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Antisemitism is often absent from workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Despite rising antisemitic violence and rhetoric around the world, many Jewish employees still go overlooked and unsupported at work. Inclusion means more than broad commitments; it requires specific, noticeable action.
Our Jewish friends, family, and colleagues need to know that we will show up for them, not just in words but through meaningful, everyday practices. That includes challenging antisemitism wherever it shows up and supporting Jewish people in their full, multifaceted identities.
Yet in many organizations, antisemitism is disregarded. Jewish cultural awareness and inclusion are often missing from workplace equity efforts.
Over the years, we’ve spoken with leaders from start-ups to Fortune 500s, DEI professionals, HR leaders, and people managers. We’ve asked why antisemitism is so rarely addressed alongside other forms of oppression, and why there’s so little advocacy, education, or programming designed to support Jewish employees.
The reasons vary, and we explore them in this resource, but whatever the reason, the result is the same: Jewish team members are too often left without recognition, support, or safety.
This resource is designed to help leaders understand antisemitism in its many forms and to take real, informed actions to support Jewish inclusion in the workplace. It is not a geopolitical statement, nor does it prescribe religious interpretations. It does not represent every Jewish person, every DEI professional, or every organization. Diversity includes complexity, and this is one tool among many to help navigate that complexity with care. We welcome your feedback at hello@feminuity.org.
The History of Antisemitism
Antisemitism refers to prejudice, hostility, or discrimination toward Jewish people based on religion, ethnicity, culture, or perceived identity. At its core, it is a form of hatred.
Although many people cite the Holocaust as the origin of widespread antisemitism, anti-Jewish beliefs and laws have existed for millennia. Sometimes referred to as the “longest hatred,” many current stereotypes can be traced back to the Middle Ages.
Long before the Holocaust, Jewish people in Europe were segregated from broader society through legislation that restricted where they could live, what jobs they could hold, and how they could participate in public life. One of the earliest widely documented pogroms occurred in Russia in 1821.
Canada has its own troubling history of antisemitism, including events like the Christie Pits Riot in 1933 and the government’s refusal to accept over 900 Jewish refugees aboard the MS St Louis during their attempt to flee Nazi Germany.
Ultimately, antisemitism is a persistent and evolving form of hate that continues today in overt and subtle forms. Alongside the rise of fascist and neo-Nazi groups, antisemitic vandalism, and hate rallies, this bias also shows up in quieter, coded, and often more insidious ways.
One example is the spelling of the word antisemitism. Some people, often out of habit or outdated grammar conventions, use a hyphen, writing it as “anti-Semitism.” However, leading institutions like the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) recommend spelling it without the hyphen: “antisemitism.”
Why does this matter? The hyphenated version can unintentionally suggest the existence of something called “Semitism,” a term rooted in pseudo-scientific racial theory used to justify Nazi ideology. Removing the hyphen centers the term on what it truly describes: prejudice and hatred toward Jewish people. It’s a small but meaningful change that reflects a deeper awareness of language, history, and harm.
A Missing “Ism” in DEI
The field of DEI has undergone significant evolution in recent years. At times, this progress has been reactively fuelled by events such as the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 in the United States and the global rise in racist and xenophobic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet an important gap remains: the lack of attention to antisemitism in workplace conversations about equity and inclusion.
When antisemitic concerns are not acknowledged, it can create feelings of erasure, exclusion, and unsafety for Jewish team members. Leaving one form of oppression unnamed also obscures the reality that all forms of hate are interconnected and must be addressed together to challenge systemic discrimination and build lasting equity.
Antisemitism is not only a form of religious discrimination; it is a systemic oppression deeply entangled with racism, xenophobia, and conspiracy theories, and it has often been weaponized to divide communities experiencing marginalization.
Why Leaders Hesitate to Address Antisemitism
In conversations with leaders, several reasons have surfaced for why antisemitism is often left unaddressed in workplace equity efforts. These reasons vary. For some, it is a lack of awareness. For others, the topic feels too complex, politically charged, or painful to approach. Many leaders also describe feeling unequipped to talk about antisemitism without saying the “wrong” thing.
Below, we explore some of the most common reasons leaders have cited. These are not excuses but patterns that help explain the silence, and that must be addressed if equity strategies are to be credible, consistent, and effective.
