New Initiative Targets Antisemitism in Literary World

By Andrew Lapin and Philissa Cramer

The New York-based Jewish Book Council recently launched an initiative collecting reports of antisemitism in the literary world since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

Intense pro-Palestinian activism within the literary community has included bestselling Jewish authors being targeted online as Zionists (despite not making comments about Israel); protests against pro-Israel writers; and demonstrations at events such as a recent major writers conference in Kansas City that left some Jews feeling intimidated and unwelcome.

The council’s initiative asks people to share evidence of alleged antisemitism and promises to maintain anonymity for those who submit.

“We encourage reports of both smaller-scale incidents (such as an individual getting review-bombed because their book includes Jewish content) and larger incidents (such as Jewish literary professionals facing threats of intimidation and violence),” the council said in an announcement. “The hope is that by reporting and recording antisemitism in the literary world, we can help to put support systems in place for those affected.”

Actor Brett Gelman recently had book signings in San Francisco and Illinois canceled, saying he was the victim of antisemitism. The owner of the San Francisco bookstore that canceled Gelman’s appearance said it was because the “Stranger Things” and “Fleabag” star made “intemperate and ill-advised remarks … against some other ethnic and social groups.”

Gelman, who has publicly advocated for Israel, said he has disparaged only Hamas and antisemites.

Hundreds of writers recently demanded in an open letter that the free-speech organization PEN America release a statement about Palestinian writers killed in Israel’s counteroffensive in Gaza and “name their murderer: Israel, a Zionist colonial state funded by the U.S. government.”

The letter followed an incident when PEN America rejected calls to cancel an event with Jewish actress Mayim Bialik over criticism of her support for Israel.

Bialik, a former star of “The Big Bang Theory,” is one of the most prominent Jewish and pro-Israel voices on social media. Much of her content since Oct. 7 has focused on calling attention to the plight of the Israel hostages held in Gaza and decrying sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas. Like many other pro-Israel Jews on social media, she has participated in efforts to direct support to Israeli soldiers.

Anti-Israel sentiment in the literary world is taking place online as well, particularly in the robust world of #BookTok, the corner of TikTok where books are discussed and seen as increasingly influential over commercial success in publishing; and on the Amazon-owned book review site Goodreads, where “review bombing,” or flooding an author’s book page with negative reviews, is a common practice.

Among the top targets have been Gabrielle Zevin and Sarah Maas, best-selling authors with engaged fan bases who themselves have not commented publicly about the war.

In December, Zevin was the subject of a social media pressure campaign to prevent a special edition of her novel “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” from being promoted by the fantasy subscription service FairyLoot. People on social media called Zevin a Zionist because her book about video game designers features an Israeli character and because she has participated in events with the Jewish women’s group Hadassah.

Maas also has drawn scorn from BookTokers, largely because of a ٢٠١٦ interview in which she cited her experience on a Birthright trip to Israel as influential. Maas, who has sold more than ٣٠ million books worldwide, is Jewish and has family members who survived and died in the Holocaust.

Some TikTokers who review books for their followers have said over the last four months they will no longer read or include Maas’ work because she is a “Zionist.” At least one has burned a Maas book in protest.

Whether the dynamics are costing Jewish writers contracts or sales is not clear, and both FairyLoot and PEN America did not give in when facing anti-Israel pressure. But Erika Dreifus, a New York City writer who tracks opportunities for Jewish writers on her website, said the cumulative effect of the statements, demonstrations and criticism is that Jewish writers with an affinity for Israel increasingly feel isolated.

She maintains a public list of literary groups’ statements on Israel.

“I’m gleaning … that there are fewer and fewer literary venues where people may feel comfortable sending their work or having their work appear,” Dreifus said. “For me, it certainly distances me from any sense of really belonging to a wider literary community.”

The Jewish Book Council says it believes more attention to antisemitism in the literary world is essential. “Prejudice in our communities,” the council stated, “can be excised through unity, care and togetherness.”

Andrew Lapin and Philissa Cramer write for the JTA global Jewish news source.