Although Iraqi Jews saw themselves as proud Iraqi patriots, their community, which had existed in Iraq for more than 2,500 years, was expelled after the establishment of the state of Israel. New Babylonians tells the story of these Jews, their urban Arab culture, and their hope for a democratic nation-state.
Contents
The book explores their ideas about Judaism, Islam, secularism, modernity, and reform. The focus is on Iraqi Jews who identified with Arab and Iraqi nationalism, and on those who switched to communism in the 1940s.
Key Insights
- The ultimate expulsion was not a result of ongoing persecution by Iraqi fellow citizens.
- The cause lay primarily in misleading state policies in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
- Where coexistence, friendship, and collaboration had previously dominated, this changed into the prevailing narrative of the impossibility of Arab-Jewish coexistence.
Target Audience
Suitable for readers interested in history, culture, and political studies regarding the Middle East. The book is especially valuable for education, research, and self-study.
The language is clear and accessible, written in Dutch, suitable for an average higher education level.
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