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The New Anti-Semitism: The Current Crisis & What We Must Do About It
In this intensely passionate and compelling book, the best-selling feminist and Jewish writer Phyllis Chesler demonstrates how old-fashioned anti-Semitism has become newly fashionable, even politically correct, and how this plague threatens the Jews of the world, America, and Western civilization. A dangerous, worldwide coalition of Islamic terrorists, well-intentioned but profoundly misinformed students, right wing fascists, left-wing ideologues, pious academics, feminists, opportunistic European politicians, and sensation-seeking international media have joined together to once again blame the Jews and the Jewish state for the current world crisis. Today, lethal activism against the Jews often takes the form of anti-Zionism. Osama Bin Laden, for example, blamed the 9/11 World Trade Center attack on U.S. government support for Israel. Since then, hundreds of synagogues have been burned, cemeteries and destroyed, and Jews threatened, boycotted, beaten, and killed. Jews have been blamed for huge stock market losses and for the decline of the world economy. The long-ago disproven Protocols of Zion, which accuse the Jews of an alleged world-conspiracy to conquer and control the world, have been revived and promulgated in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. So what must we do? "Fight against the Big Lies," Chesler says. (No, the Jews do not control the world's money and media, and the Jews did not kill Christ.) Avoid rigid, dogmatic ideologies. Focus on the world's real problems (disease, poverty, illiteracy, violence) instead of scapegoating the Jews and demonizing the Jewish state. Be fair to Israel. Form Jewish-Christian, Jewish-Muslim, and Jewish-Palestinian alliances. Restore campus civility and above all, Jews must stop fighting among themselves.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
20 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Phyllis Chesler
37 books398 followersPhyllis Chesler is an Emerita Professor of Psychology and Women's Studies at City University of New York. She is a best- selling author, a legendary feminist leader, a psychotherapist and an expert courtroom witness. Dr. Chesler has published thousands of articles and, most recently, studies, about honor-related violence including honor killings. She is the author of 20 books, including Women and Madness and An American Bride in Kabul. Her forthcoming book is titled Requiem for a Female Serial Killer, about serial killer Aileen Wuornos.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 7, 2017
How did it happen that 60 years after 6 million Jews perished in Hitler?s inferno?s, millions are again baying for the blood of Jews, led this time by the left?
It is cloaked in the language of political correctness, and academic language, but the end goal is the same, genocide of Jews.
On university campuses, in the media, in the halls of the United Nations, in European and Third World governments, prejudice runs strong.
Phyllis Chesler, well-known feminist author, in the 21-st century equivalent of Zola?s J?Accuse, dissects this revolting and frightening phenomenon.
She points out that the leaders of today?s Nuremberg rallies are supposedly ?enlightened? and ?progressive? leftwing academics, as Israel is pilloried, without the slightest compassion for the men, women and children of that tiny, poor country, condemned by a coterie of malignant narcissists for destruction.
Of course the Israel-haters deny hotly that they are anti-Semites: The first thing students learn today in the 'humanities' departments on university campuses across the world is that anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism are different. Many Jewish-born ultra-leftists lead the ?burn Israel? movement. In fact it could be argued that the new anti-Semitism was founded by malignant high priest of Marxist academia, Noam Chomsky together with his partner in hate, Arab propagandist Edward Said. Indeed the Jewish-born Israel-haters are often the most callous and vicious, hoping that expunging 5 million Israeli men, women and children from the face of the earth, will make themselves more universal and progressive in the world today. It is only the 'backward Israelis' who get in the way of the place of Diaspora Jewish Marxists as leaders of the 'progressive vanguard' once more. So innocents must die in their millions!
But Chesler debunks the frightful lie that tries to disguise the new anti-Semitism, as ?progressive anti-Zionism?. After all is it not anti-Semitism to deny Jews the right to live in Israel? Is a Jewish child in Israel, gunned down in her bed, by Palestinian goons in 2002, any different to a Jewish child in Poland, gunned down in her bed by Nazi goons in 1942?
Martin Luther King pointed out the truth when he said 37 years ago: ?Anti-Semitism, the hatred of the Jewish people, has been and remains a blot on the soul of mankind. In this we are in full agreement. So know also this: anti-Zionist is inherently anti-Semitic, and ever will be so?.
Chesler dissects this new anti-Semitism, in this work that will make you both angry and frightened. While the Left have certainly been the vanguard of this new cancer, it has not been confined to the left alone. Neo-Nazi hate-mongers like Pat Buchanan, Lyndon La Rouche, David Duke and Robert Novak, in the USA and the groups like the German NPD, in Europe, have also jumped on the bandwagon of the new anti-Semitism, finding that anti-Zionism, is the most effective way to vent their malice.
And the new anti-Semitism has resulted in attacks on Jews, not only in Israel, but also all around the world, as Jews are attacked in the streets and synagogues burned, with university campuses being the most vicious breeding grounds of hate of them all.
There is no logic in the intensity of the hate of the new anti-Semites, as Israel is condemned for every action taken to defend her, by the same ones who are so silent in the face of massacres of Israeli women and children, by Palestinian killers.
The latter being seen as the victims and the former as the aggressors in this macabre Orwellian theater.
Indeed, as we saw with the rise of Hitler, when the world loses it?s moral compass, there is no limit to what they will stoop to, and no amount of politically correct jargon, and Marxist obfuscation can hide this from us all.
Merged review:
How did it happen that 60 years after 6 million Jews perished in Hitler?s inferno?s, millions are again baying for the blood of Jews, led this time by the left?
It is cloaked in the language of political correctness, and academic language, but the end goal is the same, genocide of Jews.
On university campuses, in the media, in the halls of the United Nations, in European and Third World governments, prejudice runs strong.
Phyllis Chesler, well-known feminist author, in the 21-st century equivalent of Zola?s J?Accuse, dissects this revolting and frightening phenomenon.
She points out that the leaders of today?s Nuremberg rallies are supposedly ?enlightened? and ?progressive? leftwing academics, as Israel is pilloried, without the slightest compassion for the men, women and children of that tiny, poor country, condemned by a coterie of malignant narcissists for destruction.
