Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People

by Ben M. Freeman

Despite what we are told, Jewish people must never warp or change our identities to fit in. We do not need to make ourselves “acceptable”, because we are acceptable, just as we are. Yet we cannot force the non-Jewish world to see that. This is their journey. Our journey is one of Jewish Pride."

In Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People, Ben M. Freeman, an internationally renowned educator, inspired by his experiences with LGBTQ+ pride, aims to educate, inspire and empower Jewish people to reject the shame of antisemitism imposed on Jews by the non-Jewish world as well as non-Jewish perceptions of what it means to be a Jew.

Enabling them to begin the process of defining their own identities as proud Jews through Jewish experience, Jewish history and Jewish values. Jewish Pride is an urgent and essential read.

"The only people who get to define Jewish identity are Jewish people."

"The Jewish journey is not just about fighting antisemitism. It is about rejecting the shame of antisemitism. Rejecting the non-Jewish world’s inaccurate definitions of what it means to be a Jew. It is an exploration of Jewish identity, based on Jewish values, Jewish ideas and Jewish experiences."

Genres: Jewish, Judaism, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Religion

352 pages, Paperback

Published February 15, 21

About the author

Ben M. Freeman is a Jewish leader, a Jewish thinker and a Jewish educator.​

Born in Scotland, Ben is a gay Jewish author and internationally renowned educator focussing on Jewish identity, combatting antisemitism and raising awareness of the Holocaust.

Now living in Hong Kong, he now heads up the Humanities Team at a progressive international school in Hong Kong and lectures on antisemitism at local universities. He regularly carries speaking engagements educating, inspiring and empowering both Jewish and non-Jewish people from all over the world.

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a patrilineal Jew (my father is Jewish) who wasn’t raised “properly” Jewish. As such, I was never really a part of a Jewish community growing up and didn’t really feel like I belonged. That didn’t mean I haven’t encountered antisemitism in my life though or dealt with inter generational and collective trauma.

For years I’ve been wanting to explore the Jewish part of my identity and heritage but wasn’t quite sure how to approach it. Even a wonderful solo trip to Israel in my early twenties left me with even more questions.

The recent spike in antisemitism around the world has rekindled this spark and I am now trying to learn as much as I can.

Ben Freeman’s book ‘Jewish Pride’ has been incredibly eye opening and I would recommend it for any Jewish and non-Jewish person who wants to learn more about the Jewish people, why we’ve been hated for millennia and why antisemitism is a problem on the right and left side of the political spectrum.

But most importantly it allowed me to understand the incredible diversity and resilience of the Jewish people and the concept and need of a Jewish Pride movement.

I am feeling more connected and supported just from reading this and am excited to explore my own Jewish Pride in new ways.
Thank you for writing this book and for including patrilineal Jews too.

[Ariel Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to get a sneak peak of this book and it is beyond what I expected. It’s hard to define it to one particularly genre...it’s a careful blend of history, personal narrative, self-help and ultimately a manifesto on starting a Jewish Pride movement. A wonderful read which should be mandatory for Jews and non-Jews alike. Am Yisrael Chai.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel honored to have read this book. I've been following Ben Freeman for a while, and I've always admired his education and his devotion to the Jewish people and standing up against antisemitism. Reading this book felt like a such a privilege.

At first I thought this would be a book I would be recommending to all my Jewish friends, but the more I read the more I realized this should be mandatory reading for all Jews and non-Jews. It's packed with history, personal stories and modern examples. At the end of the book, Ben interviewed seven people in the Jewish community who all come from different backgrounds and have had different lived experiences. I loved reading all their different stories and seeing how even though we all come from different backgrounds, we are all a people.

This book was just a reminder of how proud I am to be Jewish. I want every Jewish person to read this and remember that we are acceptable as we are.

[Shonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband is of Irish descent - he has never been asked to comment on or defend the country or government of Ireland. I am a Canadian Ashkenazi Jew. Jews are indigenous to Israel but I can only trace my father’s ancestry back to Ciechanow, Poland and Iasi, Romania. My mother converted to Judaism. Her ancestors are from Scotland. Because of my European ancestry and my light skin, I look white and am considered white. It’s a strange thing to be a member of a minority group that only amounts to 0.2% of the world population and has been persecuted for centuries but at the same time to move through much of the world with a skin color that marks me as the dominant caste.

“When Jews are described as white, without nuance, it assigns them responsibility for all the crimes of whiteness - even though we have long been victims of white supremacy. Progressive ideas of ‘white’ Jews also erase light-skinned Jews by birth indigeneity to the Middle East (which is also used to portray Israel as a white colonialist state) and incorrectly qualifies and revises their ancestry as European.” When light-skinned Jews reveal their Jewishness, the advantage of being perceived as white is often rescinded - “all light-skinned Jews continue to face a great threat to our community due to antisemitism.”

This intersection of identities is something that I struggle to reconcile – I find this especially challenging in progressive spaces where I do my best to be an ally with groups that have historically been marginalized, discriminated against and oppressed yet those groups do not call out antisemitism and in some cases they actually incite antisemitism. As Freeman says: “Jews today are forced to choose between their Zionism and progressiveness.” I have felt lonely, isolated and disappointed by the lack of interest from most people I know to learn about Jewish history and antisemitism. A lot of educated, well-read people have made intentional choices to read anti-racism books but will likely never read a book about antisemitism.

Ben M. Freeman is a gay Ashkenazi Jewish man born in Scotland. Inspired by his experiences with LGBTQ+ pride, his book aims to inform and empower the Jewish people by defining their own identities based on Jewish values, experience and history instead of allowing the non-Jewish world to tell us who we are. “Jewish Pride assets our Jewishness as an equal partner to our other identities while refusing to subvert it for acceptance.”
Freeman expertly details the history of the Jewish people and the four categories of antisemitic tropes that are the hallmarks of antisemitism that we continue to see in mainstream media today. I learned so much from that part of the book but the part that filled me with the most pride and joy were the chapters where Freeman summarizes his interviews of six unique Jewish people across the diaspora who exemplify the diversity and resilience of the Jewish people.

Stand-out quotes:

“The Jewish people were a nation, an ethnicity and a religion.” However, as a result of attempts to circumvent antisemitism many Jews today, especially in the west, only understand their Jewishness through the lens of religion.”

“Zionism simply aims to return a deeply oppressed people to their indigenous homeland, which they were expelled from by several invaders through a process of ethnic cleansing and genocide.”
“The creation of the modern Jewish state of Israel was a progressive act of decolonization that attempted to right the wrongs committed against the Jewish people for 2,000 years.”

“American left-wing antisemitism is channeled through a focus on dismantling perceived systems of ‘white’ oppression. US racial binaries have been superimposed on to Israel, framing it as a white colonial state and Palestinians as Black people. ... Portraying Israel in this manner is a deeply ignorant and antisemitic misreading of history. It is a base and reductive narrative, one lacking in the nuance required to describe a deeply complex situation. “
Light skinned Jews don’t have white privilege - rather, they “benefit from the advantage of being perceived as white .”

The claim that Israel is a white colonialist state ignores the existence of Beta-Yisrael Jews (Ethiopian Jews), Mizrahi (Jews from the Middle East and North Africa) and “incorrectly frames Ashkenazi Jews as white Europeans, when they were only in Europe because they were exiled from their indigenous homeland through ethnic cleansing and genocide.”

“Anti-Zionism is one of the most common forms of post-Holocaust antisemitism and is how modern internalized antisemitism is often expressed today.”

“It is possible to be a Zionist while advocating for Palestinian self-determination.”

