Additional information
by Jeremy Havardi (Author)
Recent decades have seen a surge in antisemitism across the world, with huge increases in violent attacks, online abuse and the desecration of communal property. What gives rocket fuel to these crimes is a set of widely held beliefs about the Jews and their supposed malign influence on the world. These antisemitic myths, foundational to much of western culture, include the charges of dual loyalty, greed, cowardice, chosenness and global control. This book offers a firm, detailed and comprehensive rebuttal to these ideas. The first part examines ancient and medieval calumnies against the Jews, including deicide, the medieval blood libel and the accusation of well poisoning, as well as canards relating to their physical appearance. The next part focuses on attacks against the character of the Jews, including allegations of avarice and lack of patriotism, demonstrating that on any reading of Jewish history, culture and religious doctrine, the charges do not stack up. The third section deals with the modern penchant for antisemitic conspiracy theories. It employs extensive evidence to refute the idea that Jews dominated the slave trade, subverted Hollywood or instigated the twentieth century's world wars. Finally, the book confronts the menace of political antisemitism, demolishing the ideology that underpins the demonization of Israel and refuting the idea that the state has no legitimacy in the contemporary world. It is a useful handbook for every anti-racist.
Author Biography
Dr. Jeremy Havardi is a cultural historian and journalist based in London, where he serves as Director of the B'nai B'rith UK Bureau of International Affairs. His role is to advocate for the international legal rights of the Jewish people, fight against all manifestations of antisemitism, work for a better understanding of Israel within the international community and tackle hatred against minorities. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Alcala in cultural and literary history. He has written several previous books, including The Greatest Briton: Essays on the Life and Political Philosophy of Winston Churchill; Projecting Britain at War: The National Character in British World War II films, Refuting the Anti-Israel Narrative: A Case for the Historical, Legal and Moral Legitimacy of the Jewish State and A Persistent Prejudice: Anti-Semitic Tropes and Double Standards in the Anti-Israel Movement. His articles have appeared in many publications, among them The Spectator, The Guardian, The Gatestone Institute, Times of Israel, The Jewish News, Spiked, and Military History Magazine.
