"Reclaiming Our Story is a generous mix of history, narrative and a call to action, encouraging Jewish readers to recognise that Jews are different, to maintain strong Jewish anchors and to regain their Jewish pride."
In Reclaiming Our Story, Ben M. Freeman explores the history and impact of anti-Jewish hatred (antisemitism) on Jewish identity around the world. How prejudice within society has led many Jews to feel ashamed or embarrassed about their heritage, hiding it from others or even becoming prejudiced against other Jews (internalised anti-Jewishness). For thousands of years, Jews have been part of a nomadic Middle Eastern community that has settled in other parts of the world. The trauma of anti-Jewish hatred in the past still impacts on Jews in modern times, and many have found themselves torn between maintaining their traditional Jewish identity and assimilating into the society in which they live in. Subtitled The Pursuit of Jewish Pride, this book aims to empower Jewish readers to regain their Jewish identity, being proud of their heritage, religion, culture, community and values. Ben M. Freeman's latest book is a generous mix of history, narrative and a call to action, encouraging Jewish readers to recognise that Jews are different, to maintain strong Jewish anchors and to regain their Jewish pride.
Introducing the contemporary conversation on internalised Jew-hate, Reclaiming Our Story is the second instalment of world-renowned educator Ben M. Freeman's seminal manifesto of the modern Jewish Pride movement that has revolutionised the Jewish world.
In this groundbreaking work, Freeman takes his readers - both Jewish and non-Jewish - on a powerful journey that explores the impact of Jew-hate on Jews and the long history of internalised anti-Jewishness. Most importantly, Freeman will educate, inspire and empower his Jewish readers to look inside themselves - with empathy and without shame - to identify their own experiences with internalised anti-Jewishness so they can reclaim their Jewish stories, ultimately moving from prejudice to pride.