Why the Jews? The Reason for Antisemitism

by Dennis Prager

The authors give some excellent reasons to hate Jews.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Judaism, Religion, Jewish, Politics, Antisemitism

224 pages

First published June 1, 1983

About the author

Dennis Prager is a best-selling author, columnist and nationally syndicated radio talk show host based in Los Angeles and heard on 150 stations across the country.

A Fellow at Columbia University’s School of International Affairs, where he did graduate work at the Middle East and Russian Institutes, he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the U.S. Delegation to the Vienna Review Conference on the Helsinki Accords, and by President George W. Bush to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. He holds an honorary doctorate of law from Pepperdine University.

A highly sought-after speaker and frequent cable news show guest, Dennis has lectured all over the world. His New York Times best-selling books include Think a Second Time, Happiness is a Serious Problem and Still the Best Hope: Why American Values Must Triumph. His newest book is The Ten Commandments: Still the Best Moral Code.

Reviews

[Lewis Weinstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a powerful book, full of conclusions which are far from universally accepted. Here are some of the most thought-provoking assertions …

*** 1600 years of Christian hatred of Jews culminated in the Holocaust … Christianity did not create the Holocaust … but without Christian antisemitism, the Holocaust would have been inconceivable.

*** Jews, merely by continuing to be Jews, threatened the very legitimacy of Christianity … if Judaism remained valid, then Christianity was invalid … therein, from the days of the founding of Christianity, lie the origins of Christian hatred of Jews … Christianity had no choice but to deny the validity of Judaism.

*** the mere existence of Jews is a threat to the prevailing order of the societies in which Jews live … Judaism is an existential threat to the core values and beliefs of others … living with this threat often aroused deep and lasting hatred.

*** Jews allegiance to the biblical commandments of God, Torah and Israel have made Jews outsiders who challenge the validity of the non-Jew's gods, laws, and national allegiance.

*** economic factors, the need for scapegoats, resentment of Jewish affluence, ethnic hatred … these have all exacerbated antisemitism but do not explain its genesis.

*** any group acting so differently from the majority culture is bound to elicit hostility … by observing Kashrut, a Jew can eat little at a non-Jew's house … observing the Jewish Sabbath increases the otherness and isolation of Jews.

*** Nazi Jew-hatred was an end, not a means to an end … Nazism was a vehicle for antisemitism, not the reverse … Hitler used war as a means of killing Jews on a larger scale than he could do in peacetime.

*** Nazi antisemitism was based on hatred of the Jewish character, not hatred of Jews' non-Aryan blood … the Nazis hated the challenges to their view of the German world posed by Jews and Jewish values.

Prager and Telushkin offer considerable documentation in support of each of these statements. Sometimes I agree, sometimes not, but their assertions will provide many opportunities for discussions and arguments among the characters in my novel-in-progress.

[Sally Krause · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading "The People of the Book" I wanted a better understanding of antisemitism. Why, I wondered, had this particular group of people been persecuted for centuries? As a Catholic I understand that many Catholics erroneously believe that Jews were resposible for the death of Jesus. This did not explain, though, antisemism that existed before Christ and from the Muslim people. This book helped me to understand that Jews have been persecuted because they were Jews. Now that I have a better idea of what it means to be a Jew, a people without a country to call their own, I have a more clear picture of antisemitism and all the evil it entailed. Great book; should be required reading for all.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors have rejected modern theories for antisemitism and produced their own thesis and evidence for the main cause of antisemitism around the world - Judaism. As in, the religion itself, and not the "race". The argument claims that the very religion itself is the reason Jews have been hated throughout history, for their distinctness and declaration as being the chosen people of one God in monotheism. This is in contrast for other proposed reasons of antisemitism - rich Jews, Jews "drinking the blood of non-Jews", Jews being simply used as a scapegoat, etc. After reading the book, I can say that I was fully converted to the logical answer that Jews are hatred for that exact reason - being Jews. During Roman rule, under Islamic reign, etc, Jews were no longer persecuted if they gave up their religion and converted to that region's idealogy. With the exception of Nazis, this is proof that Jews have been persecuted for their religion, and not as a race.

