In the past few days, an antisemitic trend on different social media platforms has come to my attention.
On TikTok, users are mixing the audio from Fiddler on the Roof’s “If I Were a Rich Man” with a new filter that exaggerates facial features in a way that resembles antisemitic tropes.
@ryanroberts13If I was a rich man… ##trend ##fypシ ##wtf ##funny ##comedy ##ifiwasarichman ##funnyface♬ . – jimboslice1
@jimmyleestokes##expressions ##richman ##ifiwasarichman♬ . – jimboslice1
@alexsales2021##fyp ##ifiwasarichman ##viral ##explorepage ##explore ##trending ##like ##follow ##tiktoker♬ . – jimboslice1
@danwantsyouI’ve been waiting for this filter my whole life!!🤣🤣🤣 ##comedy ##trending ##ifiwasarichman ##fagan ##fyp ##foryoupage ##fypシ ##funny♬ . – jimboslice1
@youngatheart0712##ifiwasarichman##iworkatwalmart##walmartlife##funny##comedy##fyp##trending##WorthTheWait##jen12ph♬ . – jimboslice1
While it might seem this generation is totally doomed (for this and many other reasons), it is heartening to see some Jewish and non-Jewish kids fighting back with some videos of their own.
This video is also a great explainer on why the trend makes Jewish creators uncomfortable pic.twitter.com/wttx1Ru6WR
— Kalhan (@KalhanR) April 27, 2021
And another pic.twitter.com/uqyvjI0Ba4
— Kalhan (@KalhanR) April 28, 2021
If that wasn’t enough, my friend Harry just discovered an antisemitic filter on Snapchat.
Check out this antisemitic filter I found on @Snapchat @snapchatsupport. I don’t know what the writing on her face means, but the word “Jewish” and the dollar signs make me think that it’s not “mazel tov.” pic.twitter.com/RUe1khji6J
— Harry’s Baked (@HarryR) April 26, 2021
The word on her face apparently means “Jewess” in Russian, and Roger Waters can tell you all about what those dollar signs mean.
While I believe some of those involved with this trend are most certainly Jew-haters, I suspect some are just ignoramuses of the highest order. Both possibilities do not exactly fill me with hope. All we can do is continue trying to educate about Jew-hatred and fight it as hard as we can.