On February 14, the Jewish Book Council announced an initiative “for authors, publishers, publicists, agents, editors, and readers to report antisemitic literary-related incidents.”
“Antisemitism,” says the Jewish Book Council, is defined as “prejudice against or hatred of Jewish people.”
But what counts as antisemitic language? Interpretations differ. Some Jewish organizations like the Anti Defamation League purport that accusing Israel of committing genocide can be considered antisemitic (only last week, the head of the ADL, Jonathan Greenblatt, declared that “antizionism is antisemitism.”) Using phrases like “from the river to the sea Palestine will be free” or even simply “Free Palestine” is categorized by some groups as antisemitic, as well. So, if I demand that Israel stop killing people, by some definitions that makes me an antisemite. Fortunately there’s a handy new tool if you’d like to report me.
The Jewish Book Council offers vague guidelines about what constitutes antisemitism: “Verbal or written language, in-person or online harassment, vandalism, and violence directed at a person or institution because they are Jewish,” and they offer two examples: a small incident might consist of “an individual getting review-bombed because their book includes Jewish content, and a large one might be “Jewish literary professionals facing threats of intimidation and violence.” These are all hypotheticals, they say. They’re just gathering information, they say.
They say nothing about solidarity with our Muslim and Arab peers. No calls for a ceasefire.
Before I go any further I want to be clear that I condemn the actions of Hamas on October 7, 2023, and I strongly believe that Israeli hostages should be returned.
We must reckon with the harm that has already been done in the literary world in the name of stopping or preventing antisemitism.
However, I would also like to condemn the IDF for committing genocide—more than 29,000 Palestinian civilians have been killed, more than 85 percent displaced, and half a million are starving—seems like genocide to me, and I was taught in Hebrew school to speak up when I see great injustice, when people with very little power are suffering. It’s time to speak up.
That the US is actively helping Israel to devastate an entire population is even more disheartening.
Meanwhile, we must reckon with the harm that has already been done in the literary world in the name of stopping or preventing antisemitism.
At a time when books are being banned in schools and public libraries in unprecedented numbers, it’s alarming how writers have been reproached simply for signing letters that call for peace. Those critical of Israel are the ones who have faced dire consequences, from canceled readings and other events, to journalists losing jobs, to booksellers being censored from featuring pro-Palestine books.
Preemptive paranoia about antisemitism also caused sponsors to pull out from the 2023 National Book Awards, apparently because of concern that the nominees were planning to come together the night of the ceremony to denounce Israel and Jews. Spoiler alert: they did not do that. They did come together and call for a ceasefire, and it was a hopeful, beautiful part of the night, and it harmed no one. For sponsors of a major award to fear that a group of celebrated authors might have something to say about the current state of the world that would devolve into hate speech and bullying is both anti-intellectual and cowardly.
Perhaps the greatest literary debacle related to the Israel-Gaza war is the astounding number of journalists and other writers who have been murdered covering it. The book world should be screaming about this.
If ever there was a time for Jewish people to de-center ourselves and worry about the safety of others, it’s now.
To that end I was glad to join other Jewish writers in signing an open letter that argues that criticism of Israel is not antisemitic: “We refuse the false choice between Jewish safety and Palestinian freedom; between Jewish identity and ending the oppression of Palestinians. In fact, we believe the rights of Jews and Palestinians go hand-in-hand. The safety of each people depends on the other’s.”
Antisemitism exists and it is a problem. But it is not THE problem at this moment, nor is it THE problem in the literary world. There are so many more marginalized people who need to be heard.
At the same time I take pride in being a member of the literary community. I credit reading, and reading copiously and talking about books with other people, as primary tools that brought me to realize that the world is bigger and more complicated than I was taught as a child in Hebrew School. As an important organization within the literary community, the Jewish Book Council could use their platform to promote intersectionality. It’s a shame to see them cast Jewish people as victims instead.
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The redacted text above is from Edward Said’s The Question of Palestine.