It is a fascinating book, and does not read like a textbook. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to learn more about the history of religion and modern-day antisemitism. There is a small level of bias portrayed in the book, with a few generalizations about other groups of people and/or religions, but I was surprised about how overall un-baised it was, considering one of the authors is a Jewish rabbi. The ending does leave a bit to be desired in terms of solutions to antisemitism, but again, I found the book a very educated, well-thought out investigation of antisemitism.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the last six years in particular, since Arafat launched a war of terror against Israel's people, I have often wondered what the reasons are for the intense hatred and violent rage, especially by Moslems and the Left, of Israel and her people.
The country where I live, is periodically rocked by nationwide paroxysms of vicious rage and murderous hate of the tiny nation of Israel,encouraged by the ruling party and it's allies, civil society, universities and the media.
This is the world's latest incantation of Jew-hatred, the world's longest and most intense hatred, as Dennis Prager explains in this fascinating and illuminating work.
Prager begins by outlining some of the violent attacks on Jews and Israel in Europe and elsewhere, which has become the disease permeating the world as we begin the 21st century.
Prager mentions the United Nations-sponsored World Conference on Racism, in Durban, South Africa in August 2001, which, while failing to mention human rights abuses and genocide in China, Rwanda or anyplace in the Arab world, turned into a violent fest of hate and rage against Israel.

While anti-Semitism was traditionally associated with rightwing populists, vicious anti-Israelism is becoming the culture and raison d etre of 'progressive' intellectual communities.

Prager illustrates that:

* Thousands of academics around the world, have called for an end to support for Israeli researchers, though not an end to support for researchers from any other nation.

* Israeli scholars in Spring 2003 were forced off the board of an international literary journal.

* And many at universities across the world, including North America, have called for their universities to single out Israel among all nations as the lone country where it is inappropriate for any part of the university's endowment to be invested.

Prager marvels how in a world filled with enormous evils-such as totalitarian states that make their countries into large prison camps (Iran and North Korea); that massacre and enslave millions of citizens (Sudan) , that wage deadly war against their own populations (Zimbabwe and Myanmar) that destroy entire cultures (As China is doing in Tibet), it would seem a puzzle as to why the Jewish State and America are the two most villified countries in the world.
Prager points this out as being a violent rejection of the American and Jewish values of Judeo-Christian civilization, justice, freedom, democracy and humanity as a source of light to the world. He explains the reason why the USA supports Israel as being because of the USA's Judeo-Christian values and her realization that Israel is a tiny island of democracy and human rights in a sea of totalitarianism.

It is against this background that Prager delves into the roots of Jew-hatred to attempt an explanation of this phenomenon.
The basic source of ancient Jewish history, the Bible, depicts two attempts at anihilation of the Jewish people: that of Pharaoh and the Egyptians (Exodus 1:15-22) and that of Haman and the Persians.
On three occasions in the last 350 years, anihilation campaigns have been waged against the Jews, the Chmelnitzky massacres in Eastern Europe in 1648-1649, the Nazi destruction of Europe's Jews between 1939 and 1945 , and the current decades long campaign to anihilate the Jewish State by it's enemies.

Prager holds out four basic reasons for Jew hatred (and it's latest incantaion, Israel-hatred)
* The hatred of Judaism and ethical monotheism
* The chosen people idea as a cause of Jew-hatred
* The moral challenge posed by the Jews for a better world.
* The higher quality of Jewish life as a cause of Jew-hatred

Chapter 5 deals with the topic of Non-Jewish Jews and anti-Semitism. This is particularly interesting to me, because leftwing diaspora Jews who hate Israel, are a major source of anger and disgust for me.
Prager is also vexed by the question of explaining Jews who devote their lives to hurting Jews. He points out that "Among no group in the world are there so many individuals who so single-mindedly attempt to damage the group into which they were born".
He gives as examples the loathsome Noam Chomsky who has dedicated much of his life tro defending those who wish to destroy Israel, and to demonize Israel and her people, frequently comparing Israelis to the Nazis; and Norman Finkelstein who lectures throughout the world , calling Israel a Nazi State and demanding it's destruction.
Indeed many Jewish ultra-Leftists lead the "burn Israel" movement, sponsoring pro-Palestinian hate rallies, leading campaigns for divestment from Israel, and demoinzing Israel and her people in the media and universities.

The author expalins this phenomenon as being that Jewish radicals, like other radicals, lack roots, and hate Jews (such as the Jews of Israel) who do have roots and a national identity.
"The Ubermensch, which is how they see themselves, rises above such parochial indentities."
Also they likely believe that if they side with those who hate Jews, they will not be hated by them.

