Gal Beckerman
@galbeckerman.bsky.social
Staff writer at The Atlantic, formerly NYTBR, and author, most recently, of "The Quiet Before: On the Unexpected Origins of Radical Ideas."
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
Review: When They Come for Us We’ll Be Gone: The Epic Struggle to Save Soviet Jewry, by Gal Beckerman
https://www.booksns.com/157259/
This is not going to be an easy book to summarize… The subtitle isn't kidding when it says "epic" – this is an account of decades of activism and the oppression …
https://www.booksns.com/157259/
This is not going to be an easy book to summarize… The subtitle isn't kidding when it says "epic" – this is an account of decades of activism and the oppression …
Review: When They Come for Us We'll Be Gone: The Epic Struggle to Save Soviet Jewry, by Gal Beckerman - Trending Books
This is not going to be an easy book to summarize...
www.booksns.com
August 21, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Review: When They Come for Us We’ll Be Gone: The Epic Struggle to Save Soviet Jewry, by Gal Beckerman
https://www.booksns.com/157259/
This is not going to be an easy book to summarize… The subtitle isn't kidding when it says "epic" – this is an account of decades of activism and the oppression …
https://www.booksns.com/157259/
This is not going to be an easy book to summarize… The subtitle isn't kidding when it says "epic" – this is an account of decades of activism and the oppression …
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
New books arrived and a) I am happy with the accurate picture they give of my nerdy interests, and b) thanks to whoever here I picked up the recommendations from
September 19, 2025 at 7:01 PM
New books arrived and a) I am happy with the accurate picture they give of my nerdy interests, and b) thanks to whoever here I picked up the recommendations from
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
In #BookSky news, delightful to see @susanorlean.bsky.social last night, discussing her new @avidreaderpress.bsky.social memoir JOYRIDE with insightful Qs from @galbeckerman.bsky.social, as part of @theatlantic.com's ongoing festival. Wildly entertaining as always, and debuting a fantastic skirt!
September 20, 2025 at 7:04 PM
In #BookSky news, delightful to see @susanorlean.bsky.social last night, discussing her new @avidreaderpress.bsky.social memoir JOYRIDE with insightful Qs from @galbeckerman.bsky.social, as part of @theatlantic.com's ongoing festival. Wildly entertaining as always, and debuting a fantastic skirt!
I'll be chatting with the incomparable @susanorlean.bsky.social tomorrow evening as part of @theatlantic.com's festival. Join us!
www.mcnallyjackson.com/atlantic-rea...
www.mcnallyjackson.com/atlantic-rea...
www.mcnallyjackson.com
September 18, 2025 at 2:42 PM
I'll be chatting with the incomparable @susanorlean.bsky.social tomorrow evening as part of @theatlantic.com's festival. Join us!
www.mcnallyjackson.com/atlantic-rea...
www.mcnallyjackson.com/atlantic-rea...
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
Join author Maya Arad, translator @jesscohen.bsky.social, and @galbeckerman.bsky.social, staff writer at The Atlantic, next Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. in discussing HAPPY NEW YEARS @barnesandnoble.com on Manhattan's Upper West Side, 2289 Broadway, NYC.
stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/978006...
stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/978006...
September 2, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Join author Maya Arad, translator @jesscohen.bsky.social, and @galbeckerman.bsky.social, staff writer at The Atlantic, next Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. in discussing HAPPY NEW YEARS @barnesandnoble.com on Manhattan's Upper West Side, 2289 Broadway, NYC.
stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/978006...
stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/978006...
Such a smart and important one from @rossandersen.bsky.social
The rapid decline of American science has few precedents in history, argues @rossandersen.bsky.social. We are witnessing an unparalleled act of self-sabotage:
How Scientific Empires End
And what it means for America
bit.ly
July 31, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Such a smart and important one from @rossandersen.bsky.social
I wrote about how overwhelmed Americans have become by choice, and what we can do about it (before Trump solves the problem on his terms).
Americans Are Tired of Choice
How did freedom become synonymous with having lots of options?
www.theatlantic.com
June 23, 2025 at 11:04 PM
I wrote about how overwhelmed Americans have become by choice, and what we can do about it (before Trump solves the problem on his terms).
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
How did freedom become synonymous with having lots of options? Gal Beckerman on a recent book, "The Age of Choice," that helps explain Americans' exhaustion with "choice idolatry":
Americans Are Tired of Choice
How did freedom become synonymous with having lots of options?
bit.ly
June 23, 2025 at 12:30 PM
How did freedom become synonymous with having lots of options? Gal Beckerman on a recent book, "The Age of Choice," that helps explain Americans' exhaustion with "choice idolatry":
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
When a disgusting habit is part of your national identity, banning it might prove to be awkward. @galbeckerman.bsky.social, an ex-smoker and still a Francophile, asks if France is even France without cigarettes:
Is France Even France Without Cigarettes?
