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For this historian, anti-Zionism is part of a hallowed Jewish tradition

JL;DR SUMMARY Sheerly Avni's article explores Benjamin Balthaser's new book, "Citizens of the Whole World: Anti-Zionism and the Cultures of the American Jewish Left," which traces the historical roots and resurgence of anti-Zionist sentiment within American Jewry. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish HistoryJewish Voice For PeaceAnti ZionismIfnotnowAmerican Jewish LeftDiasporismCultural StudiesZionism CritiqueBenjamin BalthaserRobert Gessner

Places mentioned

Bloomington, Indiana, United States
"Balthaser spoke with me from his office at Indiana University, where he is an associate professor of multiethnic U.S. literature, about the inspiration for the book, the fantasy of Jewish consensus, and why Project Esther is a new Red Scare."
United States
"In America, he wrote, Jews are about one percent Zionist."
Israel
"A poll of Israelis finds the majority aligned with Jabotinskys insistence on violent expulsion of Palestinians from the land."
Mexico
"Sheerly Avni is a writer and editor living in Mexico."

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Cairo Item ID 59850
Cairo Source ID 35
Retrieved 2025-08-22 05:31:04 UTC
Curated 2025-08-22 08:31:09 UTC