Prager refutes the Marxist view of anti-Semitism that it is caused by Capitalism, pointing out that in Communist societies anti-Semitism has often been at it's worst.
He also easily refutes the myth that anti-Semitism is purely a rightwing phenomenon, pointing to Soviet persecution of Jewry , and the new anti-Semitism of today, which eminates mainly from the Left.
Prager go's on to examine the historical evidence of anti-Semitism with histories of ancient anti-Semitism, Christian anti-Semitism, Islamic anti-Semitism, Secular Enlightenment anti-Semitism, Leftist anti-Semitism, Nazi anti-Semitism and anti-Zionist anti-Semitism.
He continually draws parralels between historic anti-Semitism and today's new anti-Zionist version, for example discussing the mediaeval libel that Jews poisoned wells, and deliberately spread disease , to lies by the Palestinian Authority and Leftist NGO's that the Israelis have poisoned Palestinian water supplies and deliberately infected Palestinian children with the HIV virus.

In the section on Islamic anti-Semitism, he outlines bloody pogroms carried out against Jews in Arab countries, in the 20th century. He also explains the real reason behind Arab hatred of Israel. The idea of Jews as free people in their own state cannot be tolerated, they can only be tolerated as subordinate or degraded. The basis of Arab hatred of Israel is the hatred of Jews refusing to accept an unequal, inferior status, that they lived under for centuries of Arab rule.
He also deals with the Arab-Nazi connection of World War II, and beyond.
In the chapter on Leftist anti-Semitism he observes how the further left one goes the greater the Jew-hatred. The propaganda peddled by far-left ideologues, academics and journalists today is a reproduction of the propaganda manufactured in the old Soviet Union, during the Cold War, when the USSR was persecuting Jews and working for the destruction of Israel.

Letwing anti-Semitism revolves around the denial of Jewish nationhood, and therefore of Israel's right to exist, leading to a hatred of all Jews who affirm Jewish nationhood and particularly of all Jews who live in the Jewish homeland. It also involves a gross Orwellianism whereby Israel is accused of genocide, when the truth is that the Arabs and their allies are the ones pushing for the destruction of Israel and thereby a second holocaust against Jews.

Because anti-Zionism's goal would lead to a second holocaust against five million Jews, it cannot be distinguished from anti-Semitism.
Furthermore there is only one posible reason why people isolate Israel of all the countries of the world to deny it's right to existence. Because Israel is a Jewish State. Anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism.
Finally Prager deals with the 8 most common lies about Israel, and the truth behind them, examines what the solutions are to Jew-hatred, and his epilogue ends with a warning that anti-Semitism/anti-Israelism is the problem not only of Jews, but of all decent human beings because what begins with the Jews seldom ends with the Jews. Jew-hatred and Israel-hatred is the moral litmus test of nations, regimes and individuals.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a polemical rather than scholarly book, or to put it another way its research is in the service of its polemic. So as not to offend their conservative Christian political allies the authors portray America as immune to anti-Semitism, and consequently there is no mention of General Grant's 1862 Civil War order expelling Jews from the sector under his command, the 1877 Seligman-Hilton Affair and the denial of accommodations to Jews that continued for nearly a century thereafter, the 1915 lynching of Leo Frank, the immigration laws of 1924 and 1927 that severely curtailed Jewish immigration in the years preceding WWII, Father Coughlin's anti-Semitic radio broadcasts in the 1930s, the admissions quotas that limited Jewish enrollment in elite universities from the 1920s through the 1960s, the industries in which Jews were not welcome, or the restrictive clauses that limited where Jews could live. In this 2016 edition of the book the authors insist that anti-Semitism is mainly found on the left side of the political spectrum, and there is no mention of White Supremacy. The 2017 Nazi/White Supremacist Unite the Right march in Charlottesville and the synagogue murders of 2018 and 2019 require a new and substantially revised edition of this book.

The book's central thesis, that Jews are hated for Judaism's ethical values and beliefs, requires of anti-Semites a rather sophisticated knowledge of Judaism and its values. That argument is contradicted by the many instances the authors cite where anti-Jewish passions are incited by lies and calumnies rather than by an educated knowledge of and familiarity with Jewish theology. The authors' thesis is a particular version of the claim made by political and religious conservatives of all ethnic and religious flavors that they uphold moral values that their liberal opponents have abandoned in favor of relativism. Now those same conservatives find themselves in the relativist position of defending the current administration's many cruelties and unethical self-dealing.

