The ongoing war on terror, instability in the Middle East, and a faltering world economy are capturing headlines everywhere. But through it all runs a disturbing current of which many people are only dimly aware.

Anti-Semitism, which had been on the decline worldwide since the end of World War II, has over the past few years made a perilous return. How could the twenty-first century — the new millennium launched with such optimism just a few short years ago — have so quickly been marred by the emergence of age-old hatreds, now armed with the powers of global terrorism?

As national director of the Anti-Defamation League, Abraham H. Foxman fights against the menace of intolerance every day. As a result of the disturbing events of the last few years, he is convinced that we currently face as great a threat to the safety and security of the Jewish people as we faced in the 1930s. Foxman writes: “Within living memory, we’ve seen what can happen when a nation or a continent experiences an unrestrained outbreak of anti-Semitism. The Jews of the world — and all people of goodwill who share their desire for a just and free society — learned a series of critical lessons from the tragic history of the twentieth century. Today, we understand how important it is to recognize the emergence of new forms of anti-Semitism so that we can warn the world and stave off the worst effects.”

Anti-Semitism remains a pernicious form of ethnic and religious intolerance, with consequences for all of humankind. In communities from the United States to the Middle East, Europe to South Africa and Latin America, Jews are being persecuted in old and new ways. Exploring the history of anti-Semitism and providing the first comprehensive examination of the new rampant anti-Jewish sentiment worldwide, Never Again?? offers a crucial discussion of the steps that must be taken to prevent this century from witnessing a replay of the horrors of the last.

Abraham Foxman