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben Freeman’s book, “Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People,” is a history of antisemitism, and a discussion of Jewish identity, showing that Jews are not simply a religious identity, but a ethnic nation that can trace its roots, both collectively and through DNA, thousands of years. Freeman reflects on his background as a gay man and how people of that community internalized hate against them and sees a parallel in how Jews have internalized the long history of hate against them. His solution is to advocate for Jewish Pride in Jewish history, culture, and diversity much as the LBTQ community found Pride marches and being out and proud as a solution to what they encountered in society.

Freeman views antisemitism as a problem of society, not as a Jewish problem and one that is not necessarily resolvable given how deeply embedded it is in Western culture. It is a problem that is further resurfacing on the Left where modern-day progressives are using antisemitic hate camouflaged as anti-Zionist hate to exclude Jews from progressive spaces. Thus, modern day Leftist Jews are defining themselves by the values of the non-Jewish, antisemitic world and misconstruing their own history and identity.

With regard to identity, Freeman points out that Jews in Western society often are mischaracterized as merely a religion or a race, both of which are inaccurate reflections of what it means to be Jewish, a community based both on a religion and nationhood (though exiled and dispersed from the physical ground of Israel for 2,000 years).

With regard to modern antisemitism, Freeman traces it to the Stalinist antisemitism which equated Israel with Nazism and replaced Jews with Zionists to give cover and code to antisemitism. By targeting a sovereign state and not an ethno-religious minority, the Soviets masked antizionism as a modern expression of antisemitism. Freeman points out that, despite originating in the Soviet Union, this antizionist antisemitism has creeped into the wider Lefist community. Indeed, he points out that the Left now argues that what Jews experience in exclusion on college campuses and in Left-wing organizations is not antisemitism and that this is a form of gaslighting (According to Wikipedia, Gaslighting is a colloquialism, loosely defined as manipulating someone so as to make them question their own reality.)

He points out that, despite appearing different to fit a specific context, antisemitic tropes still exist today, but are focused on demonising, deligitimatizing, and treating Israel with double standards. These are not simply normal accusations but equate Israel with being inherently evil, the same traditional antisemitic tropes that have existed against Jews for 2,000 years. And, many of these tropes can be traced to the Protocols of Zion, a work of fiction published in Russia in 1903. After the Holocaust, Freeman argues, it is no longer acceptable for broader society to openly denigrate Jews so antisemitism has taken the form of antizionism when Zionism is simply the return of a deeply oppressed people to their indigenous homeland.

Historically, Freeman argues that the roots of antisemitism can be traced back to the origins of Christianity, which defined itself originally as being not Jewish. Antisemitism became thus one of the building blocks of Western culture. As a result, Jews have often attempted to assimilate into broader culture, leaving their own identity behind. In America, immigrants often downplayed their Jewishness and identified themselves as a religious community, thinking it would guarantee freedom from the enduring antisemitism experienced in Europe.

However, assimilation has not ended antisemitism as the White Power groups frame Jews as the puppetmasters of the destruction of Western culture and the Left frames Jews as White oppressors even though Jews are not European, have a long history of oppression, and worldwide are often Middle Eastern or Ethiopian. Jews, he argues, have never been able to fully assimilate into Western society because of antisemitism and thus should not be viewed in the lens of critical race theory. Indeed, as a counter argument to the Left, Freeman argues that the idea of Jewish privilege is insulting to Jewish communities who experience antisemitism today and misunderstands the deadly violence directed at Jewish communities. Although much of the book is targeted toward leftwing antisemitism, Freeman does not ignore antisemitism on the right.

Freeman ends the book by presenting interviews with seven Jews who are from diverse backgrounds, many of whom one would not traditionally associate with Judiasm by looking at them. Among them are a non-religious Ashkenazi woman, a gay Mizrahi (middle eastern origin) man, an Ethiopian Jew, a part-Sephardic man from Central America, a Black American orthodox woman whose matrilineal lineage is Jewish, a trans man living in Australia, and a Chinese-American patrilineal Jew living in Israel. Freeman presents these seven as examples of diversity and Jewish pride. Though he does not present a seven–point plan for fighting antisemitism, he seems to argue that the best revenge is living well.

