Antisemitism: Here and Now

by Deborah E. Lipstadt

***2019 NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD WINNER—Jew­ish Edu­ca­tion and Iden­ti­ty Award***The award-winning author of The Eichmann Trial and Holocaust History on Trial gives us a penetrating and provocative analysis of the hate that will not die, focusing on its current, virulent incarnations on both the political right and from white supremacist demonstrators in Charlottesville, Virginia, to mainstream enablers of antisemitism such as Donald Trump and Jeremy Corbyn, to a gay pride march in Chicago that expelled a group of women for carrying a Star of David banner.Over the last decade there has been a noticeable uptick in antisemitic rhetoric and incidents by left-wing groups targeting Jewish students and Jewish organizations on American college campuses. And the reemergence of the white nationalist movement in America, complete with Nazi slogans and imagery, has been reminiscent of the horrific fascist displays of the 1930s. Throughout Europe, Jews have been attacked by terrorists, and some have been murdered.Where is all this hatred coming from? Is there any significant difference between left-wing and right-wing antisemitism? What role has the anti-Zionist movement played? And what can be done to combat the latest manifestations of an ancient hatred? In a series of letters to an imagined college student and imagined colleague, both of whom are perplexed by this resurgence, acclaimed historian Deborah Lipstadt gives us her own superbly reasoned, brilliantly argued, and certain to be controversial responses to these troubling questions.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Jewish, Politics, Antisemitism, Judaism, Holocaust

305 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 2, 2018

About the author

Deborah Esther Lipstadt is an American historian and diplomat, best known as author of the books Denying the Holocaust (1993), History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier (2005), The Eichmann Trial (2011), and Antisemitism: Here and Now (2019). She has served as the United States Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism since May 3, 2022. Since 1993 she has been the Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, US.

Lipstadt was a consultant to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. In 1994, President of the United States Bill Clinton appointed her to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, and she served two terms. On July 30, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated her to be the United States Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism. She was confirmed by voice-vote on March 30, 2022, and sworn in on May 3, 2022. Lipstadt was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2023.

Reviews

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update.... I bring this book back up today… Given the horrific occurrence at the Jewish cemetery in San Diego.

This is an OUTSTANDING AUDIOBOOK... it ‘will’ open your eyes.


Audiobook read by Ellen Archer, Paul Boehmer, and Phoebe Strole

This is an OUTSTANDING Audiobook!
Given all the noticeable antisemitic occurrences in recent years: Charlottesville and the shootings at the Pittsburg Synagogue....left wing groups targeting Jewish students and Jewish organizations on American College campuses.....and Nazi slogans popping up around town....we can’t deny that Anti-Semitism is HERE and NOW.

Author, Deborah E. Lipstadt, A professor of Jewish history at Emory University wrote a very timely book.
I love the way this book is written. EASY TO FOLLOW ....HOLDS OUR ATTENTION. .....

Over the course of a year, Professor Lipstadt,
And.....
one of Lipstradt’s Jewish students, Abigail, who is about to graduate and go out into the world,
And.....
Professor Wilson, ‘Joe’...( a non-Jewish-law Professor from the same University), examine modern antisemitism from every angle. In conversational style .....through emails....(Group Viewing for all three of them).... Abigail, and Professor Wilson send emails to Professor Lipstradt and ask valuable questions, and share concerns. They lean on Lipstradt’s years of expertise & study - to help them understand WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON? AND WHY? They ask for tips, opinions, inquire about what they can do - exploring MANY THOUGHT-PROVOKING IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.

THIS IS NOT AN ACADEMIC book. It’s intimate and personal. It’s a fantastically ENGAGING READ....( definitely important to Jews and non Jews)....
SURPRISINGLY A VERY ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE spending time with THIS BOOK.

Perhaps ‘enjoyable’ is not the correct word...( I agree).... but what I’m trying to say is it’s NOT AT ALL BORING! NOR HARD TO COMPREHEND.
This book is perfect for THE MAJORITY - THE LAYPEOPLE - regardless if politically savvy or not. AWARENESS happens naturally through the journey one takes with this conversational injury-book.

Abigail asked the professor a simple ( embarrassing for her), question...
”what is the correct way to spell antisemitism? ....and why are there so many different spellings?- Is there any meaning behind the various ways it’s spelled? The answer was fascinating to me. I had never thought about this question.

Abigail brings concerns to the professor about social conversations with non Jews on campus about antisemitism. Are Jews themselves to blame - in part - of so much hate?
We look at conspiracy theories, delusional theories, illogical theories that we can’t understand ....( look at ways to define it), extremism, enablers, dinner party covert antisemites, clueless antisemitism, racism & antisemitism, Israel’s government, Zionism, De-Judaizing the Holocaust, BDS, ( Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions), etc. etc.


OUTSTANDING! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR EVERYONE.
I PROMISE .....( or I’ll eat my hat)....that it’s not only NOT BORING....but you come away with better vision - better hearing - and better informed.

5 STRONG STARS

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I became interested in this subject because of the news coverage of Charlottesville and the shootings at the Pittsburgh Synagogue. Therefore, I decided to read this book.

The book is well written and researched. Professor Lipstadt explores the subject in a series of letters to fictional composites: Abigail, a Jewish student, and Joe, a non-Jewish colleague. Lipstadt examines current day antisemitism. The author also discusses the conspiracy theorists or ideologues who cannot be reasoned out of their view points. I enjoyed the discussion about how to spell antisemitism and the meanings put on words. Lipstadt skillfully examines antisemitism. In the last few years, I am surprised at how rapidly worldwide antisemitism has spread.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is seven hours and thirty-seven minutes. Ellen Archer, Paul Boehmer and Phoebe Strole do a good job narratoring the book.

[Bruce Katz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deeply disturbing and timely book. I'm going to need time myself to think about it. The book is arranged in the form of email exchanges between Lipstadt, one of her graduating students, and a non-Jewish colleague from the law school. Each chapter critically examines a particular aspect of antisemitism, putting each in historical and sociopolitical perspective, evaluating the origins and significance of each, and discussing possible responses. Far more personal than any of her other work that I've read, and profoundly honest.

