Glossary
Here you will find important terms related to Zionism, Israel and Jewish life.
Antisemitism
Antisemitism is a hostile attitude or hatred toward Jews, which can manifest as violence against them or against individuals or institutions perceived to be Jewish. Forms of antisemitism can also be directed against the State of Israel, which is perceived in this context as a Jewish collective. (Arbeitsdefinition von Antisemitismus – IHRA (holocaustremembrance.com)
Anti-Zionism
Anti-Zionism refers to the rejection of Zionism, that is, the movement advocating for the self-determination and statehood of the Jewish people in their historical homeland, the Land of Israel. This stance often manifests, directly or indirectly, in the denial of the Jewish right to self-determination, in the defamation of individuals and organizations that support Zionism, and in the relativization or denial of the deep historical and spiritual connection of the Jewish people to Israel.
In contrast to legitimate criticism of political decisions made by the Israeli government or specific aspects of the Zionist movement, anti-Zionism targets the fundamental legitimacy of a Jewish state as such.
Aschkenazim
Ashkenazi Jews are a Jewish ethnic group whose origins lie in the Land of Israel but who formed a distinct community in Europe, particularly in Central Europe and later in Eastern Europe. Their cultural and religious traditions developed over centuries in German-speaking regions as well as in Poland, Russia, and other parts of Eastern Europe. Historically, they spoke Yiddish and followed their own liturgical tradition.
Bedeutung von “Aschkenase, Aschkenasim oder Ashkenazim” (gra.ch)
Beta Israel
Beta Israel, also known as Ethiopian Jews, are a Jewish community from Ethiopia that have maintained a unique cultural and religious tradition. They consider themselves descendants of the biblical Israelites and practice a form of Judaism that developed independently of other Jewish communities. Many Beta Israel emigrated to Israel since the 1980s, particularly during Operations Moses and Solomon.
Civil rights
Rights that are exclusive to the citizens of a particular state and relate to the relationship between citizens and the state. In this respect, they differ from human rights, which apply to all people regardless of nationality.
Colonialism
The subjugation and appropriation of a country by another, usually for the purpose of economic exploitation. After the First World War and the dissolution of Ottoman colonial rule, the territory of Mandatory Palestine came under British administration. It was only through the Zionist independence movement and the establishment of the State of Israel that centuries of foreign domination in the region came to an end.
Democracy
Form of rule in which the people represent the sovereign (popular sovereignty) and participate in the formation of political will through elections.
Equality
The goal of ensuring that all people worldwide enjoy the same rights and opportunities. In many countries, equality is recognized as a fundamental legal and human right.
Extremism
Refers to movements or ideologies that reject democratic principles and the rule of law, or seek to undermine them. In international discourse, extremism is often categorized into forms such as far-right, far-left, and religious extremism (including Islamist extremism).
Genocide
A term defined under international law that refers to the intentional destruction, in whole or in part, of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.
Human Rights
Universal rights inherent to every person by virtue of being human. They differ from, for example, civil rights, which apply only to citizens of a particular state.
Indigenous Population
The original inhabitants of a conquered or newly settled territory. For example, Jews in Israel are considered an indigenous population, as Jewish presence in the land predates the Roman conquest and the subsequent expulsions in the 1st and 2nd centuries CE. (Geschichte des jüdischen Volkes: Diaspora – Völker – Kultur – Planet Wissen|planet-wissen.de)
International Law
A body of established treaties and customary legal principles that guide how the international community conducts relations between states and with individuals within national borders.
Islamism
An extremist, primarily political interpretation of Islam that seeks to reshape society according to Islamist principles. It is often associated with the use of violence and stands in opposition to democratic systems and the rule of law. A core element of Islamist thought is antisemitism. (BMI – Islamismus (bund.de)
Jerusalem
A city shaped by diverse religions and cultures throughout antiquity and modern times, located in the Judean hills between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea. It is the capital of the State of Israel. (Irdische Geschichte einer heiligen Stadt | Jerusalem | bpb.de)
Mizrachim
Mizrahi Jews, or Mizrachim, are Jews of Middle Eastern and North African descent, coming from countries across Asia and Africa, especially from the Arab world and other predominantly Muslim regions. Many were expelled or forced to leave during the 20th century and found refuge in Israel.
Nakba
Arabic term for the flight and expulsion of part of the Arab population from the territory of the State of Israel during the 1948 Israeli War of Independence. Contrary to common portrayal, the “Nakba” was not a consequence of Zionism or the establishment of the State of Israel, but rather a result of the war of aggression launched by the Arab states with the goal of destroying the Jewish state. During the course of the war, around 700,000 Arabs fled or were expelled. At the same time, at least as many Jews fled or were expelled from Arab countries to Israel. The Arabs who remained in Israel during the War of Independence became Israeli citizens with full rights and obligations. Today, they make up about 20 percent of Israel’s population.
Racism
The division of people into “races” based on immutable physical characteristics or the biologization of social relations; the resulting discrimination or denigration based on such distinctions. Often justified pseudoscientifically through racial theories.
(Antidiskriminierungsstelle – Ethnische Herkunft / Rassismus)
Right to Self-Determination
In the context of international law, this refers to the right of a people to govern themselves freely within their own state, independent of foreign domination, and to decide on their own economic, social, or cultural development, or to choose to join another state.
Sephardi
Term for Jews from the Iberian Peninsula and southern France who were forcibly expelled in the 14th and 15th centuries and settled in various regions including the Ottoman Empire, North Africa, Asia, and North America.
Star of David / Magen David
Symbol of Judaism and emblem of the national flag of Israel.
Stereotype
A stereotype is a generalized idea about a person or a group that ignores individual differences. Even when a stereotype is based on a supposedly positive trait, it can still be problematic because it attributes that trait to all members of the group.
Terrorism
The most aggressive and militant form of political extremism, in which extremist goals are pursued through a sustained campaign of violence involving the systematic use of severe acts of force.
Victim Blaming
The conscious or unconscious inversion of perpetrator and victim, or of cause and effect, in the context of a wrongdoing. It can go as far as claiming that the actual victims of an injustice are themselves to blame for their misfortune.