Of course the Israel-haters deny hotly that they are anti-Semites: The first thing students learn today in the ?humanities? departments on university campuses across the world is that anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism are different. Many Jewish-born ultra-leftists lead the ?burn Israel? movement. In fact it could be argued that the new anti-Semitism was founded by malignant high priest of Marxist academia, Noam Chomsky together with his partner in hate, Arab propagandist Edward Said. Indeed the Jewish-born Israel-haters are often the most callous and vicious, hoping that expunging 5 million Israeli men, women and children from the face of the earth, will make themselves more universal and progressive in the world today. It is only the 'backward Israelis' who get in the way of the place of Diaspora Jewish Marxists as leaders of the 'progressive vanguard' once more. So innocents must die in their millions!
But Chesler debunks the frightful lie that tries to disguise the new anti-Semitism, as ?progressive anti-Zionism?. After all is it not anti-Semitism to deny Jews the right to live in Israel? Is a Jewish child in Israel, gunned down in her bed, by Palestinian goons in 2002, any different to a Jewish child in Poland, gunned down in her bed by Nazi goons in 1942?
Martin Luther King pointed out the truth when he said 37 years ago: ?Anti-Semitism, the hatred of the Jewish people, has been and remains a blot on the soul of mankind. In this we are in full agreement. So know also this: anti-Zionist is inherently anti-Semitic, and ever will be so?.
Chesler dissects this new anti-Semitism, in this work that will make you both angry and frightened. While the Left have certainly been the vanguard of this new cancer, it has not been confined to the left alone. Neo-Nazi hate-mongers like Pat Buchanan, Lyndon La Rouche, David Duke and Robert Novak, in the USA and the groups like the German NPD, in Europe, have also jumped on the bandwagon of the new anti-Semitism, finding that anti-Zionism, is the most effective way to vent their malice.
And the new anti-Semitism has resulted in attacks on Jews, not only in Israel, but also all around the world, as Jews are attacked in the streets and synagogues burned, with university campuses being the most vicious breeding grounds of hate of them all.
There is no logic in the intensity of the hate of the new anti-Semites, as Israel is condemned for every action taken to defend her, by the same ones who are so silent in the face of massacres of Israeli women and children, by Palestinian killers.
The latter being seen as the victims and the former as the aggressors in this macabre Orwellian theater.
Indeed, as we saw with the rise of Hitler, when the world loses it?s moral compass, there is no limit to what they will stoop to, and no amount of politically correct jargon, and Marxist obfuscation can hide this from us
It is cloaked in the language of political correctness, and academic language, but the end goal is the same, genocide of Jews.
On university campuses, in the media, in the halls of the United Nations, in European and Third World governments, prejudice runs strong.
Phyllis Chesler, well-known feminist author, in the 21-st century equivalent of Zola?s J?Accuse, dissects this revolting and frightening phenomenon.
She points out that the leaders of today?s Nuremberg rallies are supposedly ?enlightened? and ?progressive? leftwing academics, as Israel is pilloried, without the slightest compassion for the men, women and children of that tiny, poor country, condemned by a coterie of malignant narcissists for destruction.
Of course the Israel-haters deny hotly that they are anti-Semites: The first thing students learn today in the 'humanities' departments on university campuses across the world is that anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism are different. Many Jewish-born ultra-leftists lead the ?burn Israel? movement. In fact it could be argued that the new anti-Semitism was founded by malignant high priest of Marxist academia, Noam Chomsky together with his partner in hate, Arab propagandist Edward Said. Indeed the Jewish-born Israel-haters are often the most callous and vicious, hoping that expunging 5 million Israeli men, women and children from the face of the earth, will make themselves more universal and progressive in the world today. It is only the 'backward Israelis' who get in the way of the place of Diaspora Jewish Marxists as leaders of the 'progressive vanguard' once more. So innocents must die in their millions!
But Chesler debunks the frightful lie that tries to disguise the new anti-Semitism, as ?progressive anti-Zionism?. After all is it not anti-Semitism to deny Jews the right to live in Israel? Is a Jewish child in Israel, gunned down in her bed, by Palestinian goons in 2002, any different to a Jewish child in Poland, gunned down in her bed by Nazi goons in 1942?
Martin Luther King pointed out the truth when he said 37 years ago: ?Anti-Semitism, the hatred of the Jewish people, has been and remains a blot on the soul of mankind. In this we are in full agreement. So know also this: anti-Zionist is inherently anti-Semitic, and ever will be so?.
Chesler dissects this new anti-Semitism, in this work that will make you both angry and frightened. While the Left have certainly been the vanguard of this new cancer, it has not been confined to the left alone. Neo-Nazi hate-mongers like Pat Buchanan, Lyndon La Rouche, David Duke and Robert Novak, in the USA and the groups like the German NPD, in Europe, have also jumped on the bandwagon of the new anti-Semitism, finding that anti-Zionism, is the most effective way to vent their malice.
And the new anti-Semitism has resulted in attacks on Jews, not only in Israel, but also all around the world, as Jews are attacked in the streets and synagogues burned, with university campuses being the most vicious breeding grounds of hate of them all.
There is no logic in the intensity of the hate of the new anti-Semites, as Israel is condemned for every action taken to defend her, by the same ones who are so silent in the face of massacres of Israeli women and children, by Palestinian killers.
The latter being seen as the victims and the former as the aggressors in this macabre Orwellian theater.
Indeed, as we saw with the rise of Hitler, when the world loses it?s moral compass, there is no limit to what they will stoop to, and no amount of politically correct jargon, and Marxist obfuscation can hide this from us all.
Merged review:
How did it happen that 60 years after 6 million Jews perished in Hitler?s inferno?s, millions are again baying for the blood of Jews, led this time by the left?
It is cloaked in the language of political correctness, and academic language, but the end goal is the same, genocide of Jews.
On university campuses, in the media, in the halls of the United Nations, in European and Third World governments, prejudice runs strong.
