--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I first heard of antisemitism only later…" description: "\"“I first heard of antisemitism only later, when my father told me how Oswald Mosley had fomented riots in the thirties by marching his paramilitary Fas..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/phyllis-goldstein-7858_judaism_i-first-heard-of-antisemitism-only-later_503063.jpg" --- # I first heard of antisemitism only later, when my father… ![“I first heard of antisemitism only later, when my father told me how Oswald Mosley had fomented riots in the thirties by marching his paramilitary Fascist thugs called “Blackshirts” through Jewish districts in London’s East End. It disgusted him. Mosley’s line was that it was only “big Jews” he…” quote by Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/phyllis-goldstein-7858_judaism_i-first-heard-of-antisemitism-only-later_503063.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/phyllis-goldstein-7858_judaism_i-first-heard-of-antisemitism-only-later_503063.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/421/phyllis-goldstein-7858_judaism_i-first-heard-of-antisemitism-only-later_503063.jpg) > ““I first heard of antisemitism only later, when my father told me how Oswald Mosley had fomented riots in the thirties by marching his paramilitary Fascist thugs called “Blackshirts” through Jewish districts in London’s East End. It disgusted him. Mosley’s line was that it was only “big Jews” he hated, not the “little Jews.” The “big Jews” were conspiring to get Britain into war with Germany, whereas the “little Jews” were harmless. But Mosley did nothing to stop his thugs from hurling bricks through the windows of humble houses displaying lighted Sabbath candles.”” [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Antisemitism can be rationalized by targeting perceived powerful groups while ignoring ordinary individuals, revealing dangerous prejudice. **In simple terms:** Prejudice targets “big” Jews, ignores “little” ones. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge all forms of hate. Themes prejudice history politics antisemitism social conflict Mood reflective somber Type historical educational When to use this quote - education curricula - community outreach - historical remembrance - policy advocacy Key Concepts fascist propaganda social scapegoating moral hypocrisy Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms allow hate to be rationalized? - How can societies confront selective prejudice? A Different Perspective Prejudice often hides behind selective narratives, making it hard to confront. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Antisemitism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antisemitism/) [Judaism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judaism/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [Why are the Jews hated? 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A variety of stereotypes and myths lie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/many-of-the-key-elements-that-define-modern-antisemitism-can-be/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“The 2002 trial of a member of an al-Qaeda cell in Hamburg, Germany—the same cell to which Mohammed Atta, the ringleader of the September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/the-2002-trial-of-a-member-of-an-al-qaeda-cell-in-hamburg-germany-the/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“You could taste antisemitism everywhere; the air of Germany was permeated by it. All the unavoidable consequences of military defeat, revolution, a ruinous inflation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/you-could-taste-antisemitism-everywhere-the-air-of-germany-was/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“Antisemitism did not begin in Germany, or anywhere else, in 1918; Jews had been regarded as dangerous outsiders for centuries, and anti-Jewish feeling usually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/antisemitism-did-not-begin-in-germany-or-anywhere-else-in-1918-jews/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“Antisemitism is a very peculiar pathology that recognizes no national borders. It is a mental condition conducive to paranoia and impervious to truth. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/antisemitism-is-a-very-peculiar-pathology-that-recognizes-no-national/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [The British Union of Fascists, Oswald Mosley's group, the black shirts, they were banned in Britain in 1940. And Max Mosley's dad, Sir Oswald…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-british-union-of-fascists-oswald-mosley-s-group-the-black-shirts/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I am pleased to see from the laughter on the Ministerial benches that there is no implication on their part to take Sir Oswald…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-attlee/i-am-pleased-to-see-from-the-laughter-on-the-ministerial-benches-that/) [Clement Attlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-attlee/) > [Sir Oswald Mosley thought his job is not just keep Britain from going to war with his beloved Germany, he saw it as his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/sir-oswald-mosley-thought-his-job-is-not-just-keep-britain-from-going/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [We all now have to decide whether we're comfortable using this word, weather fascism is too over the top to use in this context…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/we-all-now-have-to-decide-whether-we-re-comfortable-using-this-word/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [Where