We would like to call attention to FutureLearn’s latest online course, “Antisemitism: From Its Origins to the Present.” By examining different periods and societies, the course seeks to explore the development of anti-Semitism as well as its changing nature over time, place and culture. Designed by Yad Vashem—The World Holocaust Remembrance Center, the course is free and currently open for enrollment. The course is currently in its second week, and upon enrollment, students will gain access to the first two weeks of material. The following represents a brief overview of some of the topics discussed in these early weeks, as well as a general outline. Each week, students examine a general topic relating to anti-Semitism, exploring these themes through lectures, interviews, readings, and quizzes. The first theme of the course, “What is Anti-Semitism? Definitions and Origins” sets the tone for the remainder of the class. Separated into eight modules, the first week begins by exploring the sentiment that lies at the basis of anti-Semitism: hate. After an initial discussion on the nature of hate, including its myriad triggers and expressions, lecturers guide students in a dialogue on the relationship between hate and anti-Semitism. The professors pay special attention to the fact that anti-Semitism distinguishes itself from many other forms of prejudice or stereotyping because it is also connected to metaphysical theories. Next, students begin dissecting the term “anti-Semitism” by exploring its etymology and historical roots dating back to Germany in the late 19th century. They also investigate the problems associated with the term “antisemitism” including its infrequent, although significant, use as a term that does not denote hostility towards Jews. Additionally, students learn more about this hatred’s targets—the Jews, whose history dates back to antiquity. Lecturers explore their rich history, beginning with 12 tribes who lived in “Eretz Yisrael” and going all the way to the formation of the State of Israel in the mid-20th century. This leads to the longest and most in-depth unit of Week 1: The Historical Roots of Anti-Semitism, which begins with a discussion of anti-Jewish perceptions in the Greco-Roman world. Owing to their unique traditions and customs, such as monotheism and circumcision, the Jews became the targets of the first, more tempered, forms of anti-Semitism. However, the real turning point in the history of anti-Semitism came with the advent of Christianity 2,000 years ago. By the middle of the first century, Jews became the quintessential “other” in Christian theological discourse, and have continued to play this role for centuries, perhaps even until today. This was largely because early Christian theologians tended to assert Christianity by contrasting it with Judaism, by defining the identity of the Christian against that of the Jewish “other.” And with the conversion of the Roman Empire to Christianity in the 4th century, Jews began to encounter increasing intolerance and restrictions, and the accusation that Jews were not only guilty of not accepting the message of Jesus, but were also directly and collectively responsible for his murder, began to take hold. This subjugation would continue under Augustine, who aimed to subordinate and enslave the Jews as fossils of antiquity. Week 1 continues with a brief foray into the nature of anti-Judaism, which Prof. David Nirenberg defines as “a way of thinking about the world that understands Judaism as a category in the world that is important and, sometimes dangerous, and sometimes the very thing that has to be overcome, in order to perfect the world, or in order to perfect yourself.” In addition, he illustrates how the addition of anti-Judaism to anti-Semitism is the driving force behind this hatred’s staying power. The first week concludes by discussing the role of Jews in the Middle Ages, which was an era when attitudes toward Jews and Judaism became increasingly hostile and brutal. In fact, it is in Christian medieval Europe that the roots of many of the anti-Semitic stereotypes and tropes, some of which are still familiar today, can be found. With an early historical background firmly established during Week 1, students trace “The Changing Face of Anti-Semitism,” in the modern era during Week 2. This process begins by focusing on the 16th to 18th centuries, where major trends and movements such as the Protestant Reformation and the Enlightenment resulted in exploration, globalization, and early forms of capitalism. As a result, the center of Jewish life no longer became concentrated in Western Europe, with Jews eventually settling in Eastern Europe and in parts of the Ottoman Empire. However, while the surroundings may have differed, their exclusion from society and continued subjugation remained constant. An interesting case study however is the effect of the Enlightenment on anti-Semitism, as it resulted in both positive and negative attitudes towards the Jews. A central theme in this time period was challenging the notion of the Catholic Church, and since Judaism was at the origins of Catholicism and Jews were seen as the most “obstinate,” anti-Semitism became increasingly hostile and prevalent. Students then explore modern forms of anti-Semitism (18th to early 20th century), which begins with the gradual return of Jews to areas of western Europe from which they had been previously been expelled. As a result, many parts of Europe began to encounter a large number Jews for the first time in hundreds of years, which contributed to the development of hostile attitudes and the emergence of modern forms of anti-Semitism. For example, the gradual emancipation of Jews, which granted them complete legal equality and full citizenship, eliminated centuries-long restrictions. As the potential for high quality of life for Jews changed, so too did anti-Semitism. It evolved into two directions: one against the traditional, poor Jews and one against those successful Jews who entered society and become wealthy and powerful. In addition, nationalist thought, which was prevalent during this era, helped contribute to the rise of modern anti-Semitism by bringing to light questions of belonging and otherness. Evolving from the romantic perceptions of nationalism, and from the new scientific notions of race, a new form of anti-Semitism rose in the second half of the 19th century which is known as racial anti-Semitism. Derived from age-old prejudices and secularized by developments in science and other scholarly research in the 18th and 19th centuries, this particularly repulsive form of anti-Semitism would lay the groundwork for the formulation of the Nazi ideology. The course then switches gears to focus more on the rise of modern anti-Semitism in specific countries, namely Germany, France, and the Russian Empire. For example, the course addresses how major geopolitical and economic changes in 19th century Germany provided the catalyst for modernization, which gave rise to feelings of fear and hatred that were often channeled toward the Jews. During this era, Germany began wrestling with questions about its identity and future. As a way to define their identity, the Germans drew on their anti-Jewish feelings and identified Jews as a common “enemy.” While this helped to unite Germans, it resulted in the harsh and hostile treatment of Jews. In addition, students examine the impact of “The Protocols of Elders of Zion,” a fabricated anti-Semitic text that emerged out of late 19th century Russia and gained notoriety worldwide. Based on materials borrowed from earlier conspiratorial writings and theories, the “Protocols of Elders of Zion” gained recognition among members of the Nazi party and, as evidenced by Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf, incorporated it into their ideology. Week 2 concludes with an introduction into the topic of Zionism, which emerged in the 19th century in response to rising hostility toward Jews and anti-Jewish traditions. The Zionist movement, which revived the Hebrew language and demanded that the existence of a Jewish nation be recognized, would eventually result in the formulation of new forms of anti-Semitism in the 20th and 21st centuries. The topics mentioned here are by no means an exhaustive list of those covered in the online course. Over the first two weeks, students establish and explore the historical development of anti-Semitism which lays the essential groundwork for the remainder of the course. Education remains one of the most powerful instruments in combating anti-Semitism, and Yad Vashem and FutureLearn’s anti-Semitism course represents the latest addition to that arsenal.