[Skip · Rating 3 out of 5]

The is little doubt that anti-semitism is on the rise, fueled by the explosion of social media and the rising tide of hatred in the U.S. and overseas. This book dives into current examples of anti-semitism and white nationalist violent demonstrations happening in the U.S. and in Europe today as well as in the past, including a long look at Holocaust deniers. I did not care for the book's format, where Lipstadt uses a series of letters to guide her wide-ranging but seemingly unfocused discussion. Anger against Israel's treatment of Palestinians, unjustified fears of Jewish control of governments and the media, even stereotypes or arguments that Jews are better off than other minorities, indifference to aggression against by political leaders like President Trump, the Labour Party in the U.K. and in France, and the failure of Warsaw bloc to acknowledge their complicity in the deportation of Jews are some of the many reasons for this deplorable situation.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This morning in the New York Times, there was a full-page aid thanking Trump for having appointed a person to “monitor and combat anti-semitism”.
Yeah, that was my reaction too.
Considering Trump’s reaction to what occurred at Charlottesville, let alone his ad that no real network agreed to run, one does wonder why.
And this wondering even occurs when one takes into account the rise of anti-semitism that has been occurring.
One also wonders what Dr. Deborah Lipstadt thinks of it.
LIpstadt’s new book focuses on anti-semitism, not only explaining exactly what it is, and how it gets tied up and sometimes conflated with criticism of Israel. The book includes a look at the boycott Israel movement as well as whether certain politicians on both sides of the pond are anti-semitism. She just doesn’t just examine trump and Corbyn but also other public figures and their comments.

The book is designed as an email between Lipstadt, a student, and another professor who is not Jewish. This allows for the answering of questions – what it the difference between anti-semitism and criticism of Israel, where do the two melds, how does one combat the racist belief that Jews control everything.

Lipstadt does seem to be in part inspired in terms of structure by Coates’ work, a debt which she
does acknowledge.

[D · Rating 1 out of 5]

OY VEY!!

[Bill FromPA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both siderism I came to this with some skepticism: I’d heard Lipstadt speaking briefly on the radio and one of the things she said, and repeats several times in the book, is that antisemitism currently comes from both the right and the left. I get defensive when I hear “both-siderism”: it always seems a ploy to come across as a disinterested observer commenting on a phenomenon. It’s so common among pundits to affect impartiality by using this formulation, that Trump believed he could finesse his responsibility for Charlottesville by stating, “There are good people on both sides”. Trying to be a fair-minded leftist, I decided to allow Lipstadt to try to convince me of her claim.

The format Lipstadt assumes the reader has some historic perspective on antisemitism and concentrates on current-day manifestations. I won’t go into most of them, but concentrate more on things to which I took issue or that I felt were inadequately treated. Before doing that, I’ll state that the book is on the whole a worthwhile look at the issue and Lipstadt is someone whose experience in the subject matter makes her a reliable guide. I thought the format was somewhat clumsy, Lipstadt fielding questions from two fictional questioners, one of her students, who is Jewish, and a fellow professor, a gentile teaching law. This approach seems to have given her the key to organizing her material, but historians should think better of introducing such fictional personages, as putting forward facts in an openly sourced manner should be seen as the foundation of their work’s legitimacy. I do appreciate that by going with this format in publication she was able to produce a book on a timely subject in a timely fashion rather than going through additional drafts to eliminate the student “Abigail” and professor “Joe”.

Getting side-tracked One of Lipstadt’s questionable decisions was to include a section on violence committed and threats made by Islamic extremists in response to perceived insults to their religion. She seems to intend this as a warning against “victim blaming”, but as she herself ends up admitting, these attacks differ in nature from antisemitic violence: in one case the victims were chosen “for something they did” - write a book, make a film, draw cartoons - but in the case of Jews they were attacked simply because of “who they were”.

That said, I was hoping for a more enlightening discussion of the Charlie Hebdo and Danish “Muhammed” cartoon controversies than Lipstadt provides. This is essentially a rehash of the controversies as aired at the time, with Lipstadt coming down as an absolute free speech advocate, critical of outlets that refused to reprint the cartoons and the few authors who protested the PEN award to the French magazine. As someone seeing both cases from an American perspective, I perceived them as instances where a group who were members of a society’s majority culture “punched down” by mocking the beliefs and behaviors of a minority group. After condemning the threatened or actual violence and asserting the rights of the victims to do what they did, media and free speech organizations had no further obligation to repeat the bullying behavior nor to award the bullies. (In a later chapter, unrelated to this subject, Lipstadt mentions that Denmark has an official state religion; I was unaware of this, and find it makes the punching-down aspect of the Danish cartoons even more distasteful. ) I have been looking for something that might explain why my American point-of-view is inadequate to understand these European situations, but so far haven’t seen anything that addresses this. Though Lipstadt opens her discussion of this matter with the case of Salman Rushdie and The Satanic Verses, I would not include him in this “punching down” group, mainly for the reason that he is writing from personal experience within Muslim culture and not as an outsider.

Antsemitism on the left Now to get to those leftist antisemites. I’d seen accusations of antisemitism against Jeremy Corbyn and the British Labour Party, but, having my plate more than full with American politics never paid much attention to the details. Lipstadt lays out the case against Corbyn and his supporters in what seems an accurate account. This is done in a letter to a group of “Oxford students” and so placed in a specifically British context. Lipstadt does not, as do some commentators on the right, make the dishonest argument than Corbyn’s questionable associations are somehow a contamination of the American left.

American leftists come in for accusations of antisemitism mainly through two sources: the BDS (Boycott, Disinvest, Sanctions) movement against Israel, and the associations of some activists with anti-Semitic figures such as Louis Farrakhan. I’ve been aware of some of the latter cases, but these, to my mind, tend to be marginal figures in the movement, people whose names only become prominent when the distasteful association is revealed; and the response is usually an apology and disassociation: either the person accused cuts contact with the offending party and disowns the association or else the accused themselves lose their position, sometimes both. No antisemitic association on the left has been nearly as prominent as Donald Trump’s with Steve Bannon. This is a frequent problem with “both-siderism”: a mote in one eye is equated with a beam in another.