Phyllis Chesler, well-known feminist author, in the 21-st century equivalent of Zola?s J?Accuse, dissects this revolting and frightening phenomenon.
She points out that the leaders of today?s Nuremberg rallies are supposedly ?enlightened? and ?progressive? leftwing academics, as Israel is pilloried, without the slightest compassion for the men, women and children of that tiny, poor country, condemned by a coterie of malignant narcissists for destruction.
Of course the Israel-haters deny hotly that they are anti-Semites: The first thing students learn today in the ?humanities? departments on university campuses across the world is that anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism are different. Many Jewish-born ultra-leftists lead the ?burn Israel? movement. In fact it could be argued that the new anti-Semitism was founded by malignant high priest of Marxist academia, Noam Chomsky together with his partner in hate, Arab propagandist Edward Said. Indeed the Jewish-born Israel-haters are often the most callous and vicious, hoping that expunging 5 million Israeli men, women and children from the face of the earth, will make themselves more universal and progressive in the world today. It is only the 'backward Israelis' who get in the way of the place of Diaspora Jewish Marxists as leaders of the 'progressive vanguard' once more. So innocents must die in their millions!
But Chesler debunks the frightful lie that tries to disguise the new anti-Semitism, as ?progressive anti-Zionism?. After all is it not anti-Semitism to deny Jews the right to live in Israel? Is a Jewish child in Israel, gunned down in her bed, by Palestinian goons in 2002, any different to a Jewish child in Poland, gunned down in her bed by Nazi goons in 1942?
Martin Luther King pointed out the truth when he said 37 years ago: ?Anti-Semitism, the hatred of the Jewish people, has been and remains a blot on the soul of mankind. In this we are in full agreement. So know also this: anti-Zionist is inherently anti-Semitic, and ever will be so?.
Chesler dissects this new anti-Semitism, in this work that will make you both angry and frightened. While the Left have certainly been the vanguard of this new cancer, it has not been confined to the left alone. Neo-Nazi hate-mongers like Pat Buchanan, Lyndon La Rouche, David Duke and Robert Novak, in the USA and the groups like the German NPD, in Europe, have also jumped on the bandwagon of the new anti-Semitism, finding that anti-Zionism, is the most effective way to vent their malice.
And the new anti-Semitism has resulted in attacks on Jews, not only in Israel, but also all around the world, as Jews are attacked in the streets and synagogues burned, with university campuses being the most vicious breeding grounds of hate of them all.
There is no logic in the intensity of the hate of the new anti-Semites, as Israel is condemned for every action taken to defend her, by the same ones who are so silent in the face of massacres of Israeli women and children, by Palestinian killers.
The latter being seen as the victims and the former as the aggressors in this macabre Orwellian theater.
Indeed, as we saw with the rise of Hitler, when the world loses it?s moral compass, there is no limit to what they will stoop to, and no amount of politically correct jargon, and Marxist obfuscation can hide this from us
December 7, 2018
This book by feminist Phyllis Chesler is not so much a book as it is a rant. She is mightily ticked off. Reading this book, I kept wondering, when she turned in the draft to her publisher, if she typed the entire manuscript with the caps lock key on. One feels as though they are being assaulted while reading. I can definitely excuse her, however. Being a well-educated Jew, she has every right to be infuriated with the current state of affairs concerning Israel and its mistreatment by the rest of the world.
When I say the “rest of the world”, I mean that quite literally. As history as shown us time and time again, there always seems to be an infuriating hatred against the Jewish people. Why? Search me. We’re talking about a race of people who have spent their entire history being abused, persecuted, humiliated, and regularly killed for no other reason than their identity as being Jewish. What aids in the author’s anger is that she identifies herself as a leftist feminist, yet feels many of this crowd shares the same hatred towards Jews, Israel, Zionism, etc. So she rightly feels betrayed. How can people “on her side” be so prejudiced as well?
I really enjoyed this book, but couldn’t help thinking that if she would have taken a few deep breaths from time to time, the material could have been presented a bit better. She pulls no punches. Quite often she opens up a paragraph with “Let me say again…..” or “Let me be perfectly clear….”, so it’s quite obvious she feels quite exasperated. I would not want to challenge this woman to an argument. I must say again, that such sentiments are entirely justified based on history, and the perceived resistance by many to do anything differently.
She spends a good amount of time pointing the finger at everyone throughout history – Arabs, Christians, Fascists, Liberals, etc. since all parties have, in fact, been guilty at one time or another of fierce anti-Semitism. Throughout much of the book, she basically details a dirty laundry list of many key figures, countries, and governments and all of their offenses. Despite her anger, she’s quite fair in her assessments, and does tend to look at everything rationally. Example: She acknowledges that the United States has been guilty of crimes in the past – whether it be slavery, colonization, the treatment of Native Americans, or anti-Semitism, but she points out that one really needs to grade on a curve when looking at a country’s history. America, like Israel, is definitely guilty of some crimes during its existence, but when matched up with its charitable contributions and philanthropic efforts, it’s very clear that rational people really shouldn’t be demonizing nations that do so much good for the world.
I also enjoyed the fact that she rarely mentions God, or quote scriptures throughout the book. I only say this because it’s easy for one to be skeptical of Israel since they identify themselves as “God’s chosen people”. Secularists will argue that this doesn’t matter (some would call the claim ludicrous), yet Chesler shows us that Jews throughout history have never used the “God is with us” argument to grab what they want, and they continue to be persecuted regardless. In other words, God or no God, there’s no excuse to not give Israel what is rightly theirs, and was taken away from them over a thousand years ago in barbaric fashion.
Speaking of God, I felt that this book makes a very strong case for the Judeo-Christian deity. How else can such a tiny underdog persevere under such conditions unless they have a higher power on their side?? You would think civilized people would cheer and rally to the Jewish cause, but alas, this is not to be. Perhaps because Israel and/or the Jewish community has persevered and triumphed so many times is what makes so many cynical “intellectuals” hate them? How dare a country keep winning wars that other people start.
