‘Our Palestine Question’: The first American Jews to fight for Palestinian rights

American Jews began debating the issue Palestinian rights even before Israel’s founding in 1948. Geoffrey Levin, a professor of Jewish studies at Emory University, recovered the voices of these Jews who, in the early decades of Israel’s existence, called for an honest reckoning with the moral and political plight of Palestinians in his new book, “Our Palestine Question: Israel and American Jewish Dissent, 1948-1978.”

Join Levin and Forward reporter Arno Rosenfeld to learn about these now-forgotten figures, including an aid‑worker‑turned‑academic with Palestinian Sephardic roots, a former Yiddish journalist, anti‑Zionist Reform rabbis, and young left‑wing Zionist activists who felt drawn to support Palestinian rights by their understanding of Jewish history, identity, and ethics.

Never Miss a Story

Invitations to special events delivered to your inbox.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)