'Children of Abraham': A Review of Over a Millennium of Jewish-Muslim Relations

Marc David Baer, a professor of history at the London School of Economics, challenges prevailing narratives about Jewish-Muslim relations in his book, "Children of Abraham: The 1,400-Year History of Jewish-Muslim Relations." Drawing from a decade of teaching a seminar on the subject, Baer observed that many students, particularly young Jewish and Muslim individuals from London, lacked knowledge about the historical similarities, rivalries, and cooperation between their communities.

Baer contends that it is inaccurate to portray the relationship solely in negative terms or to suggest that the recent Israeli-Palestinian conflict is representative of the entire 1,400-year history. His book, which spans from around 610 CE to the present day, meticulously examines the interactions between Jews and Muslims across the Middle East and Europe. He aims to present a history free from myth and counter-myth, revealing the "unknown, forgotten, or purposely buried story" of their connected pasts.

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For the past 10 years, I have taught a seminar… titled ‘Muslim-Jewish Relations: History and Memory in the Middle East and Europe.’ Many of the students are young Jewish or Muslim men and women from London, who grew up among the other group and have a desire to learn more about them.

The book refutes two dominant myths: that the historical relationship was an interfaith utopia or a narrative of constant animosity. Instead, Baer highlights recurring themes such as religious and secular symbiosis, the rise and fall of influential Jewish figures, the complex triangular relationship with Christians, and the political manipulation of historical narratives. He emphasizes that while interactions have varied over time, the current focus on conflict often overshadows this deeper, more complex history.

Baer acknowledges the difficulty in maintaining an even-handed approach, especially when discussing contemporary events. He provides a detailed account of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, noting the "barbarous pogrom" that resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis, including vulnerable populations. However, he frames this within the broader historical context, cautioning against allowing recent events to define the entirety of Jewish-Muslim relations.

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The victims, he writes, included babies, children, women, and the elderly