In November 2020, a message reading “The Jew pulls all the strings” was found stuck on the sidewalk near the Novi Sad Synagogue.

More Information

One of the oldest anti-Jewish myths and stereotypes is the one about “Jewish power” and the “global Jewish conspiracy”. In its contemporary form, this myth represents Jews as a powerful, secret, global group, often referred to as a “Jewish lobby”, that manipulates governments, banks, financial institutions, academia, the media, film and entertainment industry, and other national and international institutions, for malicious purposes of Jewish world domination and control. This anti-Jewish myth has been present as one of the most prominent antisemitic narratives in various forms from the New Testament, the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, to anti-globalism and various contemporary conspiracy theories.

The stickers found in Novi Sad are a clear statement of antisemitism, and the placement is no coincidence. Antisemitic messages distributed near the synagogue represent a genuine threat to the local Jewish community. The goal is to bully, intimidate, frighten, and worry the Jews. At the same time, such actions aim to spread antisemitic propaganda and deepen animosity towards Jews, as well as motivate the next generation to transmit antisemitic myths in the future.

The consequences of these threats are concern, fear, and anxiety among individuals, families, and the entire Jewish community. Such messages instigate terror and calls for violence. As a result, many Jews and other minorities might feel reluctant to disclose or express their identity, tradition, or culture in fear of being bullied or exposed to violence, which is a violation of their human and civil rights. This way, the overall democracy of a society is threatened.

References

https://bit.ly/3CqDTcz (“Frequent attacks on Jews in Novi Sad, anti-Semitic message on the sidewalk” – an article about this incident published on November 12, 2020, in the online edition of “Danas”, in Serbian. “Danas” is an independent daily newspaper of record published in Belgrade, Serbia.)

Visuals

Sticker – The Jew holds all the strings.jpg