elimination. In his quest to purify and strengthen the German race Hitler ordered the killings of Jews, Blacks, Homosexuals, Gypsies, Handicapped persons, the mentally ill hospitals, the elderly, the homeless, Slavs, and even World War One Veterans who had lost limbs or had otherwise become dependent. The reason Jews seemed to have been singled out in the Holocaust is because Hitler used them as a scapegoat for the problems following WW1. Hitler gave the downtrodden German people a face to put the blame of their dire situation. He accused the Jews, because they were different, of bringing down Germany from the inside. You would have to admit that Hitler's greatest achievement was making a whole country believe that less than 1% of their population, the Jews, were to blame for WW1 and it's consequences. With everyone's attention and anger directed at the Jews Hitler was free to eliminate other "unacceptable" people, many his own countrymen, without opposition or even notice. The reason that it's usually a Jewish person who speaks at assemblies is because they made up the largest portion of the Holocaust therefore others didn't survive or have likely passed on.
251805
I don't know the real scientific answer, but I think people hate any people that survive any persecution.  They think it's sneaky, but if you want to survive, you work hard to do so!  People make Jewish people the scapegoat for all their problems.  Many Christians enjoy blaming Jews for the death of Christ, but Christ was a Jew himself - so it's quite illogical.  \n\nThey've survived the Spanish Inquisition, the Holocaust, and many years of being thrown out of various countries to this day for the simple reason that they are usually a small population and a minority religion within the region.  They keep their spirit and religion in their daily life.  They stick to their values from generation to generation.  I admire their continuity.
213290
I am Greek and i believe that there are small number of people who hate Jews. And they hate them because they aren't well educated. Many people hate the government of Israel but this is something differed. They hate any militaristic government including US or UK or Italian they hate war and thats all.
1221
Jews have been persecuted for Centuries for stupid reasons and have been made scrapegoats in many other occasions and forced to emigrate.  \n\nKnowing that you can be expulsed from your country at any time does not make you very enclined to have many children. \n\nAdd to that the millions of Jews who were forced to convert in the Middle Ages and have now lost their heritage...\n\nAlso, Judaism in itself can feel restrictive (food laws as an example) and it tends to be centered on ancestors and ties to the land of Israel which makes it harder to recruit converts.
1044068
The problem is that people tend to hide political issues behind religion as a way of defending their actions. The whole Israel thing has little to do with religion and more to do with power and greed. Same with my country Ireland for a long time.
599897
just because some jews may have done that doesnt mean their all bad. its like saying all arabs are bad cus of 9/11
1171307
I've seen the comments you're referring to... I am not Jewish myself, but I'm definitely not "anti-Jew".  People should be free to practice whatever religion they want, and should not be persecuted for it... Jews suffered far too much with that sick pig Hitler.
104318
they dont hate the jews ,and in most cases they see them as their distant couzen or somesort ...the media is to be blamed for this misinterpretation
453153
Because at that time, Jews were the popular scapegoat for any problems, so it was natural to blame them. Even now, some fanatics out there still think that Jews control the entire world and are plotting to kill everyone. For these people, a war against Jews is good, and necessary. And Hitler used these people.
286506
Anti-Semitism has a long and sad history. There have been several forms of anti-Semitism. Religious anti-semitism is the oldest. In many parts of Europe and the Islamic world, Jews were the largest minority group. They were often the target of religious hatred often directed by rulers and leading to discrimination and occasional expulsion.\n\nRacial discrimination arose from the anthropological views of race from the enlightenment. Jews were considered to be a race and anti-Semitic views of race developed in the late 19th century and early 20th centuries. Nazi Anti-Semitism was based on this.\n\nMore recently, new Anti-Semitism has arisen based on anti-Zionism. This anti-semitism is opposed to Israel and claims to be sympathetic to the Palestinians.
136556
Before the time of Jesus Christ there were the "Jews" and the "Gentiles" there were probally more with regards to the Native Americans, Myans, Incas etc. However; the "conflict" occured because some of those in the Jewish faith which at the time claimed you had to be born into the religion and at around the time of Christ's departure some of the Jews whom rejected Christ as the "Massiah" continued to follow the Law of Moses while some of the Jews accepted Christ and this was the start of the New Testiment in the Bible and around that time Christianity was "born" The Old Testiment in the Bible is the same as the Koran in the Jewish faith ( or very similar! There may be more details however; this is the "bulk" that I am aware of!