Sep

26

2022

Weekly Roundup - 9/27/22

This week: A 1989 letter from Edward Said calls on American-Jewish intellectuals to take a stand against Israel’s repression of Palestinians, published for the first time alongside introductions from Nubar Hovsepian and Peter Beinart. Joshua Leifer examines the surging popularity of Kahanist Knesset member Itamar Ben-Gvir. The Jewish Currents staff has a roundtable discussion on The Rehearsal. And from our Summer 2022 issue, Yiyun Li reviews the Belarusian novel Alindarka’s Children.

From the newsletter, Vinson Cunningham interviews Collier Meyerson about her podcast on the Crown Heights riot, and Alex Kane reports on Israel’s targeting of a Palestinian human rights lawyer.

One last thing: Shana Tova to you all!

Essay

An Open Letter to American-Jewish Intellectuals

In an unpublished 1989 letter, Palestinian American scholar Edward Said calls on his Jewish counterparts to take a stance against Israel’s abuses of Palestinians.

Edward W. Said

Essay

The Embattled Edward Said

Facing attacks on multiple fronts, Said nevertheless continued to challenge Israel’s monopoly on representations of Palestine.

Nubar Hovsepian

Essay

Answering Said’s Call

While discourse on Israel-Palestine has shifted for the better since 1989, meeting Said’s challenge will require American Jewish intellectuals to recognize that Palestinian equality and Jewish safety are ultimately intertwined.

Peter Beinart

Analysis

Kahanism’s Raucous Return

Knesset member Itamar Ben-Gvir, a follower of far-right ideologue Meir Kahane, is surging in popularity on the promise of realizing ideas like the forced expulsion of Palestinians and leftists.

Joshua Leifer