[Mike Doyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book convincingly and depressingly describes antisemitism as a natural response to Judaism, due both to the nature of Jewish thought and teaching and to the nature of the surrounding world. The biggest surprise comes at the end, when Prager and Telushkin call for contemporary Judaism to welcome overt proselytizing and aggressive welcoming campaigns for converts in order to help as many people as possible become familiar with Jews. I've always thought that Judaism should get over its self-damaging reticence to seek out converts. However, this is still a Prager and Telushkin book, and whenever they collaborate, there's always a healthy (and annoying) strain of manipulative melodrama. This book is no different.

[Simcha York · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dennis Prager and Joseph Telushkin's Why the Jews? is a concise but thorough examination of antisemitism. The book presents the history and explores the causes of religious anti-Judaism and of racist and anti-Zionist antisemitism and tries to cast light on why it is that, of all hatreds, antisemitism has been so virulent and persistent.

Originally written in 1983, and revised and updated in 2003, this book remains current and serves as a fine introduction not only to the history and legacy of antisemitism, but also to antisemitism as it currently manifests itself. The writing is lucid and the arguments are thought-provoking and compelling. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history and ongoing influence of antisemitism.

[Samaire · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading this valuable book, I will never look at the reasons for antisemitism in the same way again. Frightening, enlightening and difficult to get through,
never-the-less it is a must read.

[Jean Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein once remarked that the best reflection of a man’s character was the way he treated his cat. Expanding this observation to a much higher and more significant level, it could be said with considerable justification that, likewise, the character of mankind throughout history has been revealed by the way the Jews have been treated, in whatever societies or cultures they have been found; and that therefore in many ways they could be called the conscience of the human race. And of course the resulting portrait has not been a pretty one, taking as its subject today’s alarming resurgence of anti-Semitism, the Holocaust, pogroms, the Crusades, the Diaspora…all the way back over 3000 years to ancient Egypt and Pharaoh’s attempt, as chronicled in the book of Exodus (Hebrew: Sh’mot) to destroy the children of Israel by decreeing that all male children should be killed.

When people’s fundamental values and beliefs about themselves are challenged by those whose beliefs and lifestyles may be different---their religion, place in society, civic duty, relationships with others, and anything that affects their self-image—the response can be either a willingness to listen and to grant those who differ the right to believe as they wish and live in peace alongside the majority who believe/live differently; or resentment, hatred and ostracism because those beliefs and values might have to be reevaluated, thought through more deeply, or even discarded entirely. By and large people do not like to be reminded of the occasional need for this sort of intellectual and/or spiritual exercise.

Prager and Telushkin show how the Jews, through their single-minded proclamation of the One God, their devotion to His Law (the Torah) and their loyalty to the nation of Israel, even when it was more of a nebulous concept than the reality that existed after 1948, have provided just such a reminder; and how this stands behind the usual reasons given for anti-Semitism---racism, religious bigotry, the need for a scapegoat, resentment of economic success, etc. It is a cogent and plausible analysis which shows that the fundamental reason for anti-Semitism is Judaism itself, and that the above “reasons” are more symptoms or effects rather than causes. Anyone reading this book should keep in mind that in doing so he or she will be holding up a mirror reflecting his own soul, and will hopefully see there a willingness to honestly examine himself and perhaps, if necessary, change certain attitudes and values, no matter how deeply ingrained, assiduously held, or strongly maintained by societal pressure to conform and to think and act like everyone else. The Jews have always resisted this pressure, no matter how high the cost, and in doing so have taught the rest of humanity some lessons it would do well to heed. In today’s America it seems that these lessons are more important than ever.

**** review by Chuck Graham ****

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reading up on Jewish culture and history for the past couple of years, and this book answered the main question that I had: Why is antisemitism such a big thing? Why have people throughout history hated the Jews?

I have a lot of respect for both Dennis Prager and Joseph Telushkin, so I know that anything they write is worth reading. Why the Jews? is no exception. In this excellent book, the authors argue that Jew hatred is primarily due to the fact that Jews view themselves as God's chosen people, much to the other nations' chagrin. Thus they write:

"For thousands of years Judaism has consisted of four components: God, Torah, Israel, and Chosenness. Jews’ allegiance to any of these components has been a major source of antisemitism because it not only rendered the Jew an outsider, but more important, it has often been regarded by non-Jews as challenging the validity of their god(s), law(s), national allegiance, and/or national worth...Only a people representing a threat to the core values, allegiances, and beliefs of others could arouse such universal, deep, and lasting hatred."