When a disgusting habit is part of your national identity, banning it might prove to be awkward.
bit.ly
June 19, 2025 at 7:15 AM
When a disgusting habit is part of your national identity, banning it might prove to be awkward. @galbeckerman.bsky.social, an ex-smoker and still a Francophile, asks if France is even France without cigarettes:
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
Really worth reading Cullen Murphy’s lovely remembrance of William Langewiesche, who lived several lifetimes in just 70 years but still died too young.
Then, of course, you have to read Langewiesche himself… 🧵
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
Then, of course, you have to read Langewiesche himself… 🧵
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
The Master of the White-Knuckle Narrative
Remembering William Langewiesche, who died this week at age 70
www.theatlantic.com
June 19, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Really worth reading Cullen Murphy’s lovely remembrance of William Langewiesche, who lived several lifetimes in just 70 years but still died too young.
Then, of course, you have to read Langewiesche himself… 🧵
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
Then, of course, you have to read Langewiesche himself… 🧵
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
"These moments of idle nothingness—or acute presence—are a source of nostalgia for me in part because they belong to the aimlessness of youth, and because our phones have since become a constant portal to somewhere else."
Uh oh: @galbeckerman.bsky.social has me pining for an American Spirit
Uh oh: @galbeckerman.bsky.social has me pining for an American Spirit
When a Nasty Habit Is Part of Your National Identity
As France bans cigarettes in most public places, it stands to lose a strong cultural signifier.
www.theatlantic.com
June 11, 2025 at 8:38 PM
"These moments of idle nothingness—or acute presence—are a source of nostalgia for me in part because they belong to the aimlessness of youth, and because our phones have since become a constant portal to somewhere else."
Uh oh: @galbeckerman.bsky.social has me pining for an American Spirit
Uh oh: @galbeckerman.bsky.social has me pining for an American Spirit
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
An unexpected purpose for the technology—but the outcome here is not what I expected at all. Lovely and sober by @ibogost.bsky.social
A Computer Wrote My Mother’s Obituary
The funeral industry turns to AI.
www.theatlantic.com
June 10, 2025 at 8:12 PM
An unexpected purpose for the technology—but the outcome here is not what I expected at all. Lovely and sober by @ibogost.bsky.social
I wrote about France's smoking ban...and me.
When a Nasty Habit Is Part of Your National Identity
As France bans cigarettes in most public places, it stands to lose a strong cultural signifier.
www.theatlantic.com
June 11, 2025 at 2:02 PM
I wrote about France's smoking ban...and me.
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
When a disgusting habit is part of your national identity, banning it might prove to be awkward. @galbeckerman.bsky.social, an ex-smoker and still a Francophile, asks if France is even France without cigarettes:
Is France Even France Without Cigarettes?
When a disgusting habit is part of your national identity, banning it might prove to be awkward.
bit.ly
June 11, 2025 at 12:30 PM
When a disgusting habit is part of your national identity, banning it might prove to be awkward. @galbeckerman.bsky.social, an ex-smoker and still a Francophile, asks if France is even France without cigarettes:
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
The Atlantic’s newest cover story, by Elizabeth Bruenig, is unforgettable. Deeply reported and beautifully written: www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
Inside America’s Death Chambers
What years of witnessing executions taught me about sin, mercy, and the possibility of redemption
www.theatlantic.com
June 9, 2025 at 1:37 PM
The Atlantic’s newest cover story, by Elizabeth Bruenig, is unforgettable. Deeply reported and beautifully written: www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
Edmund White, who died on Tuesday at 85, infused his life with as much pleasure as he did his writing. Gary Shteyngart on the naughty interpreter of our lives:
The Naughty Interpreter of Our Lives
Edmund White, who died on Tuesday at 85, infused his life with as much pleasure as he did his writing.
bit.ly
June 5, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Edmund White, who died on Tuesday at 85, infused his life with as much pleasure as he did his writing. Gary Shteyngart on the naughty interpreter of our lives:
"He loved sex the way some of his younger contemporaries love recognition or a well-cooked egg at brunch."
@shteyngart.bsky.social on Edmund White.
@shteyngart.bsky.social on Edmund White.
The Naughty Interpreter of Our Lives
Edmund White, who died yesterday at 85, infused his life with as much pleasure as he did his writing.
www.theatlantic.com
June 4, 2025 at 6:55 PM
"He loved sex the way some of his younger contemporaries love recognition or a well-cooked egg at brunch."
