New Books in Critical Theory Benjamin Balthaser, "Citizens of the Whole World: Anti-Zionism and the Cultures of the American Jewish Left" (Verso Books, 2025)
Nov 30, 2025
Benjamin Balthaser, an associate professor at Indiana University South Bend and author of Citizens of the Whole World, explores the deep-rooted history of American Jewish opposition to Zionism. He connects the 1930s Jewish left's labor and anti-imperialist stance to contemporary anti-Zionist movements. Balthaser emphasizes alliances between Jewish and Black radicals, critiques of nationalist narratives, and the complexities of Holocaust memory in shaping these politics. His insights offer valuable lessons for modern coalition building amidst evolving political landscapes.
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Continuity Between Past And Present Jewish Radicals
- Balthaser traces his interest from family history and student activism, noting left-wing Jews have long been central in Palestine solidarity movements.
- He observes consistent Jewish participation in pro-Palestine organizing across decades.
Early Jewish Left Rejected Zionism
- Benjamin Balthaser shows American Jewish anti-Zionism was a mainstream left position in the 1930s and 1940s, rooted in labor and socialist culture.
- Zionism was often read as nationalist, imperialist, and incompatible with anti-racist, pro-labor commitments.
Zionism Framed As Imperialist Nationalism
- Left critics in the 1930s saw Zionism as aligned with British imperialism and racial nationalism, sometimes calling it 'Jim Crow' in practice.
- Jewish leftists equated ethno-nationalism with fascism and rejected Zionist separatism as anti-democratic.