This is the explanation of antisemitism that they spend the remainder of the book defending. Their defense is thorough, well reasoned, and based on facts and evidence.

[Eliav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! The best book on this Subject

Telushkin and Prager go behind the backstage. They dig deeper and reveal that most of the reasons given to explain antisemitism are at best superficial at worst antisemetic themselves.

A must read for all.

[Castles · Rating 5 out of 5]

fascinating read, especially when you think about the year of publication. in many ways I see this book as somewhat an introduction to a more serious work, David Nirenberg's "Anti-Judaism: The Western Tradition".

[Kitty Red-Eye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now, this is really annoying! I wrote a review and as I posted it, my internet connection failed, so I have to type it all up again, which I of course can't and won't do. And for once I really spent some time thinking about it too, because this book both annoyed me and was very interesting at one time.

So... yeah. Basically: If you understand that Jew-hatred didn't stop in 1945 but exists in the world today - although perhaps having shape-shifted a little again - then this book might be for you. It'll give some food for thought even if you don't agree with the author on all points.

If you think that only right-wing nazi-style facists can hate Jews, then you're not only wrong, but will probably also dislike this book very much.

[John Reas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is important reading for those of us who are trying to come to grips with anti-Semitism in the world and what can be done to stop this.

[Raine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great deal of information in a smaller volume. Very interesting for people interested in Religion or History.

[Cornell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best analysis of antisemitism I have ever read. Highly recommend it.

[Mandi Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why do so many people in the world so readily hate Jews? The first time I read “Why The Jews” it was 2006 during the so-called “Second Lebanon War” when Hezbollah terrorists crossed into Israel to kill and kidnap Jews. Now, 17 years later in 2023, after Hamas terrorists crossed into Israel to mutilate, murder and kidnap more Jews, I decided to re-read this classic book on antisemitism. It was deja vu all over again; or in other words, the more things change, the more things stay the same. Now, as then, many people around the world are busy blaming the Jews simply because there exist evil people possessed by such Jew-hatred they evidently like to kill a lot of Jews—a hatred that has particularly intensified since the re-birth of the nation-state of Israel in 1948. In their book’s subtitle, authors Dennis Prager and Joseph Telushkin describe antisemitism as “the most accurate predictor of human evil.” With historical evidence, they accurately trace antisemitism through the ages: ancient Greek and Roman antisemitism; historical Christian and Muslim antisemitism; secular antisemitism birthed during the Enlightenment; Marxist antisemitism; Nazi antisemitism; Soviet communist antisemitism; current Leftist BDS (Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions) antisemitism; modern Islamic extremist antisemitism; the new anti-Zionist antisemitism—you don’t have to search very hard to find Jew-haters everywhere. Unfortunately, Jew-hatred is a unique evil. While the reasons are fairly obvious why Jews are concerned about antisemitism (after all, who enjoys being marginalized, maligned, maimed and/or murdered for merely being born Jewish?), why should non-Jews even care (apart from moral considerations, of course) about antisemitism? Pager and Telushkin make the case that “hatred of the Jews serves as mankind’s early warning system of great evil. Antisemites begin with Jews. But they never end with Jews.” These two scholars blow away the common assumptions that Jew hatred is simply due to racism, bigotry, scapegoating, or any of the other facile economic, sociological or psychological explanations. Instead Jews have been the most hated group in the world for almost 2500 years because they are burdened with Ethical Monotheism and all that it entails: God, Torah, Jewish law, Jewish nationhood, and Jewish Chosenness. In other words, Jews are hated simply because they are Jewish. It’s heart wrenching and it’s evil, plain and simple. Sadly, the need for this book is so great, it is now in its third edition. The book is well written, well documented and worth reading at least once—perhaps even twice or thrice.

