The Argentine Justice Orders the RAE to Block the Fifth Meaning of the Term "Jew"

A judge in Argentina has ordered the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) to block one of the definitions given to the word 'Jew' because it considers it "a hate speech that incites discrimination on religious grounds." Three years ago, they sent a letter to the director of the organization, Santiago Muñoz Machado, demanding the elimination of this meaning, which says it is "said of a person: greedy or usurer." However, at that time, the entity considered that it could not be removed and chose to add a note pointing out that it is an "offensive or discriminatory" use.

The measure adopted by the RAE after the first demand sent from Argentina did not satisfy the demanding organizations. For this reason, they decided to go to court for them to make the decision. It was this Friday when the Criminal and Correctional Court of the country ruled in favor of the RAE immediately removing the fifth meaning of the word 'Jew.' However, the Spanish organization has assured that it will only take a position on this decision when it receives official communication.

The complaint, filed by the Latin American Jewish Congress (CJL), the Delegation of Argentine Israeli Associations (DAIA), and the Association of Jewish Lawyers of the Argentine Republic (AAJRA), indicates that this definition can incite "hatred" and "discrimination" on religious grounds. And given that the RAE is expected to take time to pronounce on the matter, Argentine justice has requested that the National Communications Entity provisionally block access to the definition of 'Jew' until the Spanish Academy complies "with what was ordered."

"For years, Jewish communities have tried to dialogue with the RAE to modify the anti-Semitic content of its definition, but the only response we received only worsened the situation. Given this situation, we were forced to resort to legal action," said Claudio Epelman, director of the Latin American Jewish Congress.

They are not the only ones who have requested a modification of this definition. In September 2023, more than 20 Spanish-speaking Jewish communities from around the world also formally requested that the Royal Spanish Academy suppress this meaning. All of them appealed "to RAE's sensitivity to promote respectful and inclusive language." They also requested for similar reasons, complete suppression of the entry 'judiada,' which is defined in its first meaning as "a dirty trick or action that harms someone."