I have only been marginally aware of the BDS movement. It has been my impression that, like the sanctions movement against South African apartheid, it was intended to put pressure on the Israeli government so that, rather than relying on its overwhelming military muscle to enforce its will in all matters, it would get serious about negotiating a peace agreement with Palestinians that results in some sort of Palestinian state. Lipstadt rather sees it as an eliminatory program dedicated to removing Israel from the map. There’s no question this is antisemitic, and seems, on Lipstadt’s telling, to be the goal of the original BDS movement as founded in 2005. Since then, however, I believe that a large number of people, many sympathetic to Jewish statehood and, as the author notes, many Jews, without in any way signing on to the original BDS program, have become more inclined toward some sort of boycott of Israel in the face of increasingly entrenched diplomatic intransigence. Lipstadt says

There’s nothing wrong in acknowledging that the current situation in the West bank is untenable, and in explaining that the most reasonable solution would be two sates – a Jewish state and a Palestinian state – side by side, with secure and defensible borders.

However, her tolerance of such dissent evidently stops at talk – she seems to reject all efforts to put economic leverage behind the critique.

The groves of Academe Lipstadt’s emphasis on talk at the expense of action may be a result of her general academic orientation: both of her imagined interlocutors are academics. I read and enjoy “academic novels” like The History Man, and one of the things I find amusing in these novels is that they often blow up objectively trivial and low-stakes disagreements into issues of world-shaking importance to their protagonists. In a way, this book is “academic nonfiction” in that many of the concerns Lipstadt raises, especially in regard to “leftist antisemitism”, are applicable mainly on college campuses. She cites cases where campus groups attempting to address social justice issues have expressed suspicion of Jewish students’ commitment to these causes because of their stated support for Israel and situations where invited speakers from Israel, including those critical of the Israeli government, were shouted down or “disinvited” after protests to their participation were raised. This gets into the whole “free speech on campus” issue which is an element of the so-called “culture wars” and, like the Islamic extremist attacks on free speech, well-trodden editorial ground to which Lipstadt contributes nothing new. My own view is that this, like most “culture war” issues, are controversies originally instigated by the right – in this case by the invitation of speakers supportive of racism and other ideologies anathematized by the left – which end up causing divisions within the left. The wise thing for leftists would be to not to take the bait to begin with, treating such speakers with neglect rather than protests, but I understand that this is too much to ask, especially among young people in a university setting. College is a time for young people to learn ways of being in the world and discovering and applying themselves to the issues that they consider most important in life. The excesses Lipstadt cites seem to me to be part of this learning process – if they go too far in some cases, it may be that the instructors and administrators that are responsible for this education have neglected their duties or are not acting appropriately as “the adults in the room” (which is, in fact, a theme of some academic novels).

The antisemite–Israeli pas-de-deux One topic which I was eager for Lipstadt to address was the occasional inclination of antisemites to nominally embrace Israel and, conversely, for some Israelis to embrace antisemites. She finally gets to this in the chapter “Myopia: Seeing Antisemitism Only on the Other Side”. I don’t think this categorization really covers this subject, which is more serious than Lipstadt’s treatment of it would indicate. She cites white supremacist Richard Spencer’s avowed admiration for Israel as an “ethno-state” which could serve as a model for the US. All she says about this is “He hates Jews but loves Israel,” as if no further comment were necessary to demonstrate irredeemable irrationality. She is unwilling to consider the possibility that Israel, especially under the current government, has carried forward policies which speak by example to the “blood and soil” racists seeking to create a monolithic ethnic state in the US in place of a multiethnic, multi-race, and multicultural democracy.

Lipstadt also cites Prime Minister Netanyahu’s establishment of close, friendly relations with antisemitic leaders in Poland, Hungary, and Austria (I would include Trump in this list, though Lipsatdt does not) and the stifling of any official criticism of these figures. The author sees this as a practice of realpolitik, though a misguided one with “dubious partners” which may lead to negative consequences in the future. I believe these moves are in fact very harmful in the present, especially for Jews in the US. As the reaction of Spencer shows, such policies give aid and comfort to other white supremacists, showing that vocal support for hard-line Israeli policies effectively inoculates them from criticism for antisemitic actions in their own country. Such actions on the part of the Israeli leadership will also drive more Americans, including many Jews, appalled at such alliances, toward the BDS movement which Lipsatdt deplores.

In describing a meeting “hosted by the Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations and the World Jewish Congress to strategize about combating BDS activity on college campuses and in social media”, Lipsatdt tells with obvious horror about insults and opprobrium piled on two Jewish students who represented “the left-of-center J Street U and the New Israel Fund” while, at the same meeting, “a Messianic Jew – a born Jew who converted to Christianity through Jews for Jesus” was met with cheers.

In mentioning Jews for Jesus, Lipstadt touches on the fringes of, as far as I’m aware, the most longstanding example of the mutual embrace between Israelis and adherents of an ideology that, though it presents itself as philo-semitic, is in its basics hardly distinguishable from antisemitism: the Fundamentalist Protestant “support” for the state of Israel. The Fundamentalists require Israel to exist as a stage set for their end time prophecies to be fulfilled, a narrative that involves the death of two-thirds of Jews and the conversion of the remainder. Admittedly this is a controversial issue, and an honest discussion of it may alienate many on the far right, but Lipstadt betrays her own directive to tell hard truths by avoiding it completely.

[Scott Gilman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Professor and author Deborah Lipstadt has made her name countering the slimy, hurtful acts of Holocaust deniers. It’s safe to say she has become the most well-known, and effective, person in defending the memory of Holocaust survivors, more so than even some institutions. Her voice has become one of authority and leadership in the push back against Holocaust denial and with it, antisemitism. In her new book, written as letters to a fictional Jewish college student and non-Jewish professor, she tackles the history and present of antisemitism head on, explaining how we got here and, in very helpful ways, how we should be in the face of the lingering, pestilent hatred and bigotry that is antisemitism.

It’s not particularly the easiest thing to crawl up on the couch and read a book about antisemitism. I’ve been reading and learning about it almost my entire life, yet still I found insights in this book to be new and helpful. And I leave this book newly charged to be bold, outspoken and confident not just in my pride and identity as a Jew, but someone willing to witness and vocally identify antisemitism if/when it occurs.

It’s all here, including how criticism of Israel and Zionism can (and cannot) be made and wielded as a form of antisemitism. It’s generally pretty simple. Critique of Israeli government policies, including its disastrous, incessant control of the West Bank and now its nonchalance towards moving to a two-state solution (though Israel alone is not responsible for that) are fair game. Banning Israeli academics from conferences because of their nationality, voting down Jewish students from college student councils, banning pro-Israel progressives from marches and activities on seemingly unrelated topics, like feminism and equal rights, is not.