[H.L. Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't the sort of book that one can say he enjoyed reading (because the subject matter is quite disturbing), but rather found it to be informative. Prager and Telushkin definitely know their subject and clarified many points about antisemitism that I hadn't even considered. I've read one other book by Mr. Prager and listened to many of his online videos, so I definitely "heard" his voice in this particular work. While I agreed with probably 99.9% of what was written, there were a few points on which I didn't. These points had nothing to do with antisemitism; they were, in my opinion, the authors' wrong opinion/perception and mostly fell in the category of religion.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Why the Jews? by Dennis Prager and Joseph Telushkin back in April 2007, when my wife took me and my family to Niagara Falls for my 50th bday. At the time I was not making a practice of writing full reviews and had not joined CD.
My recollection is that the book was a powerful, persuasive book that delved into both why the Jews have been a successful group and why the Jews have always been "the other." Many subsects of the Jews have always participated fully in society and yet kept themselves somewhat aloof. The book explains that well.

[Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is nearly 40 years old now and I've literally just now finished reading it. It's still all quite applicable, IMO. I don't see where anything has really changed, which is a sad state of affairs. I'm not one to mark in my books, but there is the rare exception - and this book is one of them. So much to learn and to think about. In any case, I do highly recommend it.

[Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written novel teaching its readers the history of antisemitism. I learned a lot from this work. It certainly will open your eyes to concepts an ideas you have not thought about before.

[Cassidy Zane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an interesting and factual account of the history behind antisemitism and all Jews have encountered throughout history dating all the way back to BCE. I particularly enjoyed learning about the wrong sentiment of taking the “Judaism” out of antisemitism. I am now more aware of how Judaism is truly at the root of antisemitism and it is all aspects of its religion that has led to a long history of negativity and abuse. It feels as though the Jews have been suffering for thousands of years and some of these antisemitic thoughts and policies are so ingrained into society based on historical accounts and evidence. I found it extremely interesting each of the authors POV and it opened my eyes to the true deep causes of antisemitism and how that is extremely different than some of the common arguments such as scapegoats which really do not explain it in full. I highly recommend this book

I also found it interesting how the author was able to connect how a lot of history has led to the rise of the Nazis and the way they portrayed the Jews and influenced their people. History allowed Nazi Germany to happen with Hitler using a lot of past references and writings to try and prove his claims

[Rohit Kumar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a weird book. It's accurate when it talks about jews but then it tries to equate that with America and becomes nonsensical. I can accept that anti-Semitism is practically hatred for high standards but then he equates that with hatred for America and tries to make it sound like America is hated because America is awesome. No. Thats not why America is hated. America is hated because it's a very violent bully. Jewry is not a bully, thats the difference.

The epilogue starts with something like you can understand a society's moral worth by seeing how they treat jews. Well, india is the only place where jews were never treated badly and they will never be treated badly in india. But Indians, including me, absolutely hate America. There was a poll recently, where America came out on the top as what Indians view as a threat, Even more than Pakistan.

This is what's wrong with American writers, somehow they are intelligent and stupid at the same time. They make sense when they talk about something where America is not in the picture but as soon as America gets in the picture, their brain stops working.

[Jeff Finley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book to begin to understand the anti-Jewish sentiment that I kept seeing creep into the different internet forums I frequented. Mostly related to socio-political happenings and spiritual, occult, metaphysical, or consciousness related forums. For me, I had both an inner awakening (getting in touch with my heart/soul essence, personal spirituality and connection with truth) as well as an outer-awakening - understanding the truth behind world events.

Everyone can attest to some form of unease, discontent lurking under the surface of things. Some might say the world is going to shit. Some might say we're approaching the end times or the apocalypse. When one looks deeper into why the world is so fucked up, one is bound to find their way to "the Jewish" question.

With the rise of anonymous internet forums like Reddit and 4chan, people have been free to talk about taboo subjects they wouldn't if their actual identity was attached. They've been spreading conspiracy theories (some true, some trolling, some disinfo, some hysteria) about who controls the world and why there is so much suffering. Apparently, people have been complaining and fighting against the 'elite' for millenia but with the Internet, it's like all the info is being cycled back and we're left to try to discern fact from fiction.

Depending on who you talk to, it's "evil white men" that control the world. The Patriarchy. The corporations. The banksters or the Illuminati. Or the Vactican. The Rothschilds or The Queen of England. The elite bloodlines. Dig deeper and some will tell you it's inter-dimensional Reptilians or blood drinking vampires that can shapeshift in and out of physical reality. Most will agree that there is probably a "cabal" or demiurge that controls the world and embodies everything we know of as evil. Some will tell you it's a spiritual warfare happening, paving way for the Messiah or the Anti-Christ or the second coming of Christ. All of those rabbit holes lead to a similar place - the apocalypse is nigh and we're fucked and there's a savior coming.

