Why, after all this time, are we still talking about antisemitism?
Anti-Jewish hatred is supposed to have disappeared with the Dark Ages. Medieval myths about Jews are for the history books, racism is abhorred and we all say: 'Never again.' Yet today anti-Jewish hate crime is rising, Jewish blood is spilt in Europe once more and arguments over antisemitism, whether in politics or literature, theatre or sport, are increasingly hard to avoid.
All this, when Jews make up less than half a per cent of the British population and most people say they bear no ill will towards Jewish people. What is going on?
It would be tempting to put this all down to a handful of extremists, but today you can find antisemitism everywhere. At a time of economic, political and social turmoil, fuelled by conspiracy theories on your smartphone and war in the Middle East, antisemitism is back.
Blending personal anecdotes, contemporary examples and historical insights, Everyday Hate takes you on a journey through this contentious and often confusing subject. Spanning Shakespeare to South Park, Covid-19 to Israel and Palestine, and ancient stereotypes to internet memes, Everyday Hate reveals the surprising truths about what antisemitism really is, why it continues to thrive and, crucially, how we can all play a part in stopping it.
There have been so many books on racism over the past few years but far fewer on antisemitism. Everyday Hate seeks to appeal to readers of writers such as Reni Eddo-Lodge, Afua Hirsch and Gary Younge who haven't necessarily engaged with antisemitism in the same way so far.
About the Author :
Dr Dave Rich is one of the UK's leading authorities on antisemitism. He has worked for almost thirty years for the Community Security Trust, a Jewish charity that protects the UK Jewish community and advises the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, football clubs, the Labour Party and many other organisations on how to tackle antisemitism. Dave appears regularly in the media to discuss antisemitism, including broadcast appearances on BBC News, ITV News, Sky News, Radio 5 Live, LBC, Panorama and Newsnight, and has written for The Guardian, the New Statesman, the New York Times, Haaretz, the Jewish Chronicle and others. This is his second book, following The Left's Jewish Problem: Jeremy Corbyn, Israel and Antisemitism (Biteback, 2016 and 2018).
Review :
"Dave Rich is the world expert on modern antisemitism. Even better, he knows what to do about it. Everyone should read this book. And if you don't think you need to, then you need to read it more than anyone."
Sacha Baron Cohen
"It's maddening how the world keeps finding ways to complicate the fact that antisemitism is racism. One of the most persistent and ancient forms of racism in the history of the planet, in fact. Dave Rich does totally essential work here, proving a patient, elegant and sometimes even entertaining guide to a toxic problem. I'll be buying this book for many people."
Sathnam Sanghera, author of Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain
"Dave Rich has written a book that should make all of us feel uncomfortable, Jew and non-Jew alike. In a closely argued and impeccably researched volume, he asks the wider world why people have allowed antisemitism to go unchecked, and why they have not felt moved to fight against it. And he challenges Jews, telling us that we too need to try to improve things and to find allies in the wider world. This is an impressive piece of work, which makes depressing reading until you realise it is a call to action."
Julia Neuberger
"This book is compelling, frightening and illuminating. There is nobody who knows more about this subject than Dave Rich, and his ability to express himself matches his diligence and knowledge."
Daniel Finkelstein
"Dave Rich offers an important and detailed tour through the history of antisemitism - and an even more important look at the present, where we haven't made it history at all. His book darts between then and now with warmth, patience and humour - and crescendos as an ardent call to action."
Marina Hyde
"Dave Rich makes sense of the nonsensical with his uniquely gentle and pragmatic yet insightful style. Charting ancient irrational libels to their modern internet incarnations today, he issues a measured warning of what has come before and what could come again. Essential reading for anyone wanting to be able to recognise the ever-changing face of anti-Jewish hate, with up to the minute examples and a rallying call for the modern age, adding something new for everyone from the completely uninitiated to the fully up to speed anti-antisemite."
Rachel Riley
"Clear, cogent and compelling, this book tackles an enduring hatred with freshness, wit and verve. But what sets it apart, besides the fact that it's so fluent and readable, is its generosity of spirit. Dave Rich understands that antisemitism is a racism that can sneak up on those who least expect it, and so he comes not to scold but to enlighten. The result is a book full of humanity, even as it lays bare what can feel like an eternal human failing. Everyday Hate is essential reading."
Jonathan Freedland
"Dave Rich is a lodestar for understanding, and therefore challenging, antisemitism."
David Baddiel
"Brilliantly thorough, data-driven and at times very witty book."
Financial Times
"This wide-ranging and disturbing account of Jewish persecution from the 12th century to the present day is strikingly relevant ... This book provides a valuable companion piece to David Baddiel's recent Jews Don't Count."
Book of the Week in The Observer
"There are a lot of books about antisemitism. Few, though, are as practical and, in a strange way, inspiring, as Rich's. This is no anguished cry in the dark ... Rather, it is a poised and detailed explanation of how, and why, Jews found themselves in this position, and how Jews and non-Jews alike can work together to keep antisemitism at bay."
Tanya Gold, Daily Telegraph
