Where I Stand

On Israel, Palestine, Horror, and Humility

I’m currently undergoing the humbling and nerve-wracking process of asking people to endorse my book.

On the whole, it’s been an incredibly affirming process, and I’ve found myself occasionally in awe at people’s generosity, praise, and willingness to lend their support. I feel beyond lucky to have such wonderful colleagues, mentors, and friends.

But recently, I had an experience that troubled me deeply. I asked a friend, someone who had been a stalwart supporter of this project from the beginning, if they would write a short endorsement. After all, they’d enthusiastically edited entire chapters for me in the past. Why wouldn’t they show up for the easiest part?

Their answer was a cold, hard no. When I asked for clarification, they let me know that they were no longer working with or supporting people who were not “speaking out” against the war in Gaza. Apparently, I was on their list. 

I invited them to read my recent Substack piece where I expressed my feelings on the matter, and how I …