First published 2025
Peter Beinart confronts the dominant Jewish narrative of persecution and victimhood that he argues has distorted both religious tradition and political understanding of Israel and Palestine. The acclaimed columnist contends that Jewish texts, history, and language were used to justify mass slaughter and starvation in Gaza. He calls for Jews to construct a different story about their identity and purpose. Beinart proposes an alternative framework drawn from other nations' moral reconstruction efforts and alternative readings of Jewish tradition. His vision centers on Israeli Jews having rights to equality rather than supremacy, with Jewish and Palestinian safety as interconnected rather than competing concerns. The book warns against elevating state worship over human life. Beinart combines his personal background with historical analysis and political insight to tackle this defining contemporary debate. He offers both critique of current Jewish communal thinking and a roadmap for transformation after a war whose effects will persist across generations.
Genres: 21st-century, israel, activism, antisemitism, academic, jewish
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-transformation, social-justice
Setting: Gaza, Israel, Palestine
Period: 21st-century
181 pages · Kindle Edition · Knopf