Shaar Shalom Library Book Club − June 23, 12:30pm, Shaar Library

Our next meeting will be Sunday, June 23 at 12:30 PM, in the Shaar Library. We will be discussing Jonathan Weisman’s (((Semitism))): Being Jewish in America in the Age of Trump.

*Coffee and bagels will be served.

Upcoming Reads:

July 21 – By Chance Alone: A Remarkable True Story of Courage and Survival at Auschwitz by Max Eisen

August 25 – Ariel Samson: Freelance Rabbi by MaNishtana

SYNOPSIS: “With eloquence and poignancy Weisman shows how hatred can slowly and quietly chew away at the moral fabric of society. We now live in an age where more than ever bigotry and oppression no longer need to hide in fear of reproach. The floodgates have opened. This is much more than a personal response to the bigotry he experienced because of his Jewishness; Weisman has written a manifesto that outlines the dangers of marginalizing and demonizing all minority groups. This powerful book is for all of us.” – Michael Eric Dyson
In (((Semitism))), Weisman explores the disconnect between his own sense of Jewish identity and the expectations of his detractors and supporters. He delves into the rise of the Alt Right, their roots in older anti-Semitic organizations, the odd ancientness of their grievances―cloaked as they are in contemporary, techy hipsterism―and their aims―to spread hate in a palatable way through a political structure that has so suddenly become tolerant of their views.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jonathan Weisman is Deputy Washington Editor of The New York Times and author of the novel, No. 4 Imperial Lane, which was a Chautauqua Prize finalist, Amazon Best Book of the Month, and Great Group Reads Pick at the Women’s National Book Association. He has reported for The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and others. He is the father of two teenage daughters, and lives with fellow writer Jennifer Steinhauer in Washington, D.C.