Stereotypes, Conspiracies, and Misinformation
One of the reasons leaders have shared for hesitating to address antisemitism is the persistence of stereotypes, conspiracies, and misinformation. These narratives are deeply embedded in media, social groups, political rhetoric, and broader culture. They are often inaccurate, reductive, and dehumanizing, encouraging people to view Jewish individuals as caricatures rather than recognizing their full complexity and humanity.
One of the most persistent and damaging stereotypes is the idea that all Jewish people are wealthy, consequential, or connected to global influence. This belief has led to the harmful exclusion of Jewish voices from equity conversations in workplaces. When people falsely assume that Jewish individuals don’t experience marginalization, it erases the real experiences of discrimination, bias, and violence that many continue to face, especially those from working-class or otherwise underrepresented Jewish communities.
These stereotypes are not isolated but part of a broader web of misinformation and dangerous conspiracy theories. Antisemitism has often been described as a “conspiracy theory about how the world operates,” suggesting that all Jewish people control governments, financial systems, or social change movements.
Such broad sweeping stereotypes fuel hate, justify violence, and have historically contributed to harm on a mass scale. In workplace contexts, such narratives can subtly shape who is believed, who is promoted, and whose experiences are included, or excluded, from equity strategies. Understanding and interrupting these narratives is essential to advancing meaningful equity efforts.
Identity, Religion, and Spirituality
Another reason leaders have hesitated to address antisemitism is a limited understanding of Jewish identity. Workplace initiatives often frame Jewishness only through the lens of religion or spirituality. In reality, Jewish identity is multifaceted. It encompasses religion, but also culture, ethnicity, ancestry, language, and shared history.
Many Jewish people do not practice Judaism as a religion yet identify strongly as Jewish. This includes secular, atheist, and culturally Jewish individuals who may not observe religious customs or attend synagogue but participate in Jewish life through holidays, food, family traditions, or cultural connections.
Jewish identity is also shaped by diverse migration stories, national and regional histories, and ethnic backgrounds. Communities such as Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Mizrahi, Ethiopian, and Abayudaya Jews reflect different languages, geographies, and traditions. There is no single way to be Jewish.
For some, Jewishness is primarily a religious identity. For others, it is ethnic, ancestral, or cultural. Many experience it as all three. Recognizing these layers matters because inclusion efforts that focus only on faith can exclude large portions of the Jewish community.
Effective workplace strategies must account for the full spectrum of Jewish identity, not just its religious expression.
Race and Jewish Identity
Another reason leaders have cited for hesitating to address antisemitism is uncertainty about how to include Jewish people in equity efforts given the complexity of Jewish identity. One misconception that leaders often reference is the idea that all Jewish people are white. This assumption ignores the racial and ethnic diversity within global Jewish communities and erases the lived experiences of Black Jews, Asian Jews, Hispanic and Latine Jews, Middle Eastern/North African (MENA) Jews, Indigenous Jews, and others.
This challenge is further complicated by ongoing debates in North America about whether Jewish people, particularly Jews who are perceived as white, should be considered “racialized.” Some leaders argue that white-presenting Jews benefit from certain privileges, while others caution that this framing can obscure the specific, racialized forms of antisemitism Jewish people have historically faced and continue to face, especially from white supremacist groups.
In North America, race is often understood narrowly in terms of skin tone or physical appearance. Jewish identity, which encompasses ancestry, culture, religion, and history, does not fit neatly into that framework. As a result, many leaders describe feeling ill-equipped to navigate conversations about how Jewish people experience marginalization and how to reflect that complexity in equity strategies.
Antisemitism and White Supremacy
Another reason leaders cite for hesitating to address antisemitism is the misconception that it is separate from other systems of hate. In reality, research shows that antisemitism is a foundational part of white supremacist ideology, and understanding this connection is critical to building effective equity strategies.
White nationalist groups frequently claim that progress in civil rights, feminism, and LGBTQIA2+ inclusion is being orchestrated by a secretive, powerful “elite” they label as Jewish. In these narratives, Jewish people are not framed through religion but as a racialized and existential threat, an “other” whose Jewishness cannot be erased through assimilation or conversion.
In the imagined “white-only” state these groups promote, Jewish people are excluded alongside Black, Indigenous, and other racialized communities. White supremacist propaganda often portrays Jewish visibility or perceived whiteness in North America as a manipulation, a so-called “deception” designed to destabilize “true” whiteness.
