The New Yorker Criticized for Review of Book Linking Hebrew Punctuation to Colonialism

The New Yorker has drawn criticism for publishing a review of Florence Hazrat's book, "On the Mark: From Periods to Interrobangs, How Punctuation Remade the World," which controversially links Hebrew punctuation to colonialism and the history of Jewish migration to Israel.

Louis Menand, in his review for The New Yorker, described Hazrat's book as "irreverent and delightfully intellectual" but noted its premise—that "the history of punctuation is the history of humanity”—leads to "overreach." Hazrat's book asserts that Hebrew punctuation marks are "relics" of a "brutal colonial system." She further argues that the introduction of punctuation into Hebrew facilitated its transition from a written to a spoken language, paving the way for an "artificial sense of unity among Jewish people from all over the globe, encouraging them to move to the land that already had people—a people made to suffer and bear the brunt of European antisemitism in the most horrendous ways for generations."

Commentators online expressed strong disapproval of The New Yorker's decision to feature the review. Daniel Sugarman, deputy editor of Jewish News UK, criticized the book's premise on X, writing, "Seems like the new generation has the same thoughts as older generations when it comes to pseudoscientific crap roping in Jews." He identified Hazrat as a UK academic and a "BBC New Generation Thinker."

Isaac de Castro, audience editor of Tablet Magazine, also took to X, stating, "We’re at the ‘Hebrew punctuation is a colonialist tool to oppress Palestinians, the real victims of European antisemitism, and assemble a worldwide cabal of Jews, previously completely unaffiliated’ stage of mass psychosis."

Another user on X announced their decision to cancel their New Yorker subscription, asserting the publication "should never have published this."

Former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg denounced the book's claims, telling Fox News Digital that "blaming commas and question marks for regional conflict shows just how deeply antisemitism rots basic critical thinking." Aronberg added, "The attempt to demonize Hebrew down to its punctuation isn’t serious linguistics. It is an obsessive crusade to deny the Jewish people our history, language, and humanity. There is no issue too absurd, and apparently no punctuation mark too small, for modern anti-Israel activists to twist into an indictment against the Jewish state."

Fox News Digital has reached out to Hazrat and The New Yorker for comment.