jennylachs 's review for:

Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People by Ben M. Freeman

5.0

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I’m a patrilineal Jew (my father is Jewish) who wasn’t raised “properly” Jewish. As such, I was never really a part of a Jewish community growing up and didn’t really feel like I belonged. That didn’t mean I haven’t encountered antisemitism in my life though or dealt with inter generational and collective trauma.

For years I’ve been wanting to explore the Jewish part of my identity and heritage but wasn’t quite sure how to approach it. Even a wonderful solo trip to Israel in my early twenties left me with even more questions.

The recent spike in antisemitism around the world has rekindled this spark and I am now trying to learn as much as I can.

Ben Freeman’s book ‘Jewish Pride’ has been incredibly eye opening and I would recommend it for any Jewish and non-Jewish person who wants to learn more about the Jewish people, why we’ve been hated for millennia and why antisemitism is a problem on the right and left side of the political spectrum.

But most importantly it allowed me to understand the incredible diversity and resilience of the Jewish people and the concept and need of a Jewish Pride movement.

I am feeling more connected and supported just from reading this and am excited to explore my own Jewish Pride in new ways.
Thank you for writing this book and for including patrilineal Jews too.