I really didn’t read anything here “new” about the “new” anti-Semitism. It’s the same old same old, the author just sadly reminds us that nothing has gotten better and, in many cases, gotten worse. Perhaps I’m more of an optimist, but in the circles that I frequent, most are not oblivious to the situation, and apart from the occasional crabby celebrity who doesn’t have a clue as to what he is talking about (Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters comes to mind), most seem to rally behind Israel’s cause. Even Howard Stern.
A good book, yet frustrating at times. Not because of the author’s literary screaming in-your-face diatribes, but because so much still hasn’t changed, and too many ignorant “intellectuals” still can’t quite eradicate their obvious anti-Semitic attitudes.
When I say the “rest of the world”, I mean that quite literally. As history as shown us time and time again, there always seems to be an infuriating hatred against the Jewish people. Why? Search me. We’re talking about a race of people who have spent their entire history being abused, persecuted, humiliated, and regularly killed for no other reason than their identity as being Jewish. What aids in the author’s anger is that she identifies herself as a leftist feminist, yet feels many of this crowd shares the same hatred towards Jews, Israel, Zionism, etc. So she rightly feels betrayed. How can people “on her side” be so prejudiced as well?
I really enjoyed this book, but couldn’t help thinking that if she would have taken a few deep breaths from time to time, the material could have been presented a bit better. She pulls no punches. Quite often she opens up a paragraph with “Let me say again…..” or “Let me be perfectly clear….”, so it’s quite obvious she feels quite exasperated. I would not want to challenge this woman to an argument. I must say again, that such sentiments are entirely justified based on history, and the perceived resistance by many to do anything differently.
She spends a good amount of time pointing the finger at everyone throughout history – Arabs, Christians, Fascists, Liberals, etc. since all parties have, in fact, been guilty at one time or another of fierce anti-Semitism. Throughout much of the book, she basically details a dirty laundry list of many key figures, countries, and governments and all of their offenses. Despite her anger, she’s quite fair in her assessments, and does tend to look at everything rationally. Example: She acknowledges that the United States has been guilty of crimes in the past – whether it be slavery, colonization, the treatment of Native Americans, or anti-Semitism, but she points out that one really needs to grade on a curve when looking at a country’s history. America, like Israel, is definitely guilty of some crimes during its existence, but when matched up with its charitable contributions and philanthropic efforts, it’s very clear that rational people really shouldn’t be demonizing nations that do so much good for the world.
I also enjoyed the fact that she rarely mentions God, or quote scriptures throughout the book. I only say this because it’s easy for one to be skeptical of Israel since they identify themselves as “God’s chosen people”. Secularists will argue that this doesn’t matter (some would call the claim ludicrous), yet Chesler shows us that Jews throughout history have never used the “God is with us” argument to grab what they want, and they continue to be persecuted regardless. In other words, God or no God, there’s no excuse to not give Israel what is rightly theirs, and was taken away from them over a thousand years ago in barbaric fashion.
Speaking of God, I felt that this book makes a very strong case for the Judeo-Christian deity. How else can such a tiny underdog persevere under such conditions unless they have a higher power on their side?? You would think civilized people would cheer and rally to the Jewish cause, but alas, this is not to be. Perhaps because Israel and/or the Jewish community has persevered and triumphed so many times is what makes so many cynical “intellectuals” hate them? How dare a country keep winning wars that other people start.
I really didn’t read anything here “new” about the “new” anti-Semitism. It’s the same old same old, the author just sadly reminds us that nothing has gotten better and, in many cases, gotten worse. Perhaps I’m more of an optimist, but in the circles that I frequent, most are not oblivious to the situation, and apart from the occasional crabby celebrity who doesn’t have a clue as to what he is talking about (Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters comes to mind), most seem to rally behind Israel’s cause. Even Howard Stern.
A good book, yet frustrating at times. Not because of the author’s literary screaming in-your-face diatribes, but because so much still hasn’t changed, and too many ignorant “intellectuals” still can’t quite eradicate their obvious anti-Semitic attitudes.
November 10, 2021
This could have been a great book on an important topic, but sadly apart from a few nuggets which I enjoyed reading, this was not the case. I can think of far better topics on this subject particularly when it comes to left-wing antisemitism from those who see themselves as on the right side of history, champions of the oppressed and anti-racists. Indeed I've read some of them - excellent books by authors Dave Rich, Steve Cohen and David Baddiel. I've also heard people singing praises of books in this area by Deborah Lipstadt, Bari Weiss, Julia Neubeurger, Robert Wistrich and David Hirsh. Sadly for me this book fell short.
Especially in the first few chapters, although it improved stylistically as the book went on, it wasn't clear to me whether the book was trying to present itself as a factual report, opinion or both. If one flew in to the other it could have worked, but it operated as separate silos too often, and at other times something was presented as fact when it was opinion and vice-versa. This made it a very jerky and disatisfying read.
Too often a statement was made and not properly backed up or sourced. I know from my own work both professionally and personally when it comes to antisemitism there are many sources out there and if you are going to write on it, you need to back up statements you make. Far too often this was not the case.
The author throughout the subject drifted off the subject of antisemitism too much. Perhaps one could have got away with it, if it was properly linked, but it wasn't. Quite often they were interesting and thought provoking asides, but not relevant to the book subject title.
The author talked a lot about Israel and I don't have a problem with this. Far too often particularly on the left anti-Israel rhetoric has crossed over in to antisemitism. The issue I have is that far too many of the examples were not clear antisemitism or at least explained well enough. The opinions and rhetoric may have been objectionable but not for me at least antisemitic. Again from my own experience there are plenty of better examples including in the time period the author was covering that could have been used.
One other thing which annoyed me was the author's obsession with Islam and quite often saying something was Islamofascist when for instance in the case of the PFLP it was Stalinist. Islamist antisemitism is a major problem and far too many people do not acknowledge it. Islamism itself is a distorted political fundamentalist interpretation of Islam. However there is a happy medium between those who ignore Islamism and those who present it as representing all of Islam.
