Brief
New Yorker review of book linking Hebrew punctuation to colonialism draws online backlash
The New Yorker’s Louis Menand highlighted a controversial claim that Hebrew punctuation marks are relics of a brutal colonial system, prompting criticism from commentators.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The New Yorker published a review by Louis Menand of Florence Hazrat’s new book, On the Mark: From Periods to Interrobangs, How Punctuation Remade the World, which argues that Hebrew punctuation is a relic of a "brutal colonial system" and that its introduction created an artificial sense of Jewish unity. The review and the book’s premise have sparked criticism online, Fox News reports.
What happened
Hazrat’s book claims that adding punctuation to Hebrew transformed the language from written to spoken, paving the way for an "artificial sense of unity" among Jews worldwide and encouraging migration to Israel. Menand described the work as "irreverent and delightfully intellectual" but warned that its premise leads to "overreach." The New Yorker’s decision to run the review prompted a wave of negative reactions on social media and in comment sections.
What the reports add
Fox News notes that Hazrat writes, "Today this brutal oppression (aided and abetted by the United States, Germany, and a host of other countries…) has evolved into the worst crime of all crimes: genocide." The outlet also cites a post by Daniel Sugarman, deputy editor of Jewish News UK, who called Hazrat "predictably" a "BBC New Generation Thinker" and dismissed the argument. Menand, in his review, suggested that if Yiddish had been Israel’s official language, "atrocities might have been avoided," highlighting the contentious nature of Hazrat’s thesis.
What was said
Louis Menand, writing for The New Yorker, called the book’s premise "overreach" while acknowledging its intellectual flair. Hazrat herself wrote that punctuation helped turn Hebrew into a spoken language and facilitated a forced sense of unity. Daniel Sugarman, quoted by Fox News, blasted the book’s argument as predictable and academically driven.
Key facts
- The New Yorker published Louis Menand’s review of Florence Hazrat’s book linking Hebrew punctuation to colonialism. (foxnews.com)
- Hazrat argues that Hebrew punctuation created an artificial sense of Jewish unity and aided migration to Israel. (foxnews.com)
- Online commentators, including Daniel Sugarman of Jewish News UK, criticized the book’s premise. (foxnews.com)
Sources
- [1] foxnews.com — originally reported as “Book's claim that Hebrew punctuation is a relic of brutal colonial system sparks criticism”