It’s this latter point I found to be most interesting. I’ve always assumed antisemitism comes from the right, in the form of Nazism and white supremacy. (That, of course, doesn’t include what Lipstadt calls dinner party antisemitism, when someone makes an insulting remark without realizing how antisemitic they are being). Throughout the book Lipstadt is steadfast in pointing out antisemitism comes from both the left and the right.

She provides many examples of how progressives have come to so closely identify with pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel philosophy that it has come to exclude and punish anyone who disagrees. The thinking is one can’t truly be progressive if they are pro-Israel or Zionist. It’s as if one can’t work together to fight against climate change if one closely and strongly supports Israel as a Jewish home, as I do. Again, disagreement on Israeli policy is one thing. Israelis themselves are generally as vocal and in disagreement with its own government and against continued occupation of the West Bank as any other group.

But singling Israel out (when China, Russia, and most other Middle Eastern countries) are guilty of similar or worse violations of misogyny, homophobia and human rights is antisemitic. Calling for boycotts of Israel alone, or refusing to work with pro-Israel supporters, is antisemitic.

Closer to home, Lipstadt engages with the pernicious reality of the rise of white supremacy and antisemitism in the United States. Swastikas desecrating Jewish community centers and synagogues. The shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. The ever-present, seemingly innocent degrading of Jews and the age-old stereotypes of malicious power and greed over the world.

And of course she includes a section on Holocaust denial and revisionism, which seeks to either deny the historical record of the Holocaust, or to lessen the very specific attack that it was on European Jewry.

One does not walk away from this book feeling good or hopeful. It antisemitism hasn’t been erased from our society by now, it never will be.

But that’s a call for vigilance, not acquiescence. That’s a call to be on the lookout, not for resignation. That’s a call to mourn the reality that synagogues and Jewish institutions must post security guards at their entrances, but also to walk past those guards and to continue living Jewish life with energy and enthusiasm and spirit.

Antisemitism exists (as does homophobia, racism and misogyny). But it does not define us — and we can’t let it. Our work is to strive to make the world a better for place. For better or worse, we’ll never run out of opportunities or chances to do so.

[Jed Sorokin-Altmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like Professor Lipstadt's other works, but I'm sorry to say that the epistolary format of Antisemitism: Here and Now did not work well for me. The content itself was interesting and Professor Lipstadt covers a lot of ground, but I wish it was in the form of a more traditional non-fiction work.

[Alan Zwiren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have rarely been so disappointed in a book, especially one from a noted expert, as I was in this book. My expectations that the college professor who taught about Antisemitism, who defended and defeated a Holocaust denier who accused her of libel, and who today is the US Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism (note used the official spelling of the title, not my personal preference) were quite high. My conclusion after reading the book is she may be an expert of the history of Antisemitism; however, I don't know if she knows how to explain it clearly nor how to combat it.

Before I continue, I will admit that perhaps this book is not meant for me. Having been trained in Antisemitism by the ADL (previous administration, I do not support the current ADL), and having read extensively on Antisemitism, the Holocaust, Zionism, and the history of Israel, perhaps her book was meant to explain concepts that I am already familiar with to people who do not have the background or knowledge. However, as I will explain, I found her basic explanations and definitions lacking, or even missing. I think this leaves a huge hole in the entire discussion of Antisemitism.

Beginning with the vehicle that she uses to introduce themes, she creates two fictitious people inquiring about Antisemitism. The first is a student in her senior year who has taken many of Professor Lipstadt's courses and the second a Human Rights expert who teachers at the Law School. I would be very disappointed as a teacher, if a student who had taken many classes did not have a strong understanding of the topic; especially one who was headed for a Ph.D. and academic career. Nor would I be impressed by a Human Rights Lawyer and Professor who did not understand the basics about Antisemitism even if he were not Jewish.

From the very first series of questions, of "Why Antisemism" which goes even further to "What is Antisemitism," I found Professor Lipstadt's responses lacking. For example, the easiest and clearest definition I have heard to define Antisemitism came from my ADL training. Simply put, if Jews or Israel are held to different standards than everyone else for the same or similar circumstances, that is Antisemitism. And although she implies in several parts of the book to this very standard, she never outright states it.

Nor does she bring in the Jewish Agency and Natan Sharansky's three D's, " Demonization, Double Standards, and Delegitimization." This simple definition is clear and succinct! And yet nowhere is it mentioned. Instead she brings in a partial definition of from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).

Although many have adopted the definition, there is much criticism about the definition. That part she quotes in the book is, "A certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred towards Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitsim are directed towards Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property. towards Jewish community institutions and religious facilities."

Not only is this definition not simple and clear, the IRHA definition includes 11 examples of Antisemitism, which they state is not all encompassing, which Professor Lipstadt does not even bother to go into. Now you judge for yourself, what is easier to understand, the the ADL definition, Natan Sharansky's definition, or the IHRA definition?

This lack of clarity and simplicity occurs throughout the book. At one point, Professor Lipstadt talks about intersectionality, but never once calls it out by name nor defines it. Instead she gives examples and talks about intersection.

Clearly she does know her subject matter. Several times throughout the book she goes into historical references; however, I do not care to learn why there are different spellings of Antisemitism. Nor do I care for examples and history of hatred of others that have now been applied to Antisemitism. What I am looking for is what it is, how to recognize it, and how to combat it.

And I think that is what I found the most frustrating of all. Here is a person who has stood up to Antisemitism in the form of Holocaust Denial, and yet, her only advice to her student it to stand up. Of course, the student, who is clueless and keeps on writing that she was in a situation and did not know what to do, would not be able to apply this advice since Professor Lipstadt does not discuss how to stand up.

She does make a good point that education, something that the ADL had been advocating for years is not the sole solution; however, once again, she fails to offer any alternatives. She also rightly brings up the point that there is a segment of the population who sees conspiracies and you will ever convince them of anything different, but again offers little advice.

She does make some good points about people, politics, and technology being enablers for Antisemitism; however, never offers how to address it. Even in the cases she offers to prove her point, she veers from Antisemitism. For technology, she shared how when GQ wrote something about Melania Trump, right wing racists trolled and threatened the author; again nothing to do with Antisemitism. I am certain she could have found an Antisemitic example.