I also disagree with antisemitism cloaked in the language of human rights, speaking up for the oppressed and anti-racism is something new. Its not as Dave Rich and Steve Cohen show. What is new is the intensity of it, how much up of the left it has infected, the way it spreads much more easily now due to modern technology and awareness of it, but as any historian and academic of antisemitism will tell you its not a new phenomenon. Indeed Karl Marx made antisemitic statements and a number of those who were founding members of the UK Labour Party had a troubling record on antisemitism. Indeed a famous German Social Democrat even had a name for antisemitism emanating from these sources 'The Socialism of fools'. For a book on antisemitism on the left and Islamism to not even acknowledge this or make reference to this is disappointing and shows a lack of rigorous research.
On a stylistic point antisemitism as highlighted by ADL, CST and the Antisemitism Policy Trust should not be hyphenated. Its a minor point and pedantic, but it annoyed me in the book that it was.
There are a few good bits in this book which showed what this book could have been and mean it deserves more than 1 star, but overall I found it disappointing and I think there are much better books on the topic. I would not recommend it.
Especially in the first few chapters, although it improved stylistically as the book went on, it wasn't clear to me whether the book was trying to present itself as a factual report, opinion or both. If one flew in to the other it could have worked, but it operated as separate silos too often, and at other times something was presented as fact when it was opinion and vice-versa. This made it a very jerky and disatisfying read.
Too often a statement was made and not properly backed up or sourced. I know from my own work both professionally and personally when it comes to antisemitism there are many sources out there and if you are going to write on it, you need to back up statements you make. Far too often this was not the case.
The author throughout the subject drifted off the subject of antisemitism too much. Perhaps one could have got away with it, if it was properly linked, but it wasn't. Quite often they were interesting and thought provoking asides, but not relevant to the book subject title.
The author talked a lot about Israel and I don't have a problem with this. Far too often particularly on the left anti-Israel rhetoric has crossed over in to antisemitism. The issue I have is that far too many of the examples were not clear antisemitism or at least explained well enough. The opinions and rhetoric may have been objectionable but not for me at least antisemitic. Again from my own experience there are plenty of better examples including in the time period the author was covering that could have been used.
One other thing which annoyed me was the author's obsession with Islam and quite often saying something was Islamofascist when for instance in the case of the PFLP it was Stalinist. Islamist antisemitism is a major problem and far too many people do not acknowledge it. Islamism itself is a distorted political fundamentalist interpretation of Islam. However there is a happy medium between those who ignore Islamism and those who present it as representing all of Islam.
I also disagree with antisemitism cloaked in the language of human rights, speaking up for the oppressed and anti-racism is something new. Its not as Dave Rich and Steve Cohen show. What is new is the intensity of it, how much up of the left it has infected, the way it spreads much more easily now due to modern technology and awareness of it, but as any historian and academic of antisemitism will tell you its not a new phenomenon. Indeed Karl Marx made antisemitic statements and a number of those who were founding members of the UK Labour Party had a troubling record on antisemitism. Indeed a famous German Social Democrat even had a name for antisemitism emanating from these sources 'The Socialism of fools'. For a book on antisemitism on the left and Islamism to not even acknowledge this or make reference to this is disappointing and shows a lack of rigorous research.
On a stylistic point antisemitism as highlighted by ADL, CST and the Antisemitism Policy Trust should not be hyphenated. Its a minor point and pedantic, but it annoyed me in the book that it was.
There are a few good bits in this book which showed what this book could have been and mean it deserves more than 1 star, but overall I found it disappointing and I think there are much better books on the topic. I would not recommend it.
January 5, 2021
This book gave me a good overview and beginning to my search into antisemitism. Her writing style, however took away from many opportunities to provide explanations. It seemed like a continuous rant about the hate that has become common place today, after many years of acceptance and tolerance, curiosity and assimilation, and growing respect for difference among all people. This type of narrative could have been written about so many groups these days with that I would have liked to see her acknowledge that and work it into her possibilities for resolution. She did leave me with a list of questions to be researched and references for doing research. One of the more surprising things that I learned, concerned the antisemitism (hatred, disrespect) within the Jewish community. She did cover a great deal of history and provided a broad basis for continuing to study these issues.
July 13, 2013
Think this book would be better suited in the fiction section.
May 10, 2025
Phyllis Chesler is a good, thoughtful writer, who has written books on several nonfiction subjects. Her 'An American Bride in Kabul' is a fascinating memoir of her experiences as an American Jewish woman marrying an Afghan Muslim man and living in Afghanistan in the 1960s, while 'Requiem for a Female Serial Killer', is the revealing if brutal story of executed murderer Eileen Wournos, played by Charlize Theron in the film 'Monster'. Phyllis Chesler has also written on other subjects including feminism and mental health.
While 'The New Anti-Semitism' is not her best book, it is good, and shows how deep the problem goes, that some people only really woke up to since the 7 October 2023 attacks from Gaza into Israel, and some still pretend does not exist.
In the past, hatred of Jews as a people, in the Western World, tended to be right-wing and Christian ('The Jews killed Christ!'). It is now more often left-wing, in alliance with Islam. This cross-over occurred through anti-Zionism; criticism of Israel that may, as with criticism of any other country, sometimes be justified, but is taken to an extreme of hatred in a way that does not happen with any other country, not even real villains like the governments of North Korea, Zimbabwe or Iran.
The remarkable thing is that this book was published as long ago as 2003, many years before recent events in Israel and Gaza and reactions to them in the USA, UK and other countries focused the World's attention.
Ms Chesler saw what was going on early, through her work for the United Nations and involvement with feminism.
In 1980, she attended a United Nations 'World Conference on Women' in Copenhagen. I quote from this book at length on that as readers will probably see in it the roots of what has gone on in e.g. Universities, or on Social Media recently, even if the Soviet Union, in 1980 important in organising it, is no more.
'I saw with my own eyes how the entire agenda, both officially and unofficially, was hijacked by the PLO [Palestine Liberation Organisation, whose dominant member is Fatah, the ruling party in the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank today.] The official United Nations Conference voted 94 to 4 for a 186 point Plan of Action that listed Zionism as one of the World's main evils, along with colonialism and apartheid. Cuba submitted this amendment when the Conference finally opened.
