‘Too Jewish to Publish’ (Editorial, Aug. 21)
In the current setting of virulent antisemitism and anti-Zionism, I am distressed but not surprised that publishers are declining to accept works by Jewish writers. Attacking writers is a longstanding tactic used by dictators and authoritarian regimes to control public thought and erase dissent. Think back to Germany in 1933 when pro-Nazi students in 34 university towns, with the support and participation of Nazi officials, burned 25,000 books, including some by Jewish writers such as Einstein, Freud and Kafka.
The current campaign to decline to publish works by Jewish and Israeli authors started as localized grassroots protests but has grown into a larger campaign to exclude Jewish writers from international book fairs, publishing houses and literary magazines.
There has been an effort to link a ban on Jewish writers to the Israeli response in Gaza following the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre, even though most Jewish or Israeli writers played no role in the response. When Jewish writers are treated as collectively responsible for Israel’s actions, it should be called out for what it is — a continuation of millennia of antisemitism.
Beryl Rosenstein, Pikesville
‘Slouching Towards 2028’ (Op-Ed, Aug. 7)
I was distressed and dismayed by Alan Newman’s comment that “the 2028 presidential election … will be the first election in 12 years without a philo-semitic candidate (Donald Trump).”
This is total nonsense. Joe Biden was extremely philo-semitic — while he was a senator, while he was vice president and while he was president. As president, he went to Israel just 11 days after Oct. 7, 2023, to demonstrate his solidarity with Israel. And Joe Biden has Jewish grandchildren — just like Donald Trump.
In terms of family relationships, Kamala Harris can do them both one better — her husband is Jewish! And Doug Emhoff isn’t just Jewish — during the Biden-Harris administration, he served as one of the administration’s primary voices in countering antisemitism.
Going forward, trying to predict who the 2028 presidential candidates will be — and what their level of philo-semitism will be — is a bit premature.
Elise Saltzberg, Pikesville
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