Now some brave souls say that all those different names for "the elite" are really just code words for "The Jews." Or maybe its' vice versa - that "The Jews" are really just a scapegoat for another evil entity that shifts blame.

People say "if you want to know who controls you, learn who you cannot criticize" and with anti-semitism and "hate speech" (and wrongthink) getting people banned, deplatformed, depersoned, and soon - becoming an actual criminal offense, you just begin to wonder. Why is saying that the Jews control the media enough to get you banned off social media? Why does questioning the Holocaust get you in trouble? Why does saying that Hollywood and the Porn industry is owned controlled by Jewish men enough to get you in trouble? Is it the implication that once one starts going down that road, it will lead to a hysteria and mob mentality and could end in violence? Why is criticizing Jewish people deemed so offensive, yet criticizing Christians or Christianity or "white" people in general almost universally accepted as ok? Why are people so angry at Jews? People say they're behind the Left and the Right and controlling both sides of the culture war. I know people say they're slowly breeding out the white race and are blamed for breaking apart the family unit and infiltrating western governments to destroy them from within. To usher in a New World Order that serves Jewish interests worldwide... as if they are the "chosen people" and everyone else is meant to serve them. Both Jewish people AND anti-semites agree.

I don't believe I have enough hate in my heart to really hate upon another race. But I am curious and want to understand. So I got this book to hear more from the other side so to speak. To understand from a Jewish perspective, why people hate them and why they're always persecuted. I hear enough anti-Jewish rhetoric online, so what do THEY have to say about it?

After reading this book, I didn't get much of an answer. The book basically goes into all the different reasons why everyone hates Jews. Why the Left hates them, why the right hates them, why Muslims hate them, etc. It tells you that the MAIN reason why people hate them is not because any of the criticism are true, but because of Judaism itself. It's almost like the religion requires the Jews to be persecuted in order for it to be taken seriously. You would think if they were actually tired and fed up of being persecuted and hated, they'd self-reflect and change their ways or try to come to mutual understanding with their enemies. You know, like if you're always getting fired from every job you've had and every relationship you have ends with you getting dumped and blocked, maybe it's not JUST them being assholes or liars.

But this book continues to says they're innocent and everything said about them is actually a lie and a projection of everyone else's evil. Maybe that's actually the truth, I don't claim to know. I just don't really believe it's that black and white.

Whatever it is, the Jewish religion (and all the other Abrahamic religions) have to get their shit together and wrap up whatever battles they've been waging for all this time. They need to sort out their differences and come to an understanding. To have some self awareness and reflection. Is that too much to ask?

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Antisemitism has existed for thousands of years. This book gives the various most common reasons why people believe antisemitism exists. Then it explains why each of those reasons is illogical. It’s a lot of information coming at you and is probably better listened to a little at a time to soak it all in. I would read/listen to this book again.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does a good job of staying focused on the primary thesis without veering into auxillary discussions and keeping a steady, rational, and convincing tone on a very charged topic.

[Shelley Diemart · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful and interesting proposition for the pervasiveness of anti-Semitism. The authors posit four reasons for anti-semitism, and after reading the book I agree with most of their assertions. The authors argue that anti-semitism is not a racial or ethnic hatred, but one that is unique to Judaism.
The four reasons are that
1) Judaism claims chosen-ness, which many find to be arrogant because they don't understand the true meaning behind this philosophy.
2) Judaism negates the validity of other religions and belief system inherently through its doctrine. This has proved rather fatal with regards to Paganism, Christianity, and Islam. Jews don't convert away readily presenting an issue with assimilation into other societies.
3) Jews belief in ethical monotheism, based on God, Torah, and law has proved problematic precisely because Jews often share that philosophy and ethical code as one which should be spread. It's part of the reason Heinrich Himmler (?) said that a Jew could cease to be Jewish even if they stopped following Judaism. They would still think like Jews.
4) Jewish belief in nationhood was pervasive even when Jews did not have a nation. This attitude, which runs throughout Judaism and is present in Jewish liturgy, has always been problematic for Jews living outside of Israel.
I found the discussion of modern anti-Zionism as anti-semitism to be particularly true. The authors assert that the term Zionism (which really means those who believe that Jews should have their own country) is often a covert way to express antisemitism and this is troubling given the recent wave of anti-Zionism throughout Europe and the US. Some might disagree with me, but I was convinced by what they had to say about those who oppose Israel as a country being anti-Semitic and will never look at anti-Zionism the same way. They went over some history of Israel, briefly, to discuss the false claims made by anti-Zionists and covered a few of the missteps by Israel, noting that, while Israel has had some problems with the way they deal with Palestinians, many other countries are actually human rights violators but no one contests their right to exist. They were not as critical of Israel's far right as I would be, but being critical doesn't mean I'm not a Zionist. I don't think any Jew can honestly say he or she does not believe in the promise of Israel.
Good read for the Jewish and non-Jew alike. I particularly like their discussion about seeking converts as a way to avoid some of these problems, and while I disagree with proselytizing, I agree that we should be more willing to share beliefs. This will end some of the misunderstandings and false claims made about our religion.

