{"product_id":"being-jewish-after-the-destruction-of-gaza-reckoning-peter-beinart-9780593803899","title":"Being Jewish After The Destruction of Gaza | Peter Beinart","description":"\u003csection class=\"product-description\" style=\"color: #1a1a1a; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.6;\"\u003e\n  \u003ch2 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.75em; margin-bottom: 15px; border-bottom: 2px solid #2c3e50; padding-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eBeing Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eAccolades \u0026amp; Praise\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cul style=\"margin-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px;\"\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAdam Hochschild (author of \u003cem\u003eAmerican Midnight\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eKing Leopold’s Ghost\u003c\/em\u003e):\u003c\/strong\u003e “At this painful moment, Peter Beinart’s voice is more vital than ever. His reach is broad—from the tragedy of today’s Middle East to the South Africa he knows well to events centuries ago—his scholarship is deep, and his heart is big. This book is not just about being Jewish in the shadow of today’s war, but about being a person who cares for justice.”\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eExtended Synopsis\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003ePhilosopher, columnist, and political commentator Peter Beinart offers a bold, urgent appeal in \u003cem\u003eBeing Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning\u003c\/em\u003e. In this provocative work, Beinart challenges the prevailing narrative of Jewish communal life—dominated by stories of persecution and victimhood—by urging a new, nuanced understanding that embraces equality and justice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003eIn the aftermath of Gaza, where Jewish texts, history, and language have been deployed to justify mass slaughter and starvation, Beinart argues that Jews must tell a new story—one that rejects supremacy in favor of equality, and intertwines the safety and dignity of both Jewish and Palestinian lives. This book is not only a personal reckoning but also a call to action, drawing on the moral reconstruction efforts of other nations and a fresh reading of Jewish tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003eAccompanied by insightful essays, detailed contextual analysis, and a comprehensive timeline of his career, \u003cem\u003eBeing Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza\u003c\/em\u003e is a powerful narrative that combines personal experience, deep historical knowledge, and a visionary outlook for the future of Jewish identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePeter Beinart\u003c\/strong\u003e is a prominent political commentator, journalist, and scholar. He is a frequent writer on international relations, Middle Eastern politics, and Jewish communal affairs, bringing deep historical knowledge and moral clarity to his work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eReader Targeting\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cul style=\"margin-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px;\"\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eReaders interested in modern Middle Eastern politics, human rights, and international relations.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eIndividuals seeking thoughtful, moral perspectives on contemporary Jewish identity and communal reform.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eScholars, students, and active readers exploring political theology, ethics, and social justice.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eBibliographic \u0026amp; Physical Specifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"table-responsive\" style=\"overflow-x: auto; max-width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px; -webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch; border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n    \u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; min-width: 650px; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 0.95em; table-layout: fixed;\"\u003e\n      \u003cthead\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"background-color: #f8f9fa; border-bottom: 2px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 12px 10px; color: #2c3e50; width: 30%; font-weight: bold;\"\u003eSpecification\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 12px 10px; color: #2c3e50; width: 70%; font-weight: bold;\"\u003eDetails\u003c\/th\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003c\/thead\u003e\n      \u003ctbody\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eISBN-13\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003e9780593803899\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eISBN-10\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003e0593803892\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003ePublisher\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eKnopf\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003ePublication Date\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eJanuary 28, 2025\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eEdition\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eFirst Edition\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eCondition\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003ePre-Owned \/ Very Good\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eFormat\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eHardcover (Hardbound, includes Dust Jacket)\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003ePage Count\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003e192\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eBISAC Categories\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eRELIGION \/ Judaism \/ General; POLITICAL SCIENCE \/ International Relations \/ General\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eDimensions \u0026amp; Weight\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003e7.5 x 5.0 x 0.8 inches \/ 11.2 oz\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003c\/tbody\u003e\n    \u003c\/table\u003e\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is the central thesis of the book?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBeinart argues that the mainstream American Jewish community has organized its collective identity around a narrative of permanent persecution and victimhood. He contends that this narrative operates as a moral blind spot, creating a \"false innocence\" that enables American Jews to rationalize or ignore the mass violence and civilian suffering of Palestinians in Gaza. Beinart asserts that relying on Jewish texts and history to justify state-sanctioned starvation and destruction is a form of \"idolatry\" that compromises core Jewish ethical traditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow does the book address the October 7th attacks?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA common point of inquiry is whether the book dismisses Jewish trauma. Beinart explicitly states that he does not minimize the horror of the October 7th attacks, openly describing Hamas as a \"corrupt and despotic organization\" with a history of brutality against both Israelis and Palestinians. However, he chose his specific title because he argues that while October 7th is heavily grappled with in Jewish spaces, the immense human toll of Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza has been systematically erased or minimized by major Jewish institutions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat alternative future or political solution does Beinart propose?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMoving away from his past stance as a liberal Zionist, Beinart argues that Israel does not have an unconditional right to exist specifically as a Jewish state, asserting that state structures are only valuable if they protect all human life equally. He advocates for:\n    \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 20px;\"\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eRebuilding a Jewish identity centered on equality over supremacy.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eAbandoning the two-state solution in favor of a single democratic state encompassing both Israel and the Palestinian territories.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eGranting equal legal rights to everyone, drawing parallels to the peaceful transitions seen in post-apartheid South Africa and the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \n\n  \u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\n  {\n    \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n    \"@graph\": [\n      {\n        \"@type\": [\"Book\", \"Product\"],\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/being-jewish-after-the-destruction-of-gaza-reckoning-peter-beinart-9780593803899#book\",\n        \"name\": \"Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning\",\n        \"author\": {\n          \"@type\": \"Person\",\n          \"name\": \"Peter Beinart\"\n        },\n        \"description\": \"Peter Beinart's Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza offers a bold call to reject supremacy and embrace equality, justice, and shared safety.\",\n        \"isbn\": \"9780593803899\",\n        \"gtin13\": \"9780593803899\",\n        \"sku\": \"0593803892\",\n        \"bookFormat\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/Hardcover\",\n        \"bookEdition\": \"First Edition\",\n        \"datePublished\": \"2025-01-28\",\n        \"numberOfPages\": \"192\",\n        \"inLanguage\": \"en\",\n        \"countryOfOrigin\": \"United States\",\n        \"genre\": [\n          \"RELIGION \/ Judaism \/ General\",\n          \"POLITICAL SCIENCE \/ International Relations \/ General\"\n        ],\n        \"image\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0855\/2077\/7531\/files\/9780593803899.jpg?v=1786720407\",\n        \"publisher\": {\n          \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n          \"name\": \"Knopf\"\n        },\n        \"weight\": {\n          \"@type\": \"QuantitativeValue\",\n          \"value\": \"11.2\",\n          \"unitCode\": \"ONZ\"\n        },\n        \"offers\": {\n          \"@type\": \"Offer\",\n          \"price\": \"19.99\",\n          \"priceCurrency\": \"USD\",\n          \"availability\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/InStock\",\n          \"itemCondition\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/UsedCondition\",\n          \"url\": \"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/being-jewish-after-the-destruction-of-gaza-reckoning-peter-beinart-9780593803899\",\n          \"seller\": {\n            \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n            \"name\": \"Bust Down Books\"\n          }\n        }\n      },\n      {\n        \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/being-jewish-after-the-destruction-of-gaza-reckoning-peter-beinart-9780593803899#faq\",\n        \"mainEntity\": [\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"What is the central thesis of the book?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n              \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n              \"text\": \"Beinart argues that the mainstream American Jewish community has organized its collective identity around a narrative of permanent persecution and victimhood. 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