And although she does recognize that Antisemitism has been politicized with the right blaming the left and the left blaming the right, which is absolutely counterproductive, she does seem to be playing a bit of politics herself. For the example of Antisemitism on the right, she uses President Trump as an enabler and right wing racists groups as the example (though not always about Antisemitism. She goes on to admit that Antisemitism is probably right now coming more from the left and is more problematic from there; however, she avoids any statements or examples in the US. Instead, she focuses on Jeremy Corbyn in the UK. And although she did bring in European examples on the right from Hungary to Poland, she was silent about the Progressive wing of the Democrats, the Squad, and their leaders. As a matter of fact, she calls out the Republican Jewish Coalition for not commenting on the trolls who attacked Melania Trump (again not Antisemitic) they only wrote a generic response to all hate, and yet she is silent when the Democrats in Congress did the same exact thing when Ilhan Omar said "It was all about the Benjamins!" Now perhaps I am being too critical here because the book was published in 2019, and the incident could have taken place after the book was published.

My biggest challenge of this book, besides the suggestion to "Stand Up To Antisemitism," is she offers now concrete advice on how to do that. Now she states quite clearly she does not want to make predictions about the future, which I commend her for; still, we are not talking about the future, we are talking about actions to do in the present. Again, this was before she became the Special Envoy to combat Antisemitism. But I do not want to just learn about Antisemitism, I want to learn about intelligent ways to address and combat it.

I do believe that she did make an excellent point to her fictitious Jewish student at the end of the book. That is that Judaism is about much more than Antisemitism, and do not let Antisemitism define you. Take part in the richness that is Judaism. And although I agree with the sentiment, it does not address the main theme of the book.

So should you read it? This is an intelligent person who knows much about history and Antisemitism and she shares it in this book. I definitely learned some things and benefited from reading this book; however, if you have other books, I would not make this a priority. If you are looking to learn more about Antisemitism, I would recommend any of Abe Foxman's books or Bari Weiss's book, "How to Fight Anti-Semitism," https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... though if you read my review of that book, i again found it lacking in the How to Fight part of the book.

[libby · Rating 3 out of 5]

intelligent & did what it said on the tin, but the format became tiresome. the letters idea was interesting and probably could have worked wonders were it to be executed in a more nuanced fashion. instead, the more conversational and short joe/abigail letters came across as a way for a ball to be thrown to the author so that she could respond in an essay-length letter that hit all of the points she wanted to make.

[Scribe Publications]

To say anything worthwhile about antisemitism you need calm, lucidity, intelligence, and a faultless moral compass, all powered by a proper feeling for racial justice. Deborah Lipstadt has the entire skillset. That’s why her new book is so welcome, so necessary, and so clear.
David Hare

Antisemitism comes in different shades, all of them ugly — not least when it comes from those who regard themselves as champions of liberation. To fight this abomination in all its shades, Deborah Lipstadt has given us a sage, sober, and lucid manual for the perplexed and willfully blind. An outstandingly useful book.
Todd Gitlin, Author of The Sixties: Years of Hope, Days of Rage>/i>

A must read at the time of a mounting wave of aggressive nationalism and xenophobia in the world today.
Professor Jan Gross, Author of Neighbors: The Destruction of the Jewish Community in Jedwabne, Poland

A leading scholar of Judaism explores just about every manifestation of contemporary antisemitism, with plenty of history included for context … A didactic tour de force approachably presented.
Kirkus

The most powerful and important element of Antisemitism is Lipstadt’s clarity on the impact of words. Violence doesn’t just appear out of the blue – it is enabled and encouraged by language … Her book is essential reading for anyone perplexed about antisemitism and how we got to this point.
Ruth Smeeth, Mail on Sunday

[Lipstadt] has written a book that combines erudition, clarity, accessibility, and passion at a moment when they could not be needed more.
The New York Times Book Review

The book deals with Trump, the alt-right, social media and Holocaust denial, European populism, Islamism, leftist anti-Zionism and Jeremy Corbyn. So it covers, and covers well, the big concerns of modern Jewry. … a valuable book.
The Times

A timely book about contemporary anti-semitism — timely because all the signs are that we are entering an era when this ancient prejudice is having new life breathed into it.
Hugh Linehan, The Irish Times

This is not an academic history of antisemitism. It’s something more valuable—an act of zooming in the moral lens on what is happening in the world today ... Read Lipstadt’s new book. And then give it to your children and grandchildren. It is that good—and it is that relevant.
Jeffrey Salkin, Religion News Service

Lipstadt’s insight and perspective contextualise current events ... crafting an informative read for those interested in social justice and political and Jewish history. STARRED REVIEW
Library Journal

Keeping her tone measured and carefully noninflammatory, Lipstadt presents an intelligent, evenhanded explanation of why Jews come under attack today. Informed, historically sound, and deeply rational, her book offers both convincing reasons for the recent rise of antisemitism and apt advice to ‘call out and combat’ it.
Publishers Weekly

The present book is not a history but a reckoning with antisemitism in its current guises and contortions.
Geoffrey Brahm Leven, Canberra Times

[T]he timeliness of Lipstadt’s nuanced and accessible discussion of contemporary antisemitism cannot be overstated ... Lipstadt provides a useful taxonomy of antisemites ... Antisemitism: here and now is a sobering but accessible read by an eminent scholar.
Helene Meyers, Washington Independent Review of Books

A rigorous examination of [antisemitism’s] alarming rise worldwide ... Her central thesis, that
“genocide begins with words not with acts of violence” is a reminder of the urgent need to call out and resist anti-Semitism in all its guises.
Australian Financial Review

In a very accessible and thoroughly interesting book, the author has managed to pack in a terrific amount of thoughtful material, ranging from why she prefers to spell it ‘antisemitism’ (no hyphen or capitalisation) through to her rugged defence of free speech.
Anthony Smith, NZ International Review

Lipstadt isn’t just interested in compiling a list of affronts, abuses, and attacks, which would be, in itself, a substantial achievement. She also explores with remarkable insight and balance the difference between anti-Semitism and racism ... [A] timely, nuanced, clear, accessible, and ultimately optimistic book.
Ilana Snyder, Australian Book Review

Professor Lipstadt traces a dramatic rise in antisemitism since about 2000 with a particular uptake since 2016.
Nick O’Malley, Sydney Morning Herald

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Lipstadt's timely book calls out antisemitism in all its iterations. She examines its growth on the far right and on the far left. One of the most unusual and disturbing aspects of the book was her analysis of Holocaust denial and its role in enabling antisemitism. She also demonstrates how Trump, and Corbyn enable antisemitism through witting or unwitting use of tropes and/ or failure to call out antisemitism when it comes from members of their base. Lipstadt argues that this "myopia" extends to members of the far right and far left as well, in that the far left only sees and condemns right wing antisemitism and vice versa. Neither, she believes, are willing to acknowledge in their own ranks.
Lipstadt's writing is lucid and accessible. The book is well written and sadly more timely than it was a year ago when it first came out.