'This was my first post-modern 'pogrom' and I put this in quotes because it was not like the pogroms of old, in which synagogues were torched, sex crimes against Jewish women, babies thrown upon bayonets, Jewish men tortured and murdered. It was something else: a pogrom of non-stop words and ideas, an exercise in total intimidation, perhaps similar to those perfected in Russia and China that are supposed to result in ego breakdown, "confession", a show trial and death. There is no absolution. The method was now being fine-tuned for use in an international setting filled with ardent, active, naive women.
'Official delegates blamed their own intransigent regional problems on Zionism and Apartheid. Bands of thirty to fifty Russian trained Arab women, headed by PLO representatives, roved the hallways. They had been trained to interrupt each and every panel and to take them over with propaganda against America and Israel. Their behaviour was that of attackers on the march - bullies. They did not pretend to be feminists or to be concerned with women. They did not have to be - no one held them to this standard.
'The bullies made no eye contact with anyone as they yelled "Jews must die! Israel must die! Israel kills babies and tortures women! Israel must go!" Many of the unofficial panels were also rigged so that the moderators called on only pro-PLO speakers from the audience. In one panel, they interrupted a speaker for five full minutes with the following chant "Cuba si! Yanqui no! PLO! PLO!" I heard women say "The only good Jew is a dead Jew!" and "Zionism is a disease that must be attacked at a cellular level."
'I observed how such hooligans managed to utterly silence an Arab Jew, Simha Choresh, when she tried to talk about her Jewish husband's torture and execution in Iraq and her consequent flight...
'Mina ben Zvi, who had commanded the Israeli women's armed forces in the 1948 War of Independence, wept in my arms. She could not believe that Israel and Jews could still be so irrationally hated. Many Jewish women were completely unprepared for the battle-level intensity, its uniformity and its ruthlessness.
'Most other Jewish women experienced Copenhagen's psychological pogrom. For months afterwards many could not and would not talk about it. They would start talking, then start crying, or start talking and then abruptly stop. They said they were unable to convey in words what Copenhagen had been like.'
Soon afterwards, the authoress was on a panel at the annual National Women's Studies Association meeting at Storrs, Connecticut, and asked the 'assembled feminist sisters "Who'd hide me and all the other Jewish feminists and their families when the Nazis come for us again?" Only one lady said she would:
'Everyone else remained stonily silent...some women of color were angry because, once again, the (white skinned) Jews seemed to be competing for the limited anti-racism flavor of the month slot.'
While 'The New Anti-Semitism' is not her best book, it is good, and shows how deep the problem goes, that some people only really woke up to since the 7 October 2023 attacks from Gaza into Israel, and some still pretend does not exist.
In the past, hatred of Jews as a people, in the Western World, tended to be right-wing and Christian ('The Jews killed Christ!'). It is now more often left-wing, in alliance with Islam. This cross-over occurred through anti-Zionism; criticism of Israel that may, as with criticism of any other country, sometimes be justified, but is taken to an extreme of hatred in a way that does not happen with any other country, not even real villains like the governments of North Korea, Zimbabwe or Iran.
The remarkable thing is that this book was published as long ago as 2003, many years before recent events in Israel and Gaza and reactions to them in the USA, UK and other countries focused the World's attention.
Ms Chesler saw what was going on early, through her work for the United Nations and involvement with feminism.
In 1980, she attended a United Nations 'World Conference on Women' in Copenhagen. I quote from this book at length on that as readers will probably see in it the roots of what has gone on in e.g. Universities, or on Social Media recently, even if the Soviet Union, in 1980 important in organising it, is no more.
'I saw with my own eyes how the entire agenda, both officially and unofficially, was hijacked by the PLO [Palestine Liberation Organisation, whose dominant member is Fatah, the ruling party in the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank today.] The official United Nations Conference voted 94 to 4 for a 186 point Plan of Action that listed Zionism as one of the World's main evils, along with colonialism and apartheid. Cuba submitted this amendment when the Conference finally opened.
'This was my first post-modern 'pogrom' and I put this in quotes because it was not like the pogroms of old, in which synagogues were torched, sex crimes against Jewish women, babies thrown upon bayonets, Jewish men tortured and murdered. It was something else: a pogrom of non-stop words and ideas, an exercise in total intimidation, perhaps similar to those perfected in Russia and China that are supposed to result in ego breakdown, "confession", a show trial and death. There is no absolution. The method was now being fine-tuned for use in an international setting filled with ardent, active, naive women.
'Official delegates blamed their own intransigent regional problems on Zionism and Apartheid. Bands of thirty to fifty Russian trained Arab women, headed by PLO representatives, roved the hallways. They had been trained to interrupt each and every panel and to take them over with propaganda against America and Israel. Their behaviour was that of attackers on the march - bullies. They did not pretend to be feminists or to be concerned with women. They did not have to be - no one held them to this standard.
'The bullies made no eye contact with anyone as they yelled "Jews must die! Israel must die! Israel kills babies and tortures women! Israel must go!" Many of the unofficial panels were also rigged so that the moderators called on only pro-PLO speakers from the audience. In one panel, they interrupted a speaker for five full minutes with the following chant "Cuba si! Yanqui no! PLO! PLO!" I heard women say "The only good Jew is a dead Jew!" and "Zionism is a disease that must be attacked at a cellular level."
'I observed how such hooligans managed to utterly silence an Arab Jew, Simha Choresh, when she tried to talk about her Jewish husband's torture and execution in Iraq and her consequent flight...
'Mina ben Zvi, who had commanded the Israeli women's armed forces in the 1948 War of Independence, wept in my arms. She could not believe that Israel and Jews could still be so irrationally hated. Many Jewish women were completely unprepared for the battle-level intensity, its uniformity and its ruthlessness.
'Most other Jewish women experienced Copenhagen's psychological pogrom. For months afterwards many could not and would not talk about it. They would start talking, then start crying, or start talking and then abruptly stop. They said they were unable to convey in words what Copenhagen had been like.'
