Bad Jews A history of American Jewish politics and identities

Review by Booklist Review

Who are the bad Jews? As Tamkin makes abundantly clear in this sweeping look at the history of Jews in America, that depends on your religious, political, ethical, and societal perspectives. Consequently, any Jew can be seen as a bad Jew by their fellow citizens in general, or by their fellow Jews in particular, and that depends as much on the shifting sands of time as it does on personal points of view. Focusing on the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the book draws from scores of interviews to make its various points. Some, like the discussion with Susannah Heschel, the daughter of civil rights icon Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, are enlightening. Others, like those with Heschel's other family members, are less so. Though Tamkin raises a wealth of questions about everything from religious observances to neoconservatism versus liberalism, there are not many answers, and that, ultimately, is the point when it comes to the identity of a group as diverse in beliefs and practices as American Jewry. This book is very wide-ranging, not always very deep, but always thought-provoking, and it offers many ideas for readers to explore further.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Journalist Tamkin (The Influence of Soros) illuminates in this vibrant study the multifaceted nature of the Jewish experience in America. Interweaving historical vignettes, contemporary interviews, and personal reflections, Tamkin argues that "as a monolithic or hegemonic entity... the Jewish community does not exist." She examines how restrictions placed on Jewish immigration in the 1920s intensified "assimilation and acculturation," as well as tensions over "what it meant to be an American Jew," and notes that while some Jews became deeply involved in socialist politics, others founded the neoconservative movement. She also delves into the boom in suburban synagogue construction after WWII, the creation of the "Jewish American Princess" stereotype, and the collaboration between conservative Jews and the Christian right. Throughout, Tamkin brings nuanced perspective to such controversial matters as the alleged antisemitism of Muslim congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib and the "active role" some American Jews "play in upholding America's racist, slave-based society" (she notes that the first Jewish person to hold a cabinet position in North America was Confederate attorney general and secretary of state Judah P. Benjamin). Heartfelt, nuanced, and empathetic, this revelatory ethnography is a must-read. (Oct.)

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

An examination of the "debate over who gets to speak for American Jews and who gets to claim American Jewishness." Journalist Tamkin, author of The Influence of Soros, explores a wide variety of questions about the Jewish faith and identity and the murky concept of so-called "good" and "bad" Jews. Is the distinction tied to Zionism and Israel? Should Jews be defined by religious or political ties, or perhaps even racial or ethnic? Do the Ashkenazi Jews have a more "authentic" Jewish experience than Sephardic Jews, who first came to America in the 17th century? Do good Jews vote for progressive Democrats or vehemently pro-Israel conservatives? "I would argue that the fact that we are in a time of change and conflict and challenge has thrown many American Jews off-balance," writes the author. "Things are not as they were. But that, in turn, means there is an opportunity to think about what things could be." Tamkin begins her "roughly hundred-year history of Jewish American politics, culture, identities, and arguments" with the massive Jewish immigration to America in the 1920s, after which Jews started to assimilate into the mainstream. The author explores a variety of stereotypes about Jewishness and immigration, and she interweaves her own relatives' history into the national story. When Joseph McCarthy was wreaking havoc across the nation, Jews were targeted disproportionately, especially in Hollywood. Tamkin then moves through the civil rights era; the rise of the neoconservative movement, epitomized by Commentary magazine and its outspoken editor, Norman Podheretz; and the wild financial excesses of the 1980s, represented by Michael Milken and Bernie Madoff, among others, who played into antisemitic stereotypes. Though not a rigorous, scholarly treatment of the subject, the book ably reflects the author's experience as a skilled journalist and storyteller. An engaging gathering of voices demonstrate "the one truth of American Jewish identity: it can never be pinned down." Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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