Few people have ever been as commonly hated or openly persecuted as the Jews. The Romans saw them as backwards, confusing and an endless source of trouble. Medieval Europe loathed them, and Jewish communities were leveled by both sides of the Crusades. Anti-Semitism was easily the norm well into the 20th century when it came to a vicious and bloody head during the Holocaust. Even that tragedy was not enough to shake off the specter of anti-Semitism entirely. Indeed, hatred toward the Jews is still alive and well in much of the world today, especially in the Middle East.

Despite being surrounded by enemies on all sides and often being badly outnumbered, Jews managed to preserve their cultural and religious identity for nearly 2,000 years without a homeland. Most cultures would have slowly died out as the people who practiced them assimilated into the country in which they lived. That is what happens with most immigrants who do not have large populations, support to help them preserve their cultural heritage and a somewhat isolated and insular community. Despite having none of these in most of the world, the Jewish identity was never forgotten.