did Keynes stand on overt fascism? From the scattered information now available, it should come as no surprise that Keynes was an enthusiastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/where-did-keynes-stand-on-overt-fascism-from-the-scattered/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [Britons still commemorate the Battle of Cable Street in London. There are still pop songs in Britain that reference Sir Oswald Mosley and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/britons-still-commemorate-the-battle-of-cable-street-in-london-there/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [We know that England is crying for a leader, and that leader has emerged in the person of the greatest Englishman I have ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/we-know-that-england-is-crying-for-a-leader-and-that-leader-has/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [Oswald Mosley's movement, it was a big movement. It was obviously anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic, it was populist. Mosley wanted to replace the parliamentary system of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/oswald-mosley-s-movement-it-was-a-big-movement-it-was-obviously-anti/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) ## More by Phyllis Goldstein > [“As accusations spread, so did the false belief that Jews routinely engaged in the practice of ritual murder. An accusation made repeatedly tends to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/as-accusations-spread-so-did-the-false-belief-that-jews-routinely/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“Still, by the end of the thirteenth century, most European Jews were forced to wear badges or distinguishing clothing. The aim was to humiliate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/still-by-the-end-of-the-thirteenth-century-most-european-jews-were/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“Mendelssohn’s books on philosophy and literature were hailed throughout Europe. He was described as “exceptional”—an “un-Jewish Jew,” one of a kind, a genius.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/mendelssohn-s-books-on-philosophy-and-literature-were-hailed/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“135 years later, in 586 BCE, the Babylonians conquered Judea, the southern kingdom. They destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem and forced thousands of Jews…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/135-years-later-in-586-bce-the-babylonians-conquered-judea-the/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“In Arab nations, many people opposed Zionism because they believed that the UN had no right to establish a Jewish state on what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/in-arab-nations-many-people-opposed-zionism-because-they-believed/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“After the Black Death in the mid-1300s, the persecution of Jews intensified, and many Jews in Europe moved farther east. Some left because life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/after-the-black-death-in-the-mid-1300s-the-persecution-of-jews/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“Many Jews in the Byzantine Empire welcomed the Persians. Some saw their arrival as an opportunity to win independence or even just a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/many-jews-in-the-byzantine-empire-welcomed-the-persians-some-saw/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“In 1255, a five-year-old boy was found dead in a well in Lincoln, England. Many historians today believe that young Hugh accidentally fell into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/in-1255-a-five-year-old-boy-was-found-dead-in-a-well-in-lincoln/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“The Greeks and Egyptians in Alexandria understood Flaccus’s announcement to mean that they could now treat Jews as they pleased. After all, people without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/the-greeks-and-egyptians-in-alexandria-understood-flaccus-s/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“For hundreds of years, Christians had been trying to convert the Jews, and now, for the first time, they had real success. Suddenly thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/for-hundreds-of-years-christians-had-been-trying-to-convert-the-jews/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“With each new rumor, each new accusation, the way Christians thought about Jews became more and more distorted. Jews were increasingly seen as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/with-each-new-rumor-each-new-accusation-the-way-christians-thought/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“The “age of enlightenment” ended some of the isolation, discrimination, and humiliation Jews had experienced in earlier times in Europe. Jews now had more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/the-age-of-enlightenment-ended-some-of-the-isolation-discrimination/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“When one group defeated another, the newly conquered people were expected to accept the gods of the victor. After all, the new gods had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/when-one-group-defeated-another-the-newly-conquered-people-were/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“Antisemitism did not begin in Germany, or anywhere else, in 1918; Jews had been regarded as dangerous outsiders for centuries, and anti-Jewish feeling usually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/antisemitism-did-not-begin-in-germany-or-anywhere-else-in-1918-jews/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [“In 