EXCLUSIVE: Jewish Activist Dov Hikind Hails ‘Critical’ New Book on Antisemitism

Former New York state assemblyman Dov Hikind, who serves as chairman of Americans Against Antisemitism (AAA), which recently published a comprehensive work on antisemitism, spoke about the need for such a book today as Jews continue to be blamed for “everything” and with knowledge of facts and history being “critical” in the fight against Jew-hatred.

In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News on Monday, Hikind discussed his group’s latest initiative, a comprehensive 549-page digest on antisemitism, titled “A Brief and Visual History of Antisemitism.”

The newly-released book, authored by AAA Executive Director Israel B. Bitton, can serve as a useful resource for young college students, Hikind stated, maintaining that it is “for everybody, both Jew and non-Jew.”

The book is divided into nine units: the definition of antisemitism; its beginnings, proliferation, apex, secularization, Easternization, and politicization; along with the current landscape and combating Jew-hatred.

Though in order to be exceptionally knowledgeable in the history of antisemitism one would have to “read a thousand books,” Hikind notes that if one does not intend to do that, the acclaimed bestseller is the next best thing.

“Most people read very little; they want the simple, the short version,” he said. “This [book] gives readers the basic information along with the tools in terms of comprehending antisemitism, the birth of the State of Israel — a whole history of understanding what exactly happened in a way that’s straightforward.”

“This is not a book [that leans] politically to the right or politically to the left,” he added. “It’s a book of history and it’s presented in a beautiful way.”

Hikind also touched on the “unbelievable feature” of the book’s use of augmented reality technology.

“Everyone I’ve shown it to, especially young people, when they saw that — that was it,” he said. “Because they’ve never seen anything like it.”

The technology allows readers to scan highlighted areas with their phones and reveal bonus content such as archival footage, animations, official documents, as well as three-dimensional objects that offer immersive perspectives on historical landmarks, according to AAA.

He further explained that with dozens of different videos throughout the book, “it just makes it a lot more exciting and a lot more interesting.” 

While the book provides information necessary for a “complete picture,” including defining antisemitism over the last two millennia, Hikind described the idea that “nothing has really changed” as one of the “really important messages” the book offers.

“Jew hatred appears as something — almost like DNA — in the bloodstream,” he said.

“But being knowledgeable and knowing the facts and knowing your history is very, very critical,” he added. “And this book, I think, really contributes towards giving people the necessary tools.”

Hikind argued that antisemitism “doesn’t really make sense,” given that there are only 15 million Jews worldwide.

“It’s pretty remarkable. Fifteen million of eight billion people doesn’t register — and that’s the total Jewish population, all Jews — America, Israel, everywhere,” he said. “And it’s amazing how the Jews are somehow responsible for ‘everything.’ You didn’t get a job, it’s the Jews; you’re not happy with your landlord — if he’s Jewish, then it’s all the Jewish people.”

“We ‘control the banks,’ we ‘control the media,’ — just blame the Jews,” he added. “We were communists; we were the capitalists — whatever side, we get the blame. It doesn’t have to make sense.”

While he accused antisemites of not wanting to be “confused or bothered with the facts,” Hikind noted that “many people do care about the facts.” 

“We Jewish people, with all the tragedy, all the difficulty, and all the challenges — we’re still here,” he said. 

“They’ve tried to destroy the Jewish people throughout history,” he added. “We realistically should not be here anymore, but we are very much here.”

Claiming that Jews can “learn from Israel,” Hikind stated that he was “tired of seeing Jews getting beaten up and running and being chased.”

Regarding the timing of the book’s publishing, with antisemitic acts and rhetoric surging nationwide, Hikind called for “each and every one of us” to “do what it takes” to face today’s challenges, stating that he had been doing so his entire life. 

“As you know, I‘ve been involved in Jewish activism from when I was a kid, and what I’m watching now, I never thought I would see,” he said. 

“This situation is both on the left and on the right because though haters — whether on the extreme right, extreme left, black radicals, etc. — hate each other, they all agree the Jews are the problem,” he added.

He also expressed his preference for the term “Jew hatred” over “antisemitism,” claiming the relatively new term does not do its meaning justice. 

“I prefer ‘Jew hatred,’” he said. “The word ‘antisemitism,’ as the book tells us, from Wilhelm Marr is basically a new term. It’s not something that existed way back.” 

“It was just pure anti-the-Jewish-people,” he added. “It was Jew hatred.”

The book, published by Gefen Publishing House, has been described by Israeli President Isaac Herzog as having “the potential to be a powerful instrument of memory for a generation for whom it is urgent.” 

Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman stated it should be “required reading by those who seek to eradicate this scourge and educate the public of its dangers.”

The book’s online description explains that its goal is “not merely to inform of what has already transpired, but to empower individuals to make sense of the avalanche of anti-Jewish invective in real-time.”

The book is available on Amazon and at major retailers.