As a Jew

Reclaiming Our Story from Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us

By: Sarah Hurwitz

Narrated by: Sarah Hurwitz

• New York Times Bestseller

• Natan Notable Book Award Winner

• Rabbi Sacks Book Prize Finalist

• 75th National Jewish Book Awards Shortlist, Jewish Book Council

• INCLUDED IN PUBLISHERS WEEKLY HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

• CHOSEN AS PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOKS OF 2025, RELIGION

• Honorable Mention, Religion News Service 10 Top Religion & Spirituality Books of 2025

An urgent exploration of how antisemitism has shaped Jewish identity and how Jews can reclaim their tradition, by the celebrated White House speechwriter and author of the critically acclaimed Here All Along.

At thirty-six, Sarah Hurwitz was a typical lapsed Jew. On a whim, she attended an introduction to Judaism class and was astonished by what she discovered: thousands of years of wisdom from her ancestors about what it means to be human. That class sparked a journey of discovery that transformed her life.

Years later, as Hurwitz wrestled with what it means to be Jewish at a time of rising antisemitism, she wondered:

• Where had the Judaism she discovered as an adult been all her life?
• Why hadn’t she seen the beauty and depth of her tradition in those dull synagogue services and Hebrew school classes she’d endured as a kid?
• And why had her Jewish identity consisted of a series of caveats and apologies

Seeking answers, she went back through time to discover how hateful myths about Jewish power, depravity, and conspiracy have worn a neural groove deep into the world’s psyche, shaping not just how others think about Jews, but how Jews think about themselves. She soon realized that the Jewish identity she’d thought was freely chosen was actually the result of thousands of years of antisemitism and two centuries of Jews erasing parts of themselves and their tradition in the hope of being accepted and safe.

In As a Jew, Hurwitz documents her quest to take back her Jewish identity, how she stripped away the layers of antisemitic lies that made her recoil from her own birthright and unearthed the treasures of Jewish tradition. With antisemitism raging worldwide, Hurwitz’s defiant account of reclaiming the Jewish story and learning to live as a Jew, without apology, has never been timelier or more necessary.

Every Word.

This is a must read several times. So grateful for this book. Thank you Sarah.

Another excellent title by Sarah Hurwitz

I feel that I learned a lot about Jews and their relationship with Zion and Israel in this book. I don’t think I was expecting it to be so much about Israel, but post October 7. I totally understand the need for a book like this. The way Sarah writes is engaging and easy to understand.

Sarah’s research and authenticity

Sarah’s sharing of her ongoing journey. And they we are a people connected through text.

Strengthened my Resolve

I listened to the whole book in one afternoon. It meets the current moment and is realistic but uplifting.

Another Superb Read/Listen

I so appreciate the author’s research and insight about Judaism, identity, spirituality, citizenship, and navigating the antisemitic world. I gained a lot and I will listen again in order to solidify the impact.