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There is a notable growth of racism across Europe including expressions of antisemitism. Social work literature has a strong basis in anti-racist theory and practice; however it largely excludes the issue of antisemitism. This chapter explores why this might be the case and develops an historical and theoretical understanding of antisemitism to address this gap in social work theory. It argues for a distinction to be made between ‘old’ antisemitism which is based on hatred towards Jews and ‘new’ antisemitism which conflates anti-Zionism or criticism of Israel with being antisemitic. Lessons for social work are drawn out which focus on the inclusion of Jewish experience and identity as part of a broader approach to diversity and multiculturalism alongside a recognition of the politics of antisemitism and how to fight it.
From July 12 to August 14, 2006, Israel waged a 33-day war against Lebanon. As aircraft bombarded towns and cities and ground troops thrust into Southern Lebanon, refugees from across Lebanon, and particularly Southern Lebanon, abandoned their homes and villages and flooded into central Beirut. The refugees’ requirements were immediate and substantial — food, accommodation and medical support had to be provided and a range of social, welfare and psychological needs had to be met. However, the traditional suppliers of welfare in Beirut, the vast number of civil society organisations in the voluntary sector and the more limited state sector both removed their staff and closed down under the air assault. Into this gap stepped a new, vibrant and remarkable social welfare movement called Samidoun, which became the main provider of basic needs for a large section of the refugee population in the city during the crisis. Forged in the midst of war, Samidoun was a consciously political intervention — part of the popular resistance to Israeli aggression — that linked resistance, political struggle and social work.