[Dawn Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that’s written in letters. It tells how small things are made to be acceptable which then makes others acceptable that cause more and more things to be acceptable. Explains why you can’t accept things as they are and why It needs to be stopped. What’s different about antisemitism today. It’s on the political right and left and Islamic.

[elbow ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
i think i find it quite difficult to rate nonfiction books because it seems quite difficult to mess up nonfiction? (as soon as i typed that i recalled a number of bad nonfiction books i've read so nevermind.)

i found the formatting of this book quite interesting - i'm not entirely sure why lipstadt chose to include fictional letters from fictional individuals as a way to facilitate dialogue, but i still found it enjoyable to read. i guess it was a way of including questions from different sides of the political spectrum? i did end up forgetting that abigail and joe were fictional a few times, which suggests that their characters were well written.

overall, i think lipstadt addressed a lot of the key elements of antisemitism really well. this being first published in 2019 means that some information is now out of date (in a sense) but it was all still very relevant for today. i appreciate that she discussed antisemitism coming from both right and left-wing communities, as this is an issue that i've seen proliferating as of late.

ultimately, a nonfiction book is never going to be the same reading experience as a novel, but i think the style of this book made it more engaging than the average bear book.

[Alyse Liebovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rabbi referenced this book in his sermon on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, and I was intrigued enough to check out the audiobook from the library not long after. I think this is an important read for everyone. As a Jew, this book felt validating in a lot of ways, in regards to certain memories of growing up, like when two boys in the halls of my high school walked behind me pretending to sneeze but clearly said, "A Jew" instead of "achoo," and mostly in regards to how I've felt the last 4 years, since Trump began campaigning for and subsequently won the presidency.

When Obama got elected, I was in Grant Park, and it was one of the most magical experiences of people coming together for the greater common good. I shared tears of joy and hugs with people of all different races and presumably religions. It felt like a victory for mankind, that we were finally moving forward as a unified nation that celebrated minorities and those who have historically been marginalized.

During Trump's tenure, I have felt so overwhelmed with the undeniable regression of humankind, particularly during the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, that I've found myself in tears (of sadness and fury) over the daily news more often than not. When the president's response to neo-Nazism is: "There are very fine people on both sides," something is gravely wrong.

Going to Israel, specifically to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem, in 2018 vs. when I went for the first time in 2007 felt terrifyingly different. The first time felt like all the other times I've learned about the Holocaust, important but in a historical "never forget" context. This time, a year following the Charlottesville rally, it all felt too real, too familiar: Here are the steps of what went wrong and here is what happened because of what people allowed people in power to say and do.

The day before that, I was granted special permission to deviate from the group to visit the grave of my friend who survived the Holocaust and was buried in Jerusalem. I can't imagine how horrified he would have been had he lived beyond April 2016. I broke down in tears just thinking about it. Then my fiancee, who is not Jewish, broke down in tears during our group discussion following the museum tour because he said it all hit him when he witnessed me looking at a Holocaust victim's red notebook behind glass (an artifact salvaged from that time) while I stood there looking at it while holding my own small red notebook.

Now, as I write this, today is coincidentally the 1-year "anniversary" of the terrorist attack at the synagogue in Pittsburgh, where a terrorist murdered 11 people in the name of antisemitism.

***

I found out the school I work at both scheduled our mandatory October staff meeting and "free college application day" for students ON Yom Kippur. I took the day off (mind you, a "sick day" because apparently there are no "religious holiday" codes, so basically if you're not Christian--because we will always have Christmas and Good Friday/Easter off--you're "sick") out of protest and attended Yom Kippur services with my dad.

There may not be a lot of Jewish staff or students, but what they're saying is that those Jewish staff and students don't matter on what is supposed to be their holiest and most reverent day of the year. Any Jewish student that chose to observe Yom Kippur that day lost out on the chance to have their college application fees waived because, of all days, that's the day they chose to give students a financial break.

A few years ago, they scheduled Homecoming on Yom Kippur, and I suddenly understood why my mom got so riled up when my sister and I would miss out on certain special events or guest speakers our schools hosted because we grew up Jewish in a predominately not Jewish area of suburban Chicago.

I'm not saying what my past and current schools did were antisemitic acts, but the oversight and disregard (because, yes, I tried to use my voice to express that this was wrong and admin should look at a calendar in the future) really fueled a fire inside of me that made me want to learn more about WHY Jews are constantly struggling to survive and exist and why we're so often at the root of other people's intense hatred. This book helped me get a more-informed grasp on all these feelings that clearly I'm still trying to articulate....

Some quotes I bookmarked:

"Jews bare a special responsibility to speak out against not only this particular type of prejudice, but also against all forms of discrimination. As the victims of prejudice ourselves, we know from personal experience how important it is to have the support of other communities when we fight prejudice against us."

"When our children fear there is danger in openly identifying as a Jew, it is indeed something that should concern us all."

"No one who offers the 'yes, but' rationalization actually engages in racist violence or even thinks that they are condoning it, but they are virtually guaranteeing that it will continue because what they are doing is facilitating it."

"I wonder if they would have been so understanding had he made these comments about someone who opened fire on an abortion clinic because he sincerely believed that the people inside were murdering babies."

"These things never happen in isolation, and what starts with attacks on Jews rarely ends there."

"He was more than willing to openly identify as a gay person, something that would have been impossible not long ago, but afraid to identify as a Jew."

[Caren · Rating 4 out of 5]

"No healthy society harbors extensive antisemitism - or any other form of hatred." This is a central tenet of Lipstadt's straight-shooting exploration of contemporary antisemitism, in which she examines the presence and rise of hatred of Jews in countries, in universities, in governments, among "friends", overt and subtle, acknowledged and sometimes excused.