@shteyngart.bsky.social on Edmund White.
@shteyngart.bsky.social on Edmund White.
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
Can religion still have purpose for those of us who don’t believe? The show answers with a qualified yes—as long as it is religion that is never too sure of itself.
There are lots of rabbis full of certainties..
“Perhaps all those who are looking for something else need you.”
There are lots of rabbis full of certainties..
“Perhaps all those who are looking for something else need you.”
I wrote about "Reformed," a show that makes dramedy out of the effort to fit religion into a secular world.
Making Religion Matter for Secular People
Reformed, the latest TV show featuring a charming rabbi, stands out for leavening existential depth with comedy.
www.theatlantic.com
June 2, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Can religion still have purpose for those of us who don’t believe? The show answers with a qualified yes—as long as it is religion that is never too sure of itself.
There are lots of rabbis full of certainties..
“Perhaps all those who are looking for something else need you.”
There are lots of rabbis full of certainties..
“Perhaps all those who are looking for something else need you.”
I wrote about "Reformed," a show that makes dramedy out of the effort to fit religion into a secular world.
Making Religion Matter for Secular People
Reformed, the latest TV show featuring a charming rabbi, stands out for leavening existential depth with comedy.
www.theatlantic.com
June 1, 2025 at 4:54 PM
I wrote about "Reformed," a show that makes dramedy out of the effort to fit religion into a secular world.
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
“Maybe God didn’t intend for this to be a restriction on food at all, she wondered. Maybe he was just asking people to not show off by eating fancy dishes.” Love reading @galbeckerman.bsky.social on “Reformed” and his apparently brilliant daughter (it must run in the family)
Making Religion Matter for Secular People
Reformed, the latest TV show featuring a charming rabbi, stands out for leavening existential depth with comedy.
www.theatlantic.com
June 1, 2025 at 3:21 PM
“Maybe God didn’t intend for this to be a restriction on food at all, she wondered. Maybe he was just asking people to not show off by eating fancy dishes.” Love reading @galbeckerman.bsky.social on “Reformed” and his apparently brilliant daughter (it must run in the family)
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
Among a growing number of charming TV rabbis, the female cleric of the French series "Reformed" stands out for leavening existential depth with comedy. Gal Beckerman on how she squares tradition and modernity:
Making Religion Matter for Secular People
The latest charming TV rabbi, a female religious leader in the French series Reformed, stands out for leavening existential depth with comedy.
bit.ly
June 1, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Among a growing number of charming TV rabbis, the female cleric of the French series "Reformed" stands out for leavening existential depth with comedy. Gal Beckerman on how she squares tradition and modernity:
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
Have you seen @galbeckerman.bsky.social's The Quiet Before? It makes this observation about social movements across a wide range of historical periods, contrasting with recent Internet-enabled flops
May 25, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Have you seen @galbeckerman.bsky.social's The Quiet Before? It makes this observation about social movements across a wide range of historical periods, contrasting with recent Internet-enabled flops
I wrote about the muddle that "free speech" has become, brought to a head in two incidents during commencement season.
Shutting Down Salman Rushdie Is Not Going to Help
Two recent flare-ups over commencement speeches show how difficult—and necessary—truly defending free expression is.
www.theatlantic.com
May 19, 2025 at 3:54 PM
I wrote about the muddle that "free speech" has become, brought to a head in two incidents during commencement season.
Indeed!
Pretty fantastic lineup of tech stories from @theatlantic.com over the past week 🧵
May 16, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Indeed!
Reposted by Gal Beckerman
Episode 6 of Cite and Sound | The Stanford Jewish Studies Podcast is here! Wherever you get your podcasts:
Spotify>> open.spotify.com/episode/0U7S...
Apple Podcasts>> podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
Or here>> player.captivate.fm/episode/9e36...
@galbeckerman.bsky.social
Spotify>> open.spotify.com/episode/0U7S...
Apple Podcasts>> podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
Or here>> player.captivate.fm/episode/9e36...
@galbeckerman.bsky.social
May 15, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Episode 6 of Cite and Sound | The Stanford Jewish Studies Podcast is here! Wherever you get your podcasts:
Spotify>> open.spotify.com/episode/0U7S...
Apple Podcasts>> podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
Or here>> player.captivate.fm/episode/9e36...
@galbeckerman.bsky.social
Spotify>> open.spotify.com/episode/0U7S...
Apple Podcasts>> podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
Or here>> player.captivate.fm/episode/9e36...
@galbeckerman.bsky.social