New York Magazine's 'Habibi City' slammed for 'jihad chic' and erasing Jews

New York Magazine's recent cover story, "Habibi City," which aims to celebrate Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) culture, has drawn sharp criticism for its perceived erasure of Mizrahi Jewish communities. The magazine, historically known for its insightful journalism, featured pieces by Zaina Arafat and Madeline Leung Coleman that, according to the critique, sideline Jewish voices.

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SWANA includes countries from Palestine to Iran to Sudan… To be in SWANA community meant embracing a set of shared beliefs: that Palestinians deserve human rights. That what happened in Gaza in the aftermath of October 7 constitutes a genocide. That social justice and social welfare override capitalist concerns. That to care is nonnegotiable.

Arafat, in her main piece, defines SWANA to include countries from Palestine to Iran to Sudan. She outlines shared beliefs within this community, such as the right to human rights for Palestinians, the characterization of events in Gaza as genocide, and the prioritization of social justice over capitalist concerns. However, the author of the critique points out that this definition conspicuously omits Mizrahi Jews, whose families fled Middle Eastern and North African countries.

The article highlights that even Jewish individuals featured are framed through an anti-Zionist lens. A Palestinian and Israeli artistic partnership, Feel Beit, is described as "anti-Zionist, pro-dialogue," a label disputed by one of its funders, the ardently Zionist Jerusalem Foundation. Furthermore, a Jewish chef, Loren Abramovich, is quoted expressing concern about cultural appropriation regarding falafel, a dish with Middle Eastern origins.

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Deep, deep in my mind, I think I have all the authority in the world to make falafel, but at the same time, I understand that it’s going to be a mess because people want to accuse us that we are appropriating Palestinian cuisine.

The critique suggests that the magazine's portrayal selectively acknowledges certain Jewish individuals, particularly those who are anti-Zionist, while ignoring the broader Mizrahi Jewish population and their contributions to New York's cultural landscape. The author implies that this framing creates a skewed representation of SWANA culture by excluding a significant community with deep historical ties to the region.

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They were part of Feel Beit, an anti-Zionist, pro-dialogue artistic partnership.