The instant New York Times bestseller. Winner of the PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction.
In Peter Beinart's view, one story dominates Jewish communal life: that of persecution and victimhood. It is a story, he argues, that erases much of the nuance of Jewish religious tradition and warps our understanding of Israel and Palestine.
After Gaza — where Jewish texts, history, and language have been deployed to justify mass slaughter and starvation — Beinart contends that Jews must tell a new story. After this war, whose horror will echo for generations, they must offer a new answer to the question: What does it mean to be a Jew?
Beinart imagines an alternate narrative, drawing on other nations' efforts at moral reconstruction and a different reading of Jewish tradition. A story in which Israeli Jews have the right to equality, not supremacy. In which Jewish and Palestinian safety are not mutually exclusive but intertwined. One that recognises the danger of venerating states at the expense of human life.
Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza is a provocative argument that will expand and inform one of the defining conversations of our time. A book that only Peter Beinart could write — passionate yet measured, drawing on personal experience, a commanding grasp of history, a keen understanding of political and moral dilemmas, and a clear vision for the future.
Praise
"A brave and vital contribution to contemporary American intellectual life, challenging readers to reckon with the demands of justice, equity, and accountability in the face of one of the most consequential and divisive issues of our time." — Judges' Citation, PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award
"At this painful moment, Peter Beinart's voice is more vital than ever. His reach is broad, his scholarship is deep, and his heart is big." — Adam Hochschild, author of King Leopold's Ghost
"Urgent and thought-provoking, this is sure to spark debate." — Publishers Weekly
About the author
Peter Beinart is a Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the Newmark School of Journalism at CUNY. He is a contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, editor-at-large of Jewish Currents, an MSNBC contributor, and writes The Beinart Notebook, a weekly newsletter. He is a fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace and lives with his family in New York City.