Soon afterwards, the authoress was on a panel at the annual National Women's Studies Association meeting at Storrs, Connecticut, and asked the 'assembled feminist sisters "Who'd hide me and all the other Jewish feminists and their families when the Nazis come for us again?" Only one lady said she would:
'Everyone else remained stonily silent...some women of color were angry because, once again, the (white skinned) Jews seemed to be competing for the limited anti-racism flavor of the month slot.'
May 31, 2016
On one level, I was torn by Phyllis Chesler's The New Anti-Semitism: The Current Crisis and What We Must Do About It. For most of the book, it's not so much of a primer on the so-called "new" antisemitism, along the lines of, say, The Case Against Israel's Enemies: Exposing Jimmy Carter and Others Who Stand in the Way of Peace by Alan M. Dershowitz, as it is a righteously-argued polemic against antisemitism. On the other hand, Chesler's point is eminently valuable and necessary, and over and over again while reading The New Anti-Semitism, I kept thinking how prescient Chesler was, and how much of what she prophesied has either come to pass or gotten worse.
There has been much debate in recent years over whether the political left or the political right, at least in the United States, is friendlier to American Jews and Israel; Chesler makes the point that the fringe on both sides—and, increasingly, the more moderate wing of both sides—have made a deal with each other in all but fact to demonize Jews in general, whether or not they support Israel. All too often, as I write this review in May 2016, it becomes clear—whether through "intersectionality" on campus or in mainstream news reportage—that Jews qua Jews are singularly Not Welcome in the fight against injustice. That Chesler predicts this phenomenon, often with pinpoint accuracy and on many different levels, is both disturbing and depressing.
If The New Anti-Semitism falls down at all, it's in its indirect revelation that the "new" antisemitism is just a repackaging of the "old" antisemitism, just with slightly different heads on the beast. However, this is ultimately a minor quibble in what amounts to a vital examination of the Judenhass that seems to be increasingly pervading society. No, particularly as a polemic, The New Anti-Semitism may not convince anybody of anything, especially if they're already inclined against Jewish people, but boy howdy, what it portrays to those who've witnessed it to varying degrees, even if they haven't experienced it directly, is downright chilling.
There has been much debate in recent years over whether the political left or the political right, at least in the United States, is friendlier to American Jews and Israel; Chesler makes the point that the fringe on both sides—and, increasingly, the more moderate wing of both sides—have made a deal with each other in all but fact to demonize Jews in general, whether or not they support Israel. All too often, as I write this review in May 2016, it becomes clear—whether through "intersectionality" on campus or in mainstream news reportage—that Jews qua Jews are singularly Not Welcome in the fight against injustice. That Chesler predicts this phenomenon, often with pinpoint accuracy and on many different levels, is both disturbing and depressing.
If The New Anti-Semitism falls down at all, it's in its indirect revelation that the "new" antisemitism is just a repackaging of the "old" antisemitism, just with slightly different heads on the beast. However, this is ultimately a minor quibble in what amounts to a vital examination of the Judenhass that seems to be increasingly pervading society. No, particularly as a polemic, The New Anti-Semitism may not convince anybody of anything, especially if they're already inclined against Jewish people, but boy howdy, what it portrays to those who've witnessed it to varying degrees, even if they haven't experienced it directly, is downright chilling.
February 1, 2015
A polemic, it is not gracefully written. One sees the struggle that Ms. Chesler goes through, even today, in her denouncing of the anti-Semitic nature of attacks against Jews and Israel by those whom she otherwise considered allies in left and feminist causes.
The author details the horrible rise of left, right and Muslim anti-Semitism, hidden under a threadbare cloak of anti-Zionism. (The UN, for example, in 1979, made an exception for hostage taking when the action was against "racist regimes" - this directed at Israel.
The author details the horrible rise of left, right and Muslim anti-Semitism, hidden under a threadbare cloak of anti-Zionism. (The UN, for example, in 1979, made an exception for hostage taking when the action was against "racist regimes" - this directed at Israel.
November 20, 2008
What a scary realization this book was! People's ignorance is amazing to me.
December 17, 2024
Full disclosure, I did not finish this book; I got about halfway through before giving up because I couldn't stand the pro-Israel mental gymnastics any longer. Chesler makes good points about the very real problem of antisemitism throughout history, and I won't disagree with her that criticism of Israel often tips over into antisemitism in many different forms, whether it's blaming all Israeli citizens or even all Jews for the harmful actions of Israel, denying that opposing groups have committed any harmful acts whatsoever, or using anti-Zionism as a thin veil for their blatant antisemitism. However, Chesler supports Israel to a degree that borders on ridiculous; she bends over backwards to justify their occupation of Gaza and the West Bank and their killing of Palestinian civilians, and puts all the blame on Hamas, radical Islam, Palestine as a whole, or whatever other group of brown people she can possibly twist into blaming. In general, throughout the book she engages in gross Islamophobia and orientalism. She describes the Middle East as "a tribal, impoverished, illiterate, and religious Islamic world that prides itself on its non-evolution," and fear-mongers about leaders of radical Islam taking over the entire West and turning it into a Muslim state by force. Though she is very careful to distinguish between Jews, Israeli citizens, the IDF, the Israeli government, and so on, as she should, she makes no great effort to do the same for Palestinians, often crafting her sentences in such a way that on first glance labels the entire country as terrorists. I think I'll put this one down and seek out other authors who can tell me about antisemitism and give a nuanced perspective on the Israel-Palestine situation without demonizing the entire Islamic world or denying Israel's war crimes in the process.
March 12, 2024
Not that bad, it’s very interesting seeing parallels between what Chesler writes about and issues today — you still have people calling out “Queers for Palestine” and you see the same complaints about doctored images of the IDF on Al-Jazeera.
The book is very much a product of 2003. If you’ve read Clash of Civilizations, you’re going to get a lot of deja vu. After 20 years of 9/11 rhetoric, you want to roll your eyes at claims that Israel suffers a 9/11 every week. You might laugh when she worries that the consequences of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq might “include biological and nuclear warfare against America.”