The content was extensively researched and engaging in its arguments; however, the structure chosen - that of a series of letters between her and a fictional academic colleague (a non-Jew) and a fictional former Jewish student of hers - did not appeal to me. I found its Socratic method annoying, at times, despite its methodology being a teaching tool of the Emory University professor. I believe that its intent, through her direct replies to questions posed, was to make Lipstadt's research and conclusions more accessible to a broader range of readers than those who have studied Jewish History or Holocaust Studies, her fields of expertise. But, for me, it seemed to "dumb down" the impact of her delivery.

In characterising the types of antisemites as either "Extremists" or those "Beyond the Extremists", "Enablers", "Dinner Party" antisemites, or "Clueless", Lipstadt presents a cast of both easily recognised and often disguised or "hidden" bigots and clearly provides a litany of examples of their reprehensible behaviour for the reader to access and evaluate. It is regarding the more subtle forms of antisemitism that the author is most critical and warns the reader most adamantly to be on guard as the subtlety of such attacks may be the more dangerous.

After reading Lipstadt's explanation of antisemitism as delusional and irrational, I will now take care to spell antisemitism without a capital letter or hyphen, as I had been taught in school years ago. Lipstadt's etymological discussion of the word is intriguing.

Most engaging were the instances where anti-Zionism and antisemitism have been linked, where anti-Israel views are antisemitic and when criticism of Israel is not. Also, the discussions of contradictory statements made and actions taken by governments (even including those of Israel) were intriguing, so disappointing in light of post-Holocaust history and/or denial.

Lipstadt ends with a hope for Jews now and in the future: "...avoid letting this 'longest hatred' become the linchpin [sic] of your identity." She warns Jews of seeing themselves in light of their persecution, of being eternal victims. This significant discussion could have been extended in her advice to "balance the 'oy' with the 'joy'" and provided a breath of positivity after an erudite discussion of the insidious nature of hatred against Jews.

[Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

- The format of this book, as letters between Deborah Lipstadt and two composite figures, is sometimes a little bit silly feeling, but overall its a very effective way to adopt a conversational style.

- The explanation on the correct spelling of antisemitism was a very useful inclusion.

- The taxonomy of different types of antisemites was helpful. I ended up also feeling more prepared to address antisemitism in the various forms I see it.

- Towards the end of the book, Lipstadt has a section on free speech on the college campus and then a section on how issue impacts Jews. The second part was good, but the initial discussion on free speech failed to display sufficient nuance. Lipstadt references the responses to universities inviting Milo Yiannopoulos, Ann Coulter, and Charles A Murray (person behind The Bell Curve). She basically argues that it would have been best if these people were allowed to speak at the universities as invited because the free exchange of ideas is good + audiences will be able to see the flaws of the speakers' arguments. Okay. But later, she says it isn't reasonable to debate with people who deny or distort history (for instance holocaust deniers). But Murray's views on race are clearly a distortion and denial of history? So I feel confused and like Lipstadt paid more attention to the extreme instances of people violently protesting speakers rather than considering the rationale behind these responses against yikes speakers. Another example of this is when Lipstadt favorably references a statement against trigger warnings that suggests they negatively impact academic experience in favor for student comfort. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of what trigger warnings are for.

- ANYWAYS this isn't to suggest this is a bad book. Its a great book! I highly and enthusiastically recommend it. There's just a significant section I just wish was ... better. I think there's a more persuasive argument to be made that doesn't require fundamentally misunderstanding things like trigger warning and what counts as unacceptable/not up for debate.

[BOOKLOVER EB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deborah Lipstadt, in "Antisemitism—Here and Now," offers her perspective at what has led to the rise of verbal and physical attacks on people of the Jewish faith. This book was written before the vicious murder of congregants at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Dr. Lipstadt, who is a professor of Jewish History and Holocaust Studies at Emory University, lists many examples of violence perpetrated in recent years against Jews by so-called white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and terrorists. This well-researched and informative work of non-fiction consists of a series of questions posed by a fictional student and colleague of Lipstadt (these characters are composites of actual students and colleagues whom Lipstadt has known over the years) to which the author responds with measured and thought-provoking responses.

Antisemitism is a complex subject that has been in the news a great deal of late. Lipstadt touches on the events at Charlottesville; the virulent protests on university and college campuses that have gone way beyond civil disagreement; the Women's March that has been tainted by anti-Semitic rhetoric; the slaughter of Jews in such European countries as France and Belgium; and the explosion of vitriolic posts on social media that demonize Jews.

What is going on? Lipstadt suggests that extremists are emboldened by the ever-deteriorating level of public discourse. Politicians and self-appointment spokespersons on the left and the right have become increasingly assertive and voluble, believing that they have the constitutional right to express offensive views. Moreover, anyone with a computer can anonymously disseminate repugnant ideas, and they are sure to find others who share their beliefs. What can we do? It is our obligation to encourage respectful discourse, kindness, and compassion towards people of all races, religions, and social classes. Let us teach our children that peace and goodwill are preferable to conflict and discord, and perhaps members of future generations will decide, at long last, to coexist harmoniously with one another.

[S R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audiobook downloaded from the library. The book is organized as a series of letters between the author and one of her graduating students and a non-Jewish colleague from the law school which I felt made it very reader friendly especially when listening to it. She covers an array of topics around antisemitism in a very organized manner giving examples of how to react to numerous situations that are happening today; be it antisemitism from the right or left.

I have found in my life that I have had the same questions that she “receives” in these “letters” and so listening to her answers was not only enlightening, but it prepared me as to how to respond to different situations now. For example, she addresses how the term of a “self-hating Jew” or “anti-Semitic Jew” is not helpful and can actually be detrimental when used with people who are involved with J-Street or involved with BDS. It also addressed how one can be opposed to Israeli policies and not be anti-Semitic, but there is a line one can cross. It gives one insight into the current conversations happening within the Jewish community that you might not otherwise have access to. Antisemitism operates differently than other forms of discrimination, and it's important to understand how and why to better equip yourself to identify antisemitism. The last chapter OY to Joy is wonderful with advice on parenting our children in the beauty of Judaism and not focusing on being Jewish because of antisemitism.
Wonderful book.