1929, Einstein, who had once lived in Switzerland, wrote: When I came to Germany fifteen years ago I discovered for the first time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/in-1929-einstein-who-had-once-lived-in-switzerland-wrote-when-i-came/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) [Explore all 86 Phyllis Goldstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) ## More Antisemitism quotes > [“The reactions of some on the left to the October 7, 2023, attack revealed with disturbing clarity the extent to which antisemitic thinking had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-leifer/the-reactions-of-some-on-the-left-to-the-october-7-2023-attack/) Joshua Leifer > [When it comes to antisemitism, I have felt for a long time that there's a double standard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suella-braverman/when-it-comes-to-antisemitism-i-have-felt-for-a-long-time-that-there/) [Suella Braverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suella-braverman/) > [“Totalitarian politics—far from being simply antisemitic or racist or imperialist or communist—use and abuse their own ideological and political elements until the basis of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/totalitarian-politics-far-from-being-simply-antisemitic-or-racist-or/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“A group of ten prisoners from Dachau, I was with them, we hid in the forest to wait for the Americans. The Germans had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-troncoso/a-group-of-ten-prisoners-from-dachau-i-was-with-them-we-hid-in-the/) [Sergio Troncoso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-troncoso/) > [“However intrinsically loony an idea may be, when people believe it, and act on that belief, it attains a power that can shape reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-spence/however-intrinsically-loony-an-idea-may-be-when-people-believe-it-and/) [Richard B. Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-spence/) > [Without centuries of Christian antisemitism, Hitler's passionate hatred would never have been so fervently echoed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-runcie/without-centuries-of-christian-antisemitism-hitler-s-passionate/) [Robert Runcie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-runcie/) > [“The Arab world has no peer when it comes to hatred - of the Western world generally, and especially of Israel. Israel-hatred and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-arab-world-has-no-peer-when-it-comes-to-hatred-of-the-western/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Since I was a teenager I have been standing up to antisemitism, racism and discrimination in all its forms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciana-berger/since-i-was-a-teenager-i-have-been-standing-up-to-antisemitism-racism/) [Luciana Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciana-berger/) > [“Race theorists, who are as old as imperialism itself, want to achieve racial purity in peoples whose interbreeding, as a result of the expansion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-reich/race-theorists-who-are-as-old-as-imperialism-itself-want-to-achieve/) [Wilhelm Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-reich/) > [“One of my first reservations about Zionism was and is that, semiconsciously at least, it grants the anti-Semite's first premise about the abnormality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/one-of-my-first-reservations-about-zionism-was-and-is-that/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“After Portia has trapped Shylock through his own insistence upon the letter of the law of Contract, she produces another law by which any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden-2/after-portia-has-trapped-shylock-through-his-own-insistence-upon-the/) [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) > [“Antisemitism did not begin in Germany, or anywhere else, in 1918; Jews had been regarded as dangerous outsiders for centuries, and anti-Jewish feeling usually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-goldstein/antisemitism-did-not-begin-in-germany-or-anywhere-else-in-1918-jews/) [Phyllis Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-goldstein/) > [Most Labour members are genuine anti-racists who oppose antisemitism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-lewis/most-labour-members-are-genuine-anti-racists-who-oppose-antisemitism/) [Clive Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-lewis/) > [“Accordingly, it must and dare not be considered a trifling matter but a most serious one to seek counsel against this and to save…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/accordingly-it-must-and-dare-not-be-considered-a-trifling-matter-but/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“As far as the Jews were concerned, the transformation of the "crime" of Judaism into the fashionable "vice" of Jewishness was dangerous in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/as-far-as-the-jews-were-concerned-the-transformation-of-the-crime-of/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) [Browse all 84 Antisemitism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antisemitism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I first heard of antisemitism only later, when my father told me how Oswald Mosley had fomented riots in the thirties by marching his paramilitary Fascist thugs called “Blackshirts” through Jewish districts in London’s East End. 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