Studies of extremist movements show that Neo-Nazi symbols and slogans are common at white supremacist rallies, where antisemitic hatred appears in tandem with anti-Black, anti-Asian, anti-Muslim, and anti-immigrant violence. These ideologies do not exist in isolation. They reinforce and embolden one another.
For leaders, this means that confronting white supremacy requires also confronting antisemitism. Ignoring one while addressing the other weakens the foundation of any equity strategy. These systems of oppression are deeply intertwined and must be dismantled together.
Jewish Identity and Global Politics
Another reason leaders have cited for hesitating to address antisemitism is the complexity that arises when global discourse enters the workplace. Jewish identity, Judaism, the actions of the Israeli government, and the State of Israel are often conflated. A further challenge comes from the distinction between supporting or criticizing political leaders and supporting or opposing a state. When these nuances collapse, Jewish individuals may feel unfairly held responsible for government actions, regardless of their personal views or connection to the region. This can create isolation or silence in the workplace and make leaders anxious about engaging.
Across the global Jewish community, perspectives vary widely. Some people have a deep personal connection to the State of Israel and support its leaders. Some feel connected to the state but strongly criticize its leaders. Some do not feel connected to the State of Israel and oppose the actions of its government. Many hold complex and shifting views that reflect the layered realities of identity, history, and politics, and do not fit neatly into a single category.
Leaders are asked to hold this complexity with thoughtfulness and care. Making space for respectful dialogue and honouring diverse lived experiences is challenging, yet it is essential for creating workplaces where no one feels targeted or excluded because of their identity.
Putting the Missing “Ism” into Practice
These are only some of the reasons leaders may struggle to address antisemitism at work. Naming them is a first step, but addressing them requires intentional, ongoing effort to challenge the presence of antisemitism and ensure Jewish team members feel acknowledged, supported, and safe.
Recognize Diversity
Acknowledging the complexity of each Jewish person’s identity and experiences is essential. An intersectional lens can help guide this understanding. Jewish people are racially, culturally, economically, and religiously diverse, including Black, Latine, Asian, MENA, Indigenous, and white Jews. Some follow religious customs, while others connect to Judaism culturally or ethnically. Some are disabled, economically marginalized, or navigating homelessness. Jewish identity intersects with many other aspects of identity, just like any other community.
When we recognize this diversity, it becomes clear that antisemitism doesn’t exist in a vacuum. These systems often reinforce one another, and the impact is compounded for those whose identities sit at multiple margins. Understanding how antisemitism connects with broader patterns of hate and exclusion helps us better support all people whose identities are targeted. When we address these oppressions together, rather than in silos, we build stronger, more inclusive environments for everyone.
Collect Good Data
Too often, Jewish people are excluded from workplace surveys or lumped into categories that fail to reflect the full scope of their identity. Jewish identity goes beyond religion; it encompasses ethnicity, ancestry, culture, and shared history. Organizations should consider collecting data under the categories of “Religion and Beliefs” and “Race and Ethnicity” to capture this complexity when appropriate.
In addition to demographics, it’s essential to understand the day-to-day experiences of Jewish employees. Insights into how antisemitism, bias, exclusion, or microaggressions show up at work can help shape more targeted, meaningful interventions.
At the same time, it’s essential to recognize the historical trauma around data collection in Jewish communities. Throughout history, governments have used identity data to surveil, exclude, and persecute Jewish people. As a result, many Jewish employees may feel hesitant or unsafe disclosing their identity in surveys.
Data can be a powerful tool for inclusion, but it must be collected transparently, stored securely, and used with care. No employee should ever feel pressured or required to disclose their identity. Trust, transparency, and consent must always come first.
Dismantle Stereotypes
Stereotypes about Jewish people, whether negative or seemingly positive, are harmful, even when they’re framed as jokes or compliments. These ideas often go unchallenged in workplace conversations, making them seem acceptable or harmless. But every time they’re repeated, they reinforce bias.
When we recognize these moments, we must reflect on our language and behaviour and interrupt when we witness others repeating stereotypes. One helpful tactic is a micro-interruption: a respectful pause to ask, “Can you tell me what you meant by that?” This creates space for reflection without shame.
Even so-called “positive” stereotypes can be damaging. For example, saying, “Give David the account; he’s good with money,” may sound complimentary, but it reinforces longstanding myths about Jewish financial control, wealth, and power. These tropes have fueled centuries of discrimination and violence.
