As a Jew

Reclaiming Our Story from Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us

De: Sarah Hurwitz

Narrado por: Sarah Hurwitz

An urgent exploration of how antisemitism has shaped Jewish identity and how Jews can reclaim their tradition, by the celebrated White House speechwriter and author of the critically acclaimed Here All Along.

At thirty-six, Sarah Hurwitz was a typical lapsed Jew. On a whim, she attended an introduction to Judaism class and was astonished by what she discovered: thousands of years of wisdom from her ancestors about what it means to be human. That class sparked a journey of discovery that transformed her life.

Years later, as Hurwitz wrestled with what it means to be Jewish at a time of rising antisemitism, she wondered: Where had the Judaism she discovered as an adult been all her life? Why hadn’t she seen the beauty and depth of her tradition in those dull synagogue services and Hebrew school classes she’d endured as a kid? And why had her Jewish identity consisted of a series of caveats and apologies: I’m Jewish, but not that Jewish . . . I’m just a cultural Jew . . . I’m just like everyone else but with a fun ethnic twist—a dash of neurosis, a touch of gallows humor—a little different, but not in a way that would make anyone uncomfortable.

Seeking answers, she went back through time to discover how hateful myths about Jewish power, depravity, and conspiracy have worn a neural groove deep into the world’s psyche, shaping not just how others think about Jews, but how Jews think about themselves. She soon realized that the Jewish identity she’d thought was freely chosen was actually the result of thousands of years of antisemitism and two centuries of Jews erasing parts of themselves and their tradition in the hope of being accepted and safe.

In As a Jew, Hurwitz documents her quest to take back her Jewish identity, how she stripped away the layers of antisemitic lies that made her recoil from her own birthright and unearthed the treasures of Jewish tradition. With antisemitism raging worldwide, Hurwitz’s defiant account of reclaiming the Jewish story and learning to live as a Jew, without apology, has never been timelier or more necessary.

©2025 Sarah Hurwitz (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers

Entertaining and important. Excellent book!

Of the many books I’ve read both before and after October 7 about Jewish history, culture, and religious practice, this book stands out as a must read. It is a very poignant reflection of Jewish life in America today, and an inspirational reminder (or primer) of Jewish history and the beauty of Jewish text and ritual. I will be recommending this to all my friends. Do yourself a favor and read it.

A must read

I didn’t think Sarah could outdo herself after the last book, but she definitely did! As usual, the book was thoughtful, insightful, and also entertaining. I’m off to go recommend this book to everyone I know!

A Proud Reclamation of Jewish Identity in a Post October 7th World

I had long been looking for a book that focuses on antisemitism in a post October 7th world and am so grateful to Sarah Hurwitz for baring and sharing her journey of Jewish rediscovery through the lens of history, scholarship, tradition and practice. Her thoughts on countering antisemitism are concrete, realistic and leave me a shred of hope for the next generation of Jews.

Incredibly important

I cannot recommend this book enough. Sarah Hurwitz illuminates the origins of Jew-hatred and how Jewish identities have been defined by it. In As a Jew: Reclaiming Our Story from Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us, Sarah uncovers the insidious ways Jewish pride has been systematically eroded over generations and today, and empowers us to no longer be defined by it.

Life changing for my life, as a Jew

This book did for me what I have not been able to do for myself: restore my Jewish dignity, renew my Jewish curiosity, and rekindle my Jewish pride. Thank you, Sarah.

Author goes where few dare to go … but

Author is one of a tiny number of Jewish authors revealing sources of Jew Hatred in the NT . Ironically, there are many Christian authors who have done so. Author found herself incorporating the views of the Jew Haters into her own personal Jewish identity and shows how she dealt with it. However, the author appears left of center politically and incorporates ritual denunciations of Trump, totally inappropriate to the subject matter. Finally, while author handled well the effects of Jew Hatred on her personal self conception, she sadly fails to do so with respect to her views on Israel, These views are biased and historically inaccurate in order to appeal to Jews who dislike Israel , etc. Otherwise, Well worth reading to show uneducated Jews the richness. Of their tradition.