Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning

This is the single most important book from a Jewish perspective for our time. It is deeply courageous, nuanced, knowledgeable, ethical, truthful and awakening. Peter is like a facilitator of the field, meaning that he is able to shift between many different positions and prospectives without ever losing his moral ground. There are few truth speakers around these days, especially when it comes to Israel‘s history and actions towards the Palestinians, Peter is one of those rare humans who does not shy away from looking at the shadow. He is a true mensch and as a daughter of Holocaust survivors, I know that my ancestors feel immensely proud of him and how he does their legacy justice.

With hard facts and figures eloquently intertwined with anecdotes and analysis, Beinart makes the case for why any country/society/group of individuals who have great power also have great responsibility. Learned so much from this book and will gift it to all my friends and family, both Muslims and Jews. I note that this is the sort of book that American students should read, as the lessons held within are not only relevant to Israel and Palestine, but to any society that has members who have no voice.

The single most important Jewish book of our time. At a moment when the consensus that held American Jewry together for generations is breaking down—and many American Jews no longer understand one another—this book forces us to wrestle with what Judaism asks of us in the face of the collective grief of October 7 and the devastation in Gaza.

Excellent and thoughtful analysis that is both personal and expansive. Highly recommend.

Got a little repetitive after a while. But expanded my perspective.

This book is a deeply thoughtful exploration of urgent issues. The author's thorough analysis challenges widely held beliefs with striking clarity. His examination of Jewish identity concerning Israeli policies is compelling, necessary, and timely. This is a must-read for anyone seeking insight into history, morality, and politics, especially after Oct 7th.

This is a powerful book by a Jewish author, written for a Jewish audience. But we can all learn from Peter Beinart's insights and passion for justice:"This book is about the story Jews tell ourselves to block out the screams. It's about the story that enables our leaders, our families, and our friends watch the destruction of the Gaza Strip -- the flattening of universities, the people forced to make bread from hay, the children freezing to death under buildings turned to rubble by a state that speaks in our name -- and shrug, if not applaud. It's about the story that convinces even Jews who are genuinely pained by Gaza's agony that there is no other way to keep us safe. It's our version of a story told in many variations by many peoples in many places who decide that protecting themselves requires subjugating others, that equality is tantamount to death" (9).Beinart would not have written the book if he did not believe it was possible for this to change.

Great book. Thought provoking and morally courageous. I don't agree with all of his views, but the book managed to take me out of my comfort zone and shifted my way of thinking about a topic I've been researching for decades. No small feat.