Lot of great conversations happening about antisemitism in worldbuilding, but one thing I want to emphasize is that it's not as simple as "don't do X creature" or "don't do Y magic"

You have to understand the historical context behind these tropes, understand what they represent

So everyone knows now that Rowling's goblins are super antisemitic. But the takeaway shouldn't just be "goblins are antisemitic".

If Rowling called them fnarfs and made them towering gold robots, they'd STILL be antisemitic because they're a race of shadowy underground bankers

On the flipside, one of the most beloved Hannukah books of all time is all about goblins! They represent the forces trying to destroy Jewish traditions, and they're defeated through cunning and faith! It rules!

It's the same with "blood magic". Blood magic is not INHERENTLY blood libel, and many works have blood magic in ways that are fine. But blood magic *can* reflect the blood libel. It's all dependent on the context, the representation, the framing.

My worry is that a lot of people will come away from these conversations with "okay, no goblins or blood magic" and then go on to just create the exact same antisemitic tropes under another name

This is what we mean when we talk about how interwoven antisemitism is through European folklore and culture. It's much deeper than just a simple trope. It's foundational to whole genres of storytelling (conspiracy theories and secret councils, shadowy sacrificial sects)

If you want to avoid antisemitism in your worldbuilding, you need to dig deep. Research the history. Read Jewish authors. Hire sensitivity readers.

And don't name any characters Adonai. What the hell.