In the Spanish city of León, a Holy Week drinking tradition is still commonly referred to as “matando judíos,” or “killing Jews.” The custom involves bar hopping and drinking lemonade or wine in the days leading up to Easter. But the name attached to it carries a far darker history.
Spain’s antisemitic past is not abstract. For centuries, Jews were blamed for the death of Jesus, persecuted, forcibly converted, expelled, and murdered. Historical accounts have linked the phrase “killing Jews” in León to violence against local Jewish communities.
Today, defenders often argue that the phrase is not antisemitic, but merely an old tradition. That defense collapses when the same celebrations include jokes about the Holocaust, references to “six million,” and language comparing Jews to rats.
Tradition does not excuse dehumanization. A practice does not become harmless simply because it is old or familiar. If the phrase targeted almost any other minority, or even animals, many people would immediately recognize the cruelty.
This is how antisemitism survives. It disguises itself as humor, culture, custom, or local folklore. Then, when Jews object, they are told they are overreacting.
But calling a tradition “killing Jews” is not harmless. It is the normalization of Jew-hatred in plain sight.
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