[Jane Gabin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides an excellent introduction to Jewish history and antisemitism. Much was familiar to me, but the book is aimed at those who do not know or have been intimidated by prejudice. The author’s experiences in dealing with double helpings of bias: he is both Jewish (and grew up in Scotland, far from the supportive environment of NYC) and gay. But the message of the story is basically positive: antisemitism is a problem, but it is not a Jewish problem. It is a problem of non-Jews.
The book is a positive examination of Judaism today and in addition presents seven portraits of very different Jewish individuals.
Freeman states that the movement of Jewish Pride is a work in progress in which celebrating one’s Judaism “can be an empowering inspiration to the whole Jewish world.”

[Jaime Drayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is a very personal one for me. As a half Jewish woman who grew up in a very small town with no Jewish culture, I often didn’t feel any kind of pride in my Jewishness, and even hid it and used myself as a punchline to everyone else’s and even my own jokes. What I learned in this incredible book by Ben M Freeman is that I actually had a somewhat common experience, and that there is absolutely NO SHAME in being Jewish. As the author so succinctly put it, “antisemitism is not a Jewish problem, it’s a non-Jewish problem.” Why does my ethnicity have to be “controversial” or “divisive”? Why can’t I just exist as a Jew without worrying about upsetting someone?

This incredible book has taught me to look at my own internal antisemitism and how to unpack it, and also how to help others understand and examine theirs. Being a proud Jew does NOT mean I don’t believe in the rights of Palestinian people. All I want is peace for both nations, and most Jews agree. Why then, is it so difficult to find allies speaking out against Jewish hate? On the extreme right Jews are seen as impure white-presenting foreigners who taint the white race. On the extreme left Jews are seen as white colonizers. We simply cannot win.

Jews have been persecuted and driven out of basically every single place we’ve ever settled. So Zionism, or the recognition of Jewish self-determination, simply means we want somewhere that is safe to live and practice as a Jew.

Ben Freeman is an openly gay Jewish author and educator from Scotland, he was able to take a lot of research and makes it easy to read, palatable, and extremely interesting! I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it to fellow Jews and non-Jews as well ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Laura Egendorf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking back on my Hebrew school experience, I'm disappointed at how little I learned about non-Ashkenazi Jews, beyond the expulsion of Jews from Spain in the 15th century. I learned a lot about the experiences of Jews today from Sephardic, Mizrahi, and Ethiopian backgrounds, among others.

My quibble with the book is I feel it needed better editing--a few too many incomplete or run-on sentences. At the same time, it's a book that needed to come out now.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

An antidote to internalized anti-Semitism

A fantastic primer on Jewish pride, a movement similar to gay pride. This book is a chizuk, חיזוק, which can help Jews like myself to see a reason and a way to stay connected to am yisrael. In a world full of implicit anti-Semitism, this is like a UV light to see it and it's historical roots.

[Brian Katz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I read it leading up to my trip to Israel, which begins to tomorrow. I thought the author did a good job of dealing with some difficult subjects and was remarkably balanced in his approach and nuance. I say this because one may have preconceived ideas about someone’s worldview when they are a gay Jewish progressive. The author was steadfast in his belief that progressivism does not diminish his obligation to support Judaism and the State of Israel. In my experience, a very rare combination.

The author does a great job is discussing the history of the four categories of anti Semitism, which are: (1) blood libel, (2) economic libel, (3) conspiracy fantasy, and (4) racial libel. Not surprisingly, most forms of anti Semitism you see today are rooted in one of these four categories. The author argues and I agree, that the best way to counter anti Semitism is to be knowledgeable about the four categories and how to respond when you see them. Knowledge is power.

The author then takes the reader through seven interviews with Jews of widely different backgrounds, to highlight the diversity within Judaism. The candidates are Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Mizrahi, Beta-Yisrael (Ethiopian), Orthodox and various mixes of the above. In addition, many of these individuals have other diversity characteristics such as being gay or trans, to create a mix of intersectionality. All of them being very proud Jews who experienced anti Semitism and rose above it by being activists on social media or in their communities.

