THOSE WHO FORGET THE PAST

By Ron Rosenbaum

Random House Trade Paperbacks

Study Guide by Steven Steinbock

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

George Santayana, The Life of Reason, Volume 1, 1905

About the Book

To explore and discuss anti-Semitic trends since 9/11, Ron Rosenbaum has gathered forty-nine essays and articles from diverse writers and thinkers into Those Who Forget the Past. Entire sections are devoted to the Daniel Pearl killing, the rise of anti-Semitism on the political Left, Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ,” Anti-Zionism, Muslim anti-Semitism and other related topics.

Those Who Forget the Pastbegins with a lengthy but worthwhile introduction by Rosenbaum. The main body of the book is divided into eleven sections:

Part One: Awakenings

Part Two: Something Old, Something New

Part Three: One Death, One Lie

Part Four: The Ultimate Stakes: The Second Holocaust Debate

Part Five: The Facts on the Ground in France

Part Six: The Shift from Right to Left

Part Seven: The Deicide Accusation

Part Eight: Some New Forms of Anti-Semitism

Part Nine: Anti-Zionism and Anti-Semitism

Part Ten: Israel

Part Eleven: Muslims

Those Who Forget the Pastis an ideal choice for discussion groups from high school through adults. Many of the articles and essays are quite short, allowing readers to deal with a variety of material. The content is quite timely, and the opinions expressed are guaranteed to generate lively discussion and debate.

About This Guide

The vast scope and content of Those Who Forget the Past make addressing more than a fraction of the book in a single session unrealistic. We suggest that you choose material from one or two sections and facilitate group discussion from three or four readings.

In this guide we provide study questions pertaining to Rosenbaum’s introduction as well as essays from three of the book’s sections:

PART ONE: AWAKENINGS

Paul Berman, "Something's Changed" (page 14)

David Brooks, "It's Back" (page 28)

Barbara Amiel, "Islamists Overplay Their Hand" (page 31)

Harold Evans, "The View from Ground Zero" (page 36)

PART SIX: THE SHIFT FROM RIGHT TO LEFT

Laurie Zoloth, "Fear and Loathing at San Francisco State" (page 258)

Todd Gitlin, "The Rough Beast Returns" (page 263)

PART ELEVEN: MUSLIMS

Jeffrey Goldberg, "Behind Mubarak" (pg. 533).

Many topics and essays not covered in this guide are also recommended, including the essays about Daniel Pearl, the 2002 fake “massacre” at the Jenin refugee camp, Philip Greenspun’s essay “Israel” and Bernard Lewis’s "Muslim Anti-Semitism."

Discussion Topics and Questions

INTRODUCTION–KIDNAPPED BY HISTORY

1. How has the Internet influenced anti-Semitism? How has the Internet aided those in combating it? How was anti-Semitism changed by the September 11 attacks?

2. Rosenbaum reported that friends would often ask, “Isn’t it depressing spending so much time on the subject (of anti-Semitism)?” (page xxi). How did he respond? What are the “intellectually stimulating” topics and arguments to which he refers? What are your emotional, and intellectual reactions to the contents of this book or to other articles and books about the Holocaust and anti-Semitism?

3. Discuss the origin and history of the term “anti-Semitism” (page xxiv). What does the term denote? In what ways is the term inadequate? Are there alternative terms?

4. What does Rosenbaum mean by “equanimity”? How does equanimity toward the Holocaust differ from Holocaust denial? According to Rosenbaum, which is worse?

5. Rosenbaum discusses Jeffrey Goldberg’s article “Behind Mubarak” (pages xxxv-xxxix). He discusses his dismay when he discovers that the version of Goldberg’s article stored on the LexisNexis database omits Mustafa Bakri’s bloody dream. Why does this bother him? Why does Rosenbaum juxtapose his feelings about the LexisNexis omission with his own tendency to turn away, rather than watch videos of Daniel Pearl’s murder?

PART ONE–AWAKENINGS

Paul Berman, "Something's Changed"

6. Paul Berman argues against attempts by Professor Tony Judt and others to compare Israel to French Algeria and apartheid South Africa (page 21). Rephrase and discuss Judt’s analysis. In your opinion, is Israel a colonial occupier? How does Berman refute this analogy?

7. Berman also comments on the “Zionism-is-Racism” argument. Do you feel it is fair to hold a Jewish state to different moral standards than other nations?

8. What is the “something” from the article’s title that has changed?

David Brooks, "It's Back"

Barbara Amiel, "Islamists Overplay Their Hand"

9. In their respective articles, David Brooks and Barbara Amiel both seem to suggest that anti-Semitism has become socially acceptable in respectable circles. What examples do they give? Are their concerns merited? What is the “War of Ideas” that Amiel alludes to?

10. Amiel sounds a hopeful note, suggesting that the Muslim anti-Israel world has overplayed its hand. What ideas and events does she present to support this? Do you believe her view is realistic or naïve?

Harold Evans, "The View from Ground Zero"

11. Harold Evans explores some of the falsehoods, misrepresentations and frauds that have been used to advance anti-Israel and anti-Jewish viewpoints. He provides a litany of examples illustrating what does and does not constitute anti-Semitism (page 47). Review and discuss his list.

12. Read and discuss Evans’s four practical suggestions for combating disinformation (pages 54-56). Which appear to be most effective? What suggestion might your synagogue or book group put forward in a wider context?

PART SIX: THE SHIFT FROM RIGHT TO LEFT

Laurie Zoloth, "Fear and Loathing at San Francisco State"

Todd Gitlin, "The Rough Beast Returns"

13. Read the two pieces by Zoloth and Gitlin. Ask if anyone in your group has encountered this sort of anti-Semitism, either on college campuses or in other “progressive” circles. Gitlin refers to university students as “the bloc to whom we have long looked for intelligent dissent . . .” Why might such opposition be found at universities like NYU, San Francisco State or Berkeley?

14. Is there something about Jews and/or Israel that poses difficulties with large segments of the intellectual Left?

PART ELEVEN: MUSLIMS

Jeffrey Goldberg, "Behind Mubarak"

15. Goldberg quotes from writings by Mustafa Bakri, editor of Al-Usbu (page 538. This is the same passage referred to in Ron Rosenbaum’s introduction—see question 5, above). Why did Goldberg include this in his article? Why would Bakri have written it? What does its publication say about the attitude of the average Egyptian toward Israel and the Jews?

16. At the bottom of page 539, Goldberg quotes a column from Al-Akhbar, a “moderate” state-sponsored Egyptian newspaper: "Thanks to Hitler, of blessed memory, who on behalf of the Palestinians, revenged in advance, against the most vile criminals on the face of the earth. Although we do have a complaint against him for his revenge on them was not enough." The United States gives annual aid to Egypt valued at more than $2 billion. Research and discuss the congressional bill submitted by Rep. Tom Lantos in 2004 that aimed at limiting aid to Egypt. Why have such bills failed to pass?

17. Several Egyptian journalists, politicians, and clerics quoted by Goldberg have implied that violence against America is a direct result of America’s pro-Israel policies. In your opinion, why does the US government support Israel? Do you think that America has a double standard with regard to the Middle East?

18. What other reasons does Goldberg give to explain Muslim anti-Israel and anti-American attitudes?

Steven E. Steinbock is the author of several books published by the URJ Press, the most recent being These Words Upon Our Heart, A Lexicon of Judaism and World Religions. Steve is a graduate of the HUC-JIR Rhea Hirsch School of Education.