Positive stereotypes also strengthen negative ones by reinforcing a binary of the “good” or “bad” Jew. The idea that Jewish people are especially smart with money may feel benign, but it connects directly to conspiracy theories that claim Jewish people control financial systems or global institutions.
This is sometimes called philosemitic antisemitism, a form of bias that appears flattering on the surface but ultimately reduces Jewish people to stereotypes and paves the way for more explicit forms of hate. A better approach is to practice shifting your perception to consider people as unique, individual beings. Speak with care and compassion. Interrupt bias when you witness it. And remember: admiration rooted in stereotypes is not inclusion, it’s just another form of erasure.
Address Systems of Power
Governments worldwide make decisions that can cause harm, yet too often, blame is wrongly placed on communities that are not responsible for those actions. Like many other groups, Jewish people navigate complex political and social realities, but they are not collectively accountable for the actions of any government, including the State of Israel.
Being critical of a government’s policies is different from targeting an entire people. When critique turns into broad generalizations or stereotypes, especially those rooted in antisemitism, it shifts from a discussion about power to something personal, harmful, and discriminatory.
Inclusion-driven leadership requires nuance. We can and should examine systems of power while refusing to perpetuate bias against individuals or communities. This means being intentional in how we speak, write, and create space for essential conversations without putting Jewish employees in the position of having to explain, defend, or distance themselves from a government because of their identity.
Build Bridges in Dialogue
As a leader, it is essential to approach conversations with care, humility, and a willingness to engage beyond polarized or antisemitic narratives. For many, these discussions are emotionally charged and deeply personal. Avoiding them altogether can create silence at a time when understanding and support are most needed.
Rather than entering these conversations as the expert or the one holding all the answers, aim to act as a bridge-builder. This means showing up as someone who facilitates rather than dominates, listens rather than lectures, and makes space for multiple truths. As writer Frances Lee notes, bridge-building means creating the conditions for dialogue, not control.
One of the most powerful tools in bridge-building is letting go of binary thinking, which is the tendency to view complex issues in either/or terms, such as for or against, pro or anti, right or wrong. This thinking limits dialogue and creates pressure to take a single side, even when the situation demands nuance. It often shows up in conversations about injustice, where communities are positioned in opposition as if only one experience or truth can be valid at a time. Leaders will do well to actively counter this mindset by making space for “both/and” conversations.
In the workplace, bridge-building also means designing inclusive policies and practices that reflect the full range of identities and experiences. This requires an intersectional, systems-level approach and a commitment to engaging with complexity rather than avoiding it.
Remember Observances
Supporting Jewish inclusion means recognizing Jewish holidays as moments of deep reflection, connection, and community. One of the most impactful ways workplaces can show respect is by accommodating Jewish holidays with care and flexibility.
Jewish team members may observe some or all of the holidays, depending on their religious, cultural, or personal connection level. Observance includes time off, prayer, or refraining from work for some. For others, it may mean celebrating with family or community or not marking the holidays. Inclusion means respecting the full range of these expressions without assumptions or judgment.
It’s also helpful to know that many Jewish holidays begin and end at sunset, not midnight. This means team members may need to leave early or be fully offline for a period that doesn’t align with a standard 9-to-5 workday. Lastly, Jewish holidays follow a lunar calendar, so their dates shift yearly relative to the Gregorian calendar.
Proactive planning, flexible scheduling, and open communication go a long way in helping Jewish employees feel respected and supported. Learn more in our Global Holidays, Observances, & Celebrations Calendar.
A Final Note
Understanding the long and ongoing history of antisemitism is essential for anyone committed to building an inclusive workplace. Harm in professional settings is compounded by a lack of awareness about the diversity and intersectionality of Jewish identities, the normalization of harmful stereotypes, and the discriminatory expectation that Jewish people should answer for or be associated with the actions of the Israeli government.
This kind of discrimination does not disappear on its own. It will persist unless leaders take meaningful and proactive steps to recognize and address antisemitism as part of their broader equity and inclusion efforts. Supporting Jewish team members requires moving beyond silence or discomfort. It means showing up, engaging in continual learning, and creating workplaces where all people feel safe, respected, and valued.
Give Credit Where Credit's Due
If you wish to reference this work, please use the following citation: Feminuity. "Supporting Jewish Team Members at Work"
