Jewish Groups Fear Madoff Case Stokes Anti-Semitism

Of all the words that have been used to describe the Bernard L. Madoff scandal, the most emotionally charged may be "Jewish."

The disgraced investment guru is accused of running a $50 billion Ponzi scheme that preyed heavily on fellow Jews, draining the fortunes of Jewish charities and universities.

The charges are particularly wrenching for some in the Jewish community who fear that the senational case is fanning vicious stereotypes about Jews that go back to the Middle Ages.

The Anti-Defamation League cites a spike in anti-Semitic comments online after Madoff's Dec. 11 arrest. And the American Jewish Committee's executive director wrote a letter criticizing The New York Times for emphasizing Madoff's faith in stories about the scandal.

Some of Madoff's victims include Yeshiva University, which lost $110 million. Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, lost $90 million, and a $15 million foundation established by Holocaust survivor and writer Elie Wiesel was wiped out.