markm reviewed People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn
Review of 'People Love Dead Jews' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
This is a relatively short, insightful look at antisemitism in which the author makes the case that the seeming reverence that people pay to the victims of deadly bigotry is itself an insult.
I was reminded of two supporting experiences:
I was in Cologne a few years ago and a tour guide made a big deal about how there was an archeological dig exposing the Roman-era Jewish part of the city. I did not say, "So the people here humiliated, robbed, and killed most of the Jews in town and now you're excited that you've found where their ancestors lived 1500 years ago?"
I've been to a couple of places in the American West where American Indians perform sacred dances for tourists and then are given a dollar or two to have their pictures taken with these people. While Indians are living on a reservation with a life expectancy of 45 years, we can honor their culture but when they lived where we live now our ancestors had a different response.
[I just thought of another one. A gentile colleague of mine was telling me how beautiful Prague was and how much she enjoyed visiting the old Jewish cemetery there. I'll leave a blank here for you to put in the obvious response:_____.]