I didn’t find the book to be that academic. You’ll probably be disappointed at how little some claims are defended, and if you’re skeptical of Chesler, I don’t know if she’ll persuade you.
I wish there was more to this book. I’m not sure what’s off exactly, but I feel like there’s so much more that should have been said. I didn’t feel like I walked away with this book having learned anything I couldn’t have learned from another book on Israeli or Jewish history.
Still, the essential point, that a new kind of antisemitism exists which uses the language of antiracism, anti colonialism, and anti imperialism, seems to me like a true point. I just wish that point was made more clearly and persuasively.
I hope a new version of this book is published in the next couple years. After October 7, there’s plenty of ammunition to argue that many antizionists are just antisemites in disguise. Someone’s just got to put it in a book.
The book is very much a product of 2003. If you’ve read Clash of Civilizations, you’re going to get a lot of deja vu. After 20 years of 9/11 rhetoric, you want to roll your eyes at claims that Israel suffers a 9/11 every week. You might laugh when she worries that the consequences of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq might “include biological and nuclear warfare against America.”
I didn’t find the book to be that academic. You’ll probably be disappointed at how little some claims are defended, and if you’re skeptical of Chesler, I don’t know if she’ll persuade you.
I wish there was more to this book. I’m not sure what’s off exactly, but I feel like there’s so much more that should have been said. I didn’t feel like I walked away with this book having learned anything I couldn’t have learned from another book on Israeli or Jewish history.
Still, the essential point, that a new kind of antisemitism exists which uses the language of antiracism, anti colonialism, and anti imperialism, seems to me like a true point. I just wish that point was made more clearly and persuasively.
I hope a new version of this book is published in the next couple years. After October 7, there’s plenty of ammunition to argue that many antizionists are just antisemites in disguise. Someone’s just got to put it in a book.
December 1, 2017
There's an important message lost in this sloppy work that might have been called "Notes for a Book I Might Write Some Day." There are long passages of lists of atrocities and outrages, often where she makes a point of omitting details. There's too many times where she guesses at a fact rather than actually do research, and at least one howling error (where she cites the U.S.'s "fifty-three" states). Already out of date (it was published in 2003), it's a book that represents a wasted opportunity to make the case for Israel and document how anti-Zionism is often indistinguishable from antisemitism.
August 18, 2022
This is an amazing book I really enjoyed reading.
It clearly showcases the anti-Semitic mindframe providing arguments and easy to understand information on how to identify this type or racism called anti-Semitism in yourself and in others.
This book can be challenging for people who believe they are themselves not racist but accept the ongoing media frenzy against Israel and the jews in general.
In my opinion a compelling and objective piece of serious journalism
It clearly showcases the anti-Semitic mindframe providing arguments and easy to understand information on how to identify this type or racism called anti-Semitism in yourself and in others.
This book can be challenging for people who believe they are themselves not racist but accept the ongoing media frenzy against Israel and the jews in general.
In my opinion a compelling and objective piece of serious journalism
August 29, 2022
*2.5
I just… don’t know about this. There were interesting bits of info but this feels outdated. A lot of this was kind of opinion based? And very clearly one sided. I was hoping for a more analytical take on things. There were some really prejudiced thoughts the author put into this idk
There were important points and I’m definitely going to continue reading up on anti-semitism because it’s important, but I need to find better material.
I just… don’t know about this. There were interesting bits of info but this feels outdated. A lot of this was kind of opinion based? And very clearly one sided. I was hoping for a more analytical take on things. There were some really prejudiced thoughts the author put into this idk
There were important points and I’m definitely going to continue reading up on anti-semitism because it’s important, but I need to find better material.
April 28, 2015
I received an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I found this book hard to follow at times as it seems to be somewhat disorganized. It was chock full of thought-provoking information about anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism and how prejudice and discrimination against the Jews and Israel has evolved into the present-day electronic world. Why spend time demonizing Israel and the Jews when there are so many other problems in the world that should be dealt with. I wish everyone could live in peace and harmony. In reality I don’t think this will ever happen, as many members of society seem to have a need to discriminate against anyone that’s different from them and in the minority. It seems to be about power and control. The author seems to feel that there is a trend to hold the Jews to a different standard than everyone else. I feel that this is an important book that should be read by everyone in order to gain a better understanding of the Israeli and Palestinian dynamics and prejudice and terrorism throughout the world.
May 25, 2025
Tiresome Zionist feminist whining while exhibiting deep-seated racism towards Arabs, Muslims, and anybody else who might actually be indigenous to the Levant, unlike Chesler.
This book is about supporting Zionism using the same manipulative rhetoric about which the world is becoming more and more disgusted, this false 'anti-Semitism' charge. The human race brims with disgust at this over-wrought nonsense. If everything is 'anti-Semitic' -- keep in mind that Ashkenazi Jews are not Semites, they are of the tribe of Japheth -- then nothing is clarified. We are left with the incessant whining of privileged post-Bolshevik Zionist faux-feminists.
Privileged white Zionist women are not 'victims;' the people they dehumanize are the real victims. This is part of the white Zionist feminist agenda that characterizes the farce known as American white feminism, and her attitude is the reason so many women do not participate in faux American 'feminism.'
So tired of hearing coddled Zionists delude victimhood while demonizing actual victims.
This book is about supporting Zionism using the same manipulative rhetoric about which the world is becoming more and more disgusted, this false 'anti-Semitism' charge. The human race brims with disgust at this over-wrought nonsense. If everything is 'anti-Semitic' -- keep in mind that Ashkenazi Jews are not Semites, they are of the tribe of Japheth -- then nothing is clarified. We are left with the incessant whining of privileged post-Bolshevik Zionist faux-feminists.
Privileged white Zionist women are not 'victims;' the people they dehumanize are the real victims. This is part of the white Zionist feminist agenda that characterizes the farce known as American white feminism, and her attitude is the reason so many women do not participate in faux American 'feminism.'
So tired of hearing coddled Zionists delude victimhood while demonizing actual victims.
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November 24, 2015Review by Micah D. Halpern for the Jewish Book Council.
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