My latest book

Everyday Jews: Why The Jewish People Are Not Who You Think They Are

Can Jews be allowed to become boring?

With Israel and antisemitism constantly in the news, it seems as though the Jewish people – a fraction of a percentage of the world’s population – have become synonymous with controversy, drama and anxiety. But what if there was another side to this persistently interesting people; one that non-Jews often don’t know about and Jews rarely talk about? This is the stuff of ‘everyday’ Jewishness; the capacity to be ordinary, mundane and sometimes just plain dull.

Keith Kahn-Harris lifts the lid on this surprising world in a book for Jews and non-Jews alike. Arguing that his people’s extraordinary public visibility today is harming their ability to live everyday Jewish lives, he celebrates the mundanity and mediocrity of a people before it vanishes completely.

Preview the book in this audiobook extract:

Scenes from a book launch

Everyday Jews was launched on March 11 2025 with a special event at JW3, London. Myself and some guest presenters celebrated Jewish mediocrity, geekiness and silliness. Here are some highlights…

In the spirit of the book, Dan Jacobs and I made this cutting-edge documentary of me searching for poor quality kosher snacks for my book launch:

We toasted the book with cocktails made from Palwin, the UK Jewish community’s kiddush wine of choice. It’s horrible but mixologist Reuben Simon performed a miracle and made the cocktail yummy. Here’s the recipe:

The artist Tila Crowne created a ‘Museum of Crap Judaica’ which she introduced at the launch. Here are some of her useless ritual objects in action:

The launch event also had a playlist. Here is my lovingly-curated selection of the most mediocre Jewish music in the world…

Book cover of Everyday Jews: Why The Jewish People Are Not Who You Think They Are

Formats available: Paperback, e-book, audiobook

First Published: March 13, 2025

Publisher: Icon Books

Themes: Jews, Judaism and Jewishness

Reviews for Everyday Jews: Why The Jewish People Are Not Who You Think They Are

'Zen and the art of synagogue maintenance'

Alun David, Jewish Chronicle

'The book about Jews that Jews and non-Jews need right now.'

Joanne Limburg

'With the Middle East in flames, with Israel belligerent, divisive and divided, it's a great relief to find a book in search of the very normality of Jews and Judaism. Infusing the seriousness of the subject with a welcome wit, Keith Kahn-Harris provides a welcome rejoinder to past and present stereotypes.'

John Kampfner

Whether one finds the overall argument convincing or not, this is a book that will make you ponder on subjects that you probably had never considered before, thus raising it out of the realms of mediocrity and into greatness.

Christopher Owens

Engagingly written, Kahn-Harris’s long discursive argument marshals extensive evidence and responds thoughtfully to many other current commentaries on the state of Jewish life.

Stuart Schoenfeld, Contemporary Jewry

Whether or not Kahn-Harris convinces Jews to embrace their own insignificance, his stimulating polemic contains much to entertain and provoke.

Matthew Reisz, Jewish Renaissance

My latest book

Everyday Jews: Why The Jewish People Are Not Who You Think They Are

Scenes from a book launch

Reviews for Everyday Jews: Why The Jewish People Are Not Who You Think They Are

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