Antisemitism, statistics, and the scientization of Hebrew political discourse: the case study of "Ha-tsefirah"

In the 19th century, Jews became the subject of social-statistical studies which were often used to justify antisemitic ideas. Jewish social scientists and physicians used the same statistical tools to respond to this "scientific antisemitism". In Eastern Europe, the Jewish press, and particularly the Hebrew press, used statistics to counter antisemitic claims. Since the Hebrew press could not address other nationalities, the effect of its anti-antisemitic rhetoric was limited to the Jewish community. It attempted not only to withstand the antisemitic onslaught and to strengthen the community, but also to reform Jewish life, to change the Jewish way of thinking, etc. Examines the strategic use of statistics in political rhetoric by the Hebrew periodical "Ha-tsefirah" published in Warsaw in the 1880s - e.g. the newspaper attempted to mobilize its readers by requesting that they send in data regarding professional occupations in their community in order to refute the charge of Jewish parasitism.