This gave me a really interesting perspective as I approach my trip to Israel. The Jews were expelled from Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD and lived in the diaspora for 2,000 years. They lived in vastly different communities and created a culture of their own. Fortunately, the founding of the Jewish state of Israel in 1948 has allowed the diaspora to come back together, for a celebration and a new life together. How fascinating is that for me to be able to experience this diversity as I visit the Jewish homeland. Wow.

[Statia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book based on the title. I was coming off Jew[ish], which I didn't care for, and wanted something that would make me feel good. The first half did not accomplish that. It was entirely about anti-semitism. Although masterfully written, it wasn't exactly what I was looking for. The second half consisted of interviews with Jews of diverse backgrounds was FANTASTIC. Over 50% of the population in Israel are Mizrahi but the individuals in power and leadership positions are overwhelmingly Ashkenazi. Beta-Yisrael suffer the highest poverty rate among Jewish Israelis.

As someone who feels constrained by the Ashkenormativity of Jewish experience and education in the U.S, I feel seen. I have the responsibility to continue contributing to the diverse Jewish community, living my true life as a form of fighting anti-semitism, and advocating for oppressed groups within Judaism.

"I left this conversation feeling proud of our people and our heritage, and so exited about our potential." Everyone should read Jewish Pride.

[Jayme Sheriff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative on the history of antisemitism and how it has manifested in modern society. Perfectly encapsulates most of my thoughts on modern day antisemitism and “anti Zionism” within the left. Empowering with the idea that we define our own identities and can reject the non-Jewish world’s view of Jews and Judaism.

“It is possible to be a Zionist Jew and a progressive. These identities are not mutually exclusive. My membership of the progressive community should not depend on me abandoning my Zionism; in fact, it should include me because I am a Zionist. Zionism is nothing but the movement to return an ethno-religious minority, a nation and a people, to their indigenous homeland, which should perfectly align with progressive values.”

[Doug S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben M. Freeman’s Jewish Pride is an essential read for understanding Jewish identity.

For the Jewish People, this book is about rejecting shame and feeling Pride in being your true Jewish self. It’s about celebrating Jewish identity in all its forms. And it’s about the acceptance and understanding of the whole diverse and inclusive Jewish community.

For Non-Jews this book is about understanding the Jewish perspective. It’s about how antisemitism has and continues to follow the Jewish people. And it’s about understanding and identifying where you can be an ally and raise your voice to help Jews around the world.

[Sondra Funk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book with my Torah study partner as a supplement to our learning. It has provided us with thought provoking conversation and profound reflections on our own upbringings and the ways in which we have perhaps allowed the non-Jewish world to define or affect the way we define our Jewishness. Ben Freeman did such an amazing job of laying out history, facts, interviews and reflective questions to let marinade - all in a way that encourages Jews to define Jewish Pride for themselves and not according to the perceptions of the non-Jewish world. So many notes taken and a book I will come back to in the future no doubt. Highly recommend - especially right now! ✡️

[Maryn Levi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was in incredibly informative and heartfelt. An in-depth look at the history of antisemitism, the diversity of Judaism, and the importance of pride.
Ben’s dedication to the Jewish people and fighting antisemitism is truly something to admire.
I thought I would be recommending this to my Jewish friends, but after reading, I feel it is a mandatory read for everyone.
It is full of history and modern examples – and the interviews with 7 wildly different people from the Jewish community was incredible.
Highly recommend.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t say enough about this book. It is comprehensive, balanced, well-written and obviously very well-researched. It’s geared towards Jewish people of all backgrounds, but I also think anyone who has ever posted about the Israel-Palestine conflict would also benefit from it. If you feel that impassioned to take a stand, then I think you’d enjoy this book and get a lot out of it, just like I did. Thank you, Ben Freeman, for writing this book!