[Jacob O'connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why does everyone hate Israel?

I've learned enough about history to know that everyone gets their turn on the bottom of the pile. My own Irish bloodline was under the feet of the British, and when we moved to America we got the same treatment. As soon as we got on our feet, we exacted our ire against the blacks.

But Irish and even black racism doesn't compare to the Jews.


There is no group who has spent more time on the bottom of that pile than the Jews. How do we account for that? Prager and Telushkin boil it down to four things.

1. the claim that there is one God
2. that the Jews are the chosen people of that God
3. the demands of the law
4. the national element of Judaism.

This fourth category is interesting because it's the antisemitism of our day. Isreal's neighbors have harrassed her from the moment she came back into existence in 1948. Prager and Telushkin have a provocative take on why. "So long as the Jews acknowledged their inferior status among Muslims, they were humiliated but allowed to exist. But once the Jews decided to reject their inferior status, to become sovereign after centuries of servitude, and worst of all, to now govern some Muslims in a land where the Jews had so long been governed, their existence was no longer tolerable."

I don’t have a dispensational commitment to Israel, so I'm open to calling their sins sins. On the other hand, Christians share that chosen people designation, and we’ve often faced the same irrational unpopularity. If for only that reason, I'd like to understand just what's going on with modern antisemitism.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book about ten years ago. These past few days have given me ample time to reflect on its message. I once read a science fiction anthology where authors were asked to imagine the distant future--like 1,000 years from now--and write a story set in that time. Dan Simmons, one of my favorites, wrote in his introduction that, as he tried to imagine things that wouldn't change for mankind even a millennia from now, he kept coming back to one idea: people would want to kill the Jews.

Christianity owns a lot of Jew hatred, especially my own tradition of Catholicism. The iridescent hatred of Jews in Muslim countries needs no further comment. The far-Left hates the Jews, as does the far-Right. Stereotypes of Jews abound in our culture to this day. We have seen the shadow of Nazism rise again in our own country, like the Necromancer in The Hobbit. Someone--Hannah Arendt, Eli Wiesel, or perhaps the author of this book--wrote that one of the first signs of a rotting society is open hatred of the Jews. It is sickening. It is pathetic. And it is rearing its head once again.

Dennis Prager, who co-wrote this book, is a public moral scold and right-wing radio host. He is also quite expert in Judaism. I have read several of his books and enjoyed them. I am truly curious about how he'll connect the horrendous attack in Pennsylvania this weekend to his political foes: the Left, Elizabeth Warren, Progressives, etc. I wonder if he'll make any connection between the violent, brutish political sentiments of the man he supported for President and the rise of hate crimes in the United States?

Nah.

[Spencer Newcomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why the Jews by Dennis Prager gives a historical narrative for the causes and reasons behind antisemitism. In his book Prague debunks many of the common assumptions that people in both Jewish and non-Jewish communities have regarding antisemitism, such as the scapegoat theory and Jewish success in the western world (although he does conclude that these have been aspects of antisemitism). Prague argues that antisemitism is inherently and absolutely a hatred for Jewish beliefs, thoughts, practices, and values. Prague breaks down the four major pillars of Jewish beliefs which are subsequently the four main lines and reasons for antisemitism. This four reasons include: Ethical Monotheism, Torah (religious law), Jewish choosiness, and Jewish nationhood.

Among these four main reasons for antisemitism, Prager gives detailed explanations of the reasons for antisemitism in societies and civilizations throughout history, including: Nazi Germany, Medieval Europe, the Arab world, the Enlightenment, Hellenic societies, Leftists, Non-Jewish Jews, and Anti-Zionists.