Volume 4 No 1 - Journal for the Study of Antisemitism

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2012] NOT HOW BUT WHY ANTISEMITISM PERSISTS 303 [Baum’s] When Fairy Tales Kill is particularly valuable to the reader as a corollary text.] . . . Chapter Five addresses this master narrative, a social trend that labels Israel with traits of a collective Jew [Thus, anti-Zionism = antisemitism.] . . . The final chapter explains why the pathology of antisemitic beliefs is here to stay in all its forms, and examines some alternatives for stemming the communication flow (7-8). While occasionally lapsing into the jargon of his own professional discourse, particularly in the narrative explanations of the various surveys and data, Baum does an excellent job of laying out for the non-psychologist/ non-psychotherapist reader his various theses chapter by chapter. Sharing his conclusion echoed numerous times throughout his text that “antisemitism will always exist because people are prone to believe social fantasies about the Jews more than realities” (xvi, emphasis in original), and even go far to say, “I am scared enough because I know enough about the psychology of genocide to believe that a Second Holocaust of Israel is imminent” (xiv), this reviewer would rephrase these tragically sad comments even more pointedly: “as long as there is Judaism, there will be anti- Judaism (antisemitism); as long as there are Jews, there will be Jew-haters (antisemites); and as long as there is Israel and Israelis, there will be anti- Zionists (antisemites, despite their protestations to the contrary!).” The ultimate question, then, becomes not the how of antisemitism—i.e., how it manifests itself over the generations, because we already have a cache of far too many examples, but the why of antisemitism (what there is in the human personality that all too easily predisposes itself to prejudice, hatred, stereotyping, and worse). Given Baum’s professional experiences as a practicing psychotherapist, and references to having worked with patients one manifestation of whose illness is hatred of the other, his concluding chapter is particularly significant and important. Before doing so, however, one is well advised to heed Baum’s cautionary note regarding “the futility of trying to fight bad information with good information” with “the disturbing reality that once an idea has been implanted in people’s minds, it can be difficult to dislodge” (137). Hence, the challenge—despite the additional awareness that “politics and power will always trump mental health” (208). Finally, while Baum does make the rather astute negative observation: Can sufficient interventions be made to stem the flow of antisemitic beliefs? Probably not. Perhaps some changes are possible, but the need to stay tribal through our social identity remains, and in that sense the die is cast in the world’s morality play” (209). He does hold out two inviting possibilities: education (217-219) and defiance of collective social (im)morality (219-221). From his unique van-
304 JOURNAL FOR THE STUDY OF ANTISEMITISM [ VOL. 4:301 tage point and perspective, therefore, one would have wished for an additional final chapter exploring in far greater depth these two possibilities, with concrete suggestions for their implementations. One can only hope that book is in the offing. Overall, Steven Baum has written an important text on the difficult topic of understanding antisemitism. In doing so, he has enlarged our common conversation by bring to bear the insights of a discipline of which far too many of us know far too little. For that, too, he is to be commended. *Steven Leonard Jacobs holds the Aaron Aronov Endowed Chair of Judaic Studies at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, and is the associate editor of religion at the Journal for the Study of Antisemitism. He can be contacted at sjacobs@bama.ua.edu. REFERENCES Baum, Steven K. (2008a). The Psychology of Genocide: Perpetrators, Bystanders, and Rescuers. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2008. ———. (2008b). When Fairy Tales Kill: The Origins and Transmission of Antisemitic Beliefs. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse, 2008. Langmuir, Gavin I. (1990a). History, Religion, and Antisemitism. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990. ———. (1990b). Toward a Definition of Antisemitism. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990.
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Benjamin Ferencz (1910- ) Benjamin
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JSA Submission Guidelines The Journ
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The Elephant in the Room ..........
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International Law and Antisemitism
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2012] INTERNATIONAL LAW AND ANTISEM
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The Expulsion of Robert Burke: Supp
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2012] THE EXPULSION OF ROBERT BURKE
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The Toulouse Murders Manfred Gerste
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2012] THE TOULOUSE MURDERS 167 Vail
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2012] BISTRO ANTISEMITISM 183 a soc
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2012] THE TSAR’S OTHER LIEUTENANT
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2012] THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM 223
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In the Classroom Leonid Livak* Hard
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Irrational Iran Israel W. Charny* H
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2012] IRRATIONAL IRAN 251 in one co
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Page 268 and 269: Reversing Social Memory in Portugal
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Page 280 and 281: Antisemitism and Hollywood—Part 1
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Page 284 and 285: What Palestinian Polls Reveal Ryan
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Page 296 and 297: A Promising Start Richard L. Cravat
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Page 306 and 307: Maybe, Maybe Not Justus George Lawl
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