Photographer and activist Alyssa Rosenheck has authored a new book, "White. Blonde. Jew.," that delves into her Jewish roots and examines the surge of antisemitism in the United States. The book's release follows personal antisemitic threats Rosenheck received and the recent cancellation of her book launch event in Nashville.
Rosenheck, 44, stated that she began writing the book after experiencing threats and traveling to Israel to interview combat heroes, hostages, and families affected by the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. She argues that anti-Zionism has become a proxy for antisemitism. "I don’t like bullies," Rosenheck told the New York Post. "And I like justice. I like being able to exist in the world and not have repercussions solely for my immutable characteristics."
The book launch at Bell Bird Books in Nashville, scheduled for August 20, was canceled after the store owner cited security concerns following online backlash. Rosenheck stated that she had hired private security for the event and that the cancellation was due to "fear and cowardice." The store owner, Mary Ann Weprin, released a statement expressing that the decision was based on potential repercussions from her "peers and customers" and that she was "heartbroken" by accusations of antisemitism.
Rosenheck, who grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in an area with a smaller Jewish community, recalled an incident in seventh grade where a classmate accused her of stealing a wallet, exclaiming "the Jew took it." Rosenheck responded physically, leading to a meeting with the principal. Her father supported her actions, stating she had the right to defend her people and family.
"White. Blonde. Jew." also explores personal aspects of Rosenheck's life, including the end of her 11-year marriage in 2023. Her ex-husband, who is not Jewish, told her he did not want Jewish children. Rosenheck reflected on this as a moment of fear, not hate, on his part, questioning if he was overwhelmed by witnessing her suffering or concerned about the burden of Jewish history for their children.
Rosenheck also detailed the loss of friendships after Oct. 7, as she became more vocal about her identity and views on Israel. She described friends unfollowing, blocking, gossiping about, and abandoning her online and at shared social gatherings, attributing this to her increased openness about being Jewish.
A previous thyroid cancer diagnosis at age 32 prompted Rosenheck to re-evaluate her life and career. This led her to pursue photography as a form of catharsis and healing, moving away from what she described as unhappiness in the corporate world.
Rosenheck is now engaged to John Spencer, a retired U.S. Army major and combat veteran. She referred to him as "such a beautiful human inside and out and my hero."
The Anti-Defamation League's Annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents reported 6,274 incidents of assault, harassment, and vandalism in 2025, an average of 17 per day. While this figure represents a 33 percent decrease from 2024, it remains significantly higher than pre-Oct. 7 levels and ranks as the third-highest year for such incidents since the ADL began tracking in 1979.
Rosenheck suggests that discussions around privilege, whiteness, and DEI frameworks can inadvertently foster antisemitism by forcing Jews into rigid oppressor-oppressed binaries. She stated, "Jews are always the barometer of a society’s consciousness, the health of a society."
She encourages Jews to stand up against hate, drawing hope from the idea that Jewish people have historically been seen as a threat to tyrants and authoritative regimes. "And that gives me hope, because we have so much light within us and we have to lead with it," Rosenheck said.