[Helga Cohen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deborah Lipstadt, an Emory University scholar of Judaism explored all facets of antisemitism contemporary and historical. In her wide-ranging essays, she gives an analysis of hate that does not die. She focuses on current and virulent forms on both the political right and left from white supremacist demonstrations in Charlottesville, Virginia to mainstream enablers of antisemitism since Donald Trump and Jeremy Corbyn.
Lipstadt explains that antisemitism is on the rise by its rhetoric and incidents by left-wing groups that target Jewish students on American College campuses. There is also a reemergence of white Nationalist movements in America and Europe with Nazi symbols and slogans. In Europe and the US, many Jews have been attacked by terrorists and some have been murdered.
Lipstadt’s insight and perspective on the subject are crucial in understanding antisemitism in all its guises. She gives an intelligent thorough explanation of why Jews come under attack. I found this to be an important book that illuminates the dark aspects of our troubled society. I highly appreciate Dr Lipstadt for her continued fight against antisemitism which included Holocaust denial. I very much enjoyed her speech when she spoke in my town as a visiting scholar for the University of South Carolina Jewish studies program and spoke about Holocaust denial and antisemitism and did book signings.

[Cheryl Kloda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Deborah Lipstadt's book about Antisemitism to be an interesting read. As a reader, I wished at times the author would have used less fancy words. While I was still able to follow what the author was saying, I felt if she had used more layman's language it would have been clearer. Therefore, I gave this book four stars instead of five.
Antisemitism is an evil that has many facets. I have noticed that people who are antisemitic will usually judge Jewish People as a group instead of as an individual. For instance, If this type of person has a bad experience with a person of the Jewish faith, then all Jews are judged as bad. Scapegoating and being jealous are other facets of this evil.
I also felt that the author should have been more positive about President Donald Trump. I believe President Trump has been a true friend to Israel and the Jewish People. America's President cannot control or be responsible for every evil person in our society. I believe that President Trump wants zero tolerance for hate crimes.
In conclusion, Jewish People have to realize that The Far Left are not their allies. They should ask themselves who is really better for Israel. They should also know their history.

[David C Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

A four for good intentions (it’s as much an instruction manual about how to behave as it is a survey of contemporary antisemitism) but a three for execution: I just didn’t think the device of responding to questions from two imaginary people (a student and a colleague) was effective. The result was a kind of scattershot tour of various outcroppings of contemporary antisemitism rather than a sustained treatment of issues like populist nationalism, antisemitism and social media, geopolitics including the intifada and Israeli politics, or free speech on college campuses. For me the most interesting bit was the short section on how to spell antisemitism. Lipstadt is admirably tolerant and even handed sometimes to a fault: if that quacking duck keeps company with the alt right and neo Nazis it’s probably an anti Semitic duck. Has a couple of good jokes. Like etymology, humor is always important.

[Joshua · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going to be honest. I did not like this book; I did not get much out of it. We live in a world where antisemitism exists. This book outlines the kinds of antisemites that are out there and maybe how to respond or deal with them. Maybe it is because I am a Jewish person who has spent much of his life dedicated to the fight against all kinds of injustice, but I found nothing in this book that was new or exciting.

The composite interlocutors that the author trades letters with seemed to exist only to toss softballs at the author... Who then writes essays in return. Honestly, this book would have been "better written" if Lipstadt had just written essays without the obnoxious, obvious questions.

But maybe I am not the right audience. Maybe she wasn't talking to me... Maybe Lipstadt wanted to address people who were just trying to stand up against injustice for the first time. For this reason, and this reason alone, I have given the book 3 stars.

[Bill Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Many Faces of Antisemitism

Prejudice is a shape-shifter that remains the same, but changes strategies. The hatred of Jews (Anti-Judaism) takes many of its perceptions of Jews from the ancient Greeks. As replacement religions, Christianity and Islam treat the Jew as the ultimate "other" . Professor Lipstadt explores both the old and new adaptations. Hatred politics used Antisemitism as an attack tool for their opponents, without looking in the mirror. To create a healthy society we need to know the sheep's new clothing. Professor Lipstadt presents the many faces of Antisemitism in a unique style that takes the message beyond traditional academic texts.

[Claudia Hoffmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Antisemitism: Here and Now - Highly Recommenced

This is an important book. The significant increase in antisemitic actions and expressions internationally and in the United States is alarming to Jews and others worldwide. Deborah Lipstadt addresses in detail current incidents, as well as pertinent historical events, through a series of letters to one of her students at Emory University and to a colleague, who is a law professor. This format makes the discourse of a difficult topic, highly readable.

[AC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing — mostly a popular treatment. A “how to recognize antisemitism when you see it for dummies”

[Wendelle]

read 2/3. an important book about the surprisingly resurgent issue of antisemitism due to the alarming multiplication of contemporary variants of antisemitism in society-- on, as Deborah Lipstadt explains, both the right and the left. One may dissent from the author's positions or isolated conclusions. However, the following axioms surely should be inalienable-- antisemitism should be unequivocally condemned; distinctions between the acts of the government of Israel and treatment of Palestinians, and the identity of Jews as individuals or as an ethnic/cultural/religious composite should be underscored-- in the same way that we can rationally differentiate between governments and individuals or peoples of every other nation; wild, malignant, conspiratorial theories and antisemitic discourse in the political and media realm should not be normalized; tolerance-by-increments of hate against Jews or any other minority in society should not be sidelined as a partisan issue but a grave threat against all sectors of society, and against the foundational principles of open, democratic society. I don't think one has to agree with all the author's positions to recognize that she is opening up an important topic for discussion, and readers would benefit from engaging with this book.

[Kap · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lipstadt has done an excellent job; Antisemitism: Here and Now is not only well-researched and thoughtful in it's presentation, by framing the book as a series of letters between her, a Jewish student, and a non-Jewish colleague, Lipstadt is able to make her work accessible to those who aren't as familiar with Jewish studies.

In particular, I appreciated her discussions of Israel/Palestine, the BDS movement, and how left-wing groups target Jewish students and organizations. At least for me, it's easy to understand how right-wing groups express antisemitism. But understanding how the left also contributes to antisemitism isn't as apparent. After finishing Antisemitism, I'm left with lots of food for thought. I also appreciated that Lipstadt tempered the bleak with moments of joy. The section on "Oy and Joy" and her discussion about the importance of celebrating Jewish identity, culture, and history was the perfect way to end the book.

[Noah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fine introduction to antisemitism. It doesn’t go as in depth as I would have liked. There was also little to no acknowledgement of the settler colonialism upon which Israel is founded. I was disappointed in the way that this book claimed to complicate the narrative but really didn’t do so. Also the format felt extremely contrived.