The Engine of Blame

Thirteen Forces That Keep Antisemitism Alive
Oz LaniadoSKU: 7864-48

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Ships December 2026

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Antisemitism is not random. It is not simply ignorance or hatred. It is a machine – a set of recurring mechanisms that have powered anti-Jewish hatred across every era, culture, and ideology in history.

The Engine of Blame names thirteen of those mechanisms, traces each one from its historical origin to its present form, and gives readers the language and tools to recognize and fight them. Ideologies come and go, Oz Laniado argues, but the machinery underneath keeps running – which is why the same hatred can surface on the political right and left, in religious language and in the language of human rights.

The thirteen engines:

  • The Religious Engine
  • The Economic Engine
  • The Scapegoat Engine
  • The Assimilation Paradox
  • The Conspiracy Engine
  • The Sovereignty Shock
  • The Survival Paradox
  • The Narrative Engine
  • The Media and Framing Engine
  • The Moral Certainty Engine
  • The Envy Engine
  • The Eternal Foreigner Engine
  • The Victim Inversion Engine

Begun before October 7, 2023, and finished after it, the book draws on history, personal experience, and more than a decade of the author's work in Jewish communal life. Its examples range from the plague-era massacres of 1349 to the 2023 congressional hearing with three university presidents.

With a foreword by Roz Rothstein, CEO of StandWithUs, the book closes with specific steps for Jewish organizations, universities, governments, faith leaders, and individuals. An appendix pairs each engine with a practical counterforce, and a reader's guide supports reading groups, synagogue and church communities, and university courses. Written for Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike.

Oz Laniado is a lawyer, Jewish communal leader, educator, and speaker. Born and raised in Tel Aviv, he serves as Executive Director of StandWithUs Southwest and Mexico. His work brings him into close partnership with Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Hindu communities as well as with students, clergy, civic leaders, and allies across the United States and beyond. He holds degrees in law, government, diplomacy, and international relations. He lives in San Diego with his wife and three children.
PublisherGefen Publishing House
Published2026
ISBN-139789657864487

“The Engine of Blame is a powerful and deeply insightful examination of one of history’s oldest and most persistent hatreds. By identifying the recurring social and psychological mechanisms that drive antisemitism across time, it offers a compelling framework for understanding not only the past but also the alarming resurgence we have witnessed in the aftermath of October 7. It is the kind of book that challenges assumptions, sharpens perspective, and leaves the reader seeing the world differently.”
— The Honorable Roy K. Altman, United States federal judge, Southern District of Florida; New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Israel on Trial

“Sparkling with insightful analyses, elegant turns of phrase, and trenchant anecdotes, Oz Laniado has given us an instructive framing of the phenomenon of antisemitism and its indefatigable persistence across history. Of particular relevance to current events, we are also given effective tools for recognizing Jew-hatred in its many modern manifestations and combating its rapid spread. The novice will find this to be an eye-opening and indispensable guide, while the expert will appreciate Mr. Laniado’s creative and refreshing contribution to the field.”
— Elan S. Carr, former United States special envoy for monitoring and combating antisemitism

“A powerful and important book. Oz Laniado has done something rare – he has given us not just a diagnosis of antisemitism but a framework for fighting it. This book should be in the hands of every educator, community leader, and ally who wants to understand why this hatred persists and what we can actually do about it.”
— Michael Dickson, executive director, StandWithUs Israel; author, ISResilience

“Oz has invested the time and energy to uncover historical truths and connect them to a modern-day reality. Global Jew-hatred, among the oldest hatreds known to man, is increasing, and there are key factors we must understand to combat it. Oz lists those key factors with precision. Especially for non-Jewish allies, The Engine of Blame is essential reading.”
— Dumisani Washington, founder and CEO, IBSI – Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel

“The Engine of Blame is a must-read for all people who care about truth, justice, and the shared future of humanity.”
— Chief Joseph and Dr. Laralyn RiverWind, First Nations ambassadors to Israel

“This book is an early warning system, allowing the reader to see if they have been infected by the current plague and potentially deadly virus of antisemitism.”
— Pastor Victor Styrsky, former national educational director, Christians United for Israel

“The Engine of Blame is a clarion call for every person of faith and goodwill to understand the machinery of hatred – and to refuse to be part of it.”
— Pastor John Sorrentino, New Covenant Tabernacle, Chula Vista, California

“Timely, powerful, and profoundly important. A must-read for educators, Holocaust scholars, Jewish professionals, and anyone seeking to understand antisemitism.”
— Deborah Peretz, national associate director of Israel educational strategy, IsraelLINK

“A rigorous and accessible work that should be required reading in university courses on prejudice, history, and social justice.”
— Doron Malka, PhD, professor, San Diego State University

“Oz Laniado has written a book that is both deeply personal and universally important. The Engine of Blame gives every reader the language and the tools to recognize and resist one of the world’s oldest hatreds.”
— Carine Chitayat, cofounder and CEO, Adopt a Family Foundation

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