[Hana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a deep dive into antisemitism and how it affects the non-Jewish world, and how Jews can draw on the concept of “Pride” (similar to how the LGBT+ community does) in order to strengthen their community and self-worth. While this book could have used a little more editing (there were some weird examples of grammar and too many commas), I found the overall concept insightful, enlightening, and inspiring.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worthwhile inoculant for young Jewish readers

The text provides gems of information relating to Jewish history that are indeed helpful. However, while well researched, the writing is rather juvenile. It appears in places rushed and underwhelming in author's given experiences. I would recommend the book for its content but certainly not its style.

[Ange · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very enjoyable book and lots of information, but this author focuses way too much on his sexuality. Its pages and pages about him being gay and i kept thinking "enough already" its fantastic that the author is gay and Jewish , but mentioning it for several pages and focusing on that gets a bit tiring.
I read half way before giving up.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! Great analysis of what it means to be a Jew today, including interesting perspectives on internalized antisemitism and other issues within the Jewish community. I found this book fresh and empowering especially during a time of surging antisemitism.

[Klarina Usach · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book every single Jew needs to read. Assimilation has cut many Jews off from our culture and history, but it's time to reclaim it, and this book is an excellent tool in learning how to start.

[Hal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a lovely, brilliant book. Ben Freeman is a delight and he really gets into the various aspects of how to be a proud Jew and, notably, the obstacles we face in this. I loved his interviews too. Just a really great read

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Should be included in all social justice libraries.

[Andrea Karshan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite part of this book is the history of antisemitism that the author gives. It really makes you understand the history of antisemitism and where many tropes come from.

[Einat Bee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I may need to revisit this book in a different frame of mind. My expectations were of stories, strategies and methods in how we as the Jewish people could work to overcome and eradicate antisemitism....and while it was there towards the end, this was more of a historical dissertation on what antisemitism is and where it came from. And while it remains vitally important to understand how antisemitism has infiltrated our lives, I had a hard time connecting with the author's stories as well as his writing style.

I'm putting this one on a shelf to re-read with a more academic outlook in the future.

[Leonora Buskin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Freeman’s Jewish Pride reflects on the importance of embracing Jewish identity in a world that has long silenced, marginalized, and attempted to erase Jewry. This book resonated deeply with me because my personal experiences with erasive antisemitism were finally affirmed and named. Much of what Freeman discusses echoed what I already knew and sensed, yet reading it made me feel seen and validated in a way I hadn’t before. Freeman also enriched my understanding of how historical conspiracy theories and anti-Zionism intersect with erasive antisemitism. His book felt like a detailed extension of the "talk" Jewish parents  have with their children - We live in a world where we are hated, and nevertheless, we must be proud and not forgot who we are. I consider this book a must for every Jewish individual, and for allies, can give greater understanding of the Jewish experience through time. 

[Dara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an illuminating read at a time when antisemitism continues to appear in daily life in America. In Jewish Pride, Ben M. Freeman suggests that the Jewish reaction to antisemitism should not be to try to change ourselves to fit in with how others see us or want us to be, but instead to have pride in who we are. This book goes over the basis of antisemitism from its beginnings and shows how although the targets may have changed, the roots all fall into the categories of blood libel, conspiracy fallacy, economic libel, and racial libel. I marked so many interesting points in this book that I could probably write a paper on it! While it covers a lot of antisemitism in history, it moves into the idea of pride as a reaction, and features interviews with 7 Jewish people from a variety of backgrounds and parts of the community. This book will continue to resonate for a long time.

[Becca Frischling]

This book nails the modern Jewish experience, what we struggle with, and how we can move forward. Freeman does an impeccable analysis of historical trends of antisemitism with thorough research and some examples I didn’t even know after studying Jewish history in college. But I love that he also looks beyond antisemitism to other elements of Jewish history and culture that help create Jewish Pride. The interview sections with Jews of all sorts of backgrounds and perspectives were so educational and heartwarming. Love love love