She spent 7 years recovering the Jewish history Zionism tried to erase | Molly Crabapple
Artist and author Molly Crabapple discusses her new book, "Here Where We Live Is Our Country," which uncovers the forgotten history of the Jewish Labour Bund, an anti-Zionist Jewish movement.
Intelligence analysis by Gemini 2.5 Flash
Molly Crabapple's book highlights the Jewish Labour Bund, a secular, socialist, anti-Zionist Jewish movement from 1897 that opposed a Jewish ethnostate, offering a historical counter-narrative relevant to current Middle East politics.
Imagine a long time ago, a group of Jewish people called the Bund believed that Jewish people could live happily wherever they were, and didn't need a new country far away to be safe. A writer named Molly Crabapple spent seven years finding out all about them, and wrote a book so more people could learn this forgotten history. It's like finding a lost piece of a puzzle about how people thought a long time ago.
Analysis
Emmy Award-winning artist and author Molly Crabapple's new book, "Here Where We Live Is Our Country," delves into the largely overlooked history of the Jewish Labour Bund. This movement, founded in 1897, was a secular, socialist, and anti-Zionist mass organization that, at its peak, was the largest Jewish political body in Eastern Europe.
The Bund's core principle asserted the right of Jewish people to remain in their homes, explicitly rejecting the idea that a Jewish ethnostate in Palestine was the answer to antisemitism. In a "Real Talk" conversation with Mohamed Hashem on Middle East Eye, Crabapple shares insights into her Jewish identity and her 2015 reporting experiences in Gaza.
Her book is the result of seven years of extensive archival research. Crabapple underscores the contemporary relevance of the Bund's story, particularly in light of current events. She notes the profound impact her work has on audiences, stating, "Hundreds of people are coming to my events, many of them Jewish, and they tell me I gave them their ancestors back." This suggests a strong resonance with individuals seeking alternative historical perspectives on Jewish identity.
Key points
- Molly Crabapple's new book, "Here Where We Live Is Our Country," details the Jewish Labour Bund.
- The Bund was a secular, socialist, anti-Zionist Jewish movement founded in 1897 in Eastern Europe.
- It was the largest Jewish political organization in Eastern Europe at its peak.
- The Bund advocated for Jewish people's right to remain in their homes and rejected a Jewish ethnostate in Palestine.
- Crabapple's research involved seven years of archival work and a 2015 reporting trip to Gaza.
The recovery of the Jewish Labour Bund's history, as presented in Molly Crabapple's book, could foster a more nuanced understanding of Jewish identity and historical anti-Zionist movements. This renewed awareness might contribute to broader, more inclusive conversations about peace and coexistence in the Middle East, challenging singular narratives and empowering individuals to connect with diverse ancestral histories.
Despite the efforts to highlight historical anti-Zionism, the entrenched nature of current political narratives surrounding Zionism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict might limit the impact of this recovered history. It could face resistance or be dismissed by those unwilling to re-evaluate established perspectives, potentially leading to further polarization rather than bridging divides.
