Photographer and author Alyssa Rosenheck, also an Instagram influencer, at her Nashville home on Thursday, October 20, 2022. Photo: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

A newly opened independent bookstore in Nashville, Tennessee, has cancelled a book launch event with “White. Blonde. Jew” author, photographer and activist Alyssa Rosenheck scheduled for later this month after facing backlash on social media from anti-Zionist activists.

“As a proud Jewish author who values free speech and who strongly believes in the power of words to change hearts and minds – and as someone who has always supported independent booksellers – I’m saddened and deeply disappointed at the state of affairs that led to my cancellation,” the Nashville-based author, who is a founding member of Artists Against Antisemitism, said in a social media post. “This entire episode raises important questions about whether our society truly values the First Amendment, freedom of speech, and the ability of authors to express controversial or unpopular views without being cancelled for them.”

“White. Blonde. Jew” is a call to reject extremism and defend intellectual freedom, while exploring topics such as antisemitism and efforts to combat it through truth, historical context, and moral clarity. The book highlights Rosenheck’s trips to Israel and the Gaza region following the deadly Hamas-led terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, and her meetings with politicians, combat heroes, former hostages and families impacted by the war.

“White. Blonde. Jew” is scheduled to be released on Aug. 18 and Bell Bird Books, located in the Wedgewood Village neighborhood, was set to host Rosenheck on Aug. 20 for a book launch event. However, shortly after being announced, the event received social media backlash by critics who accused the bookstore and Rosenheck of promoting Zionism and called on the establishment to boycott the Jewish author and Israel advocate.

Rosenheck said in an Instagram post on Friday that Bell Bird Books told her days earlier it felt it could no longer promote her or her upcoming Nashville book launch. The bookstore then cancelled her book launch at the establishment, removed the event announcement from its Instagram page and deleted all publicity about the book launch, without issuing a statement about the cancellation and why, according to Rosenheck. The author explained that being “proudly Jewish,” and condemning antisemitism and extremism, “shouldn’t be controversial – they should be openly and freely discussed.”

“When bookstores cancel authors under pressure from activists, they are silencing speech and making a mockery of the First Amendment. Worse, they are rejecting the American tradition of giving writers the freedom to discuss and defend their opinions in the public square,” she added. “Jewish authors should have the freedom to participate in the marketplace of ideas without organized pressure campaigns seeking to silence us, and institutions and businesses should have the courage to stand up to public pressure. No business that pretends to give a voice to all points of view should kowtow to the bigots who would silence an author because of her religion or her strongly held beliefs.”

Rosenheck concluded by saying that a new venue in Nashville for her book launch, and potentially a new date, will be announced soon. All ticket holders for the original event at Bell Bird Books will be refunded. “I look forward to gathering with those who lead with curiosity and who believe ideas should be met with discussion,” she said. “I remain committed to this conversation, and it is far from over.”

On Sunday, Bell Bird Books owner Mary Ann Weprin released a lengthy statement on Instagram explaining the cancellation of Rosenheck’s book launch event. Weprin, whose husband is Jewish, said the decision was made out of concern over extra security that would likely be required for the event. She denied the “heartbreaking,” “truly offensive” and “entirely untrue” accusations that she is antisemitic, saying that “antisemitism has no place in our world, and I reject it completely.”

“I want to be clear about what this was – and what it was not. This was never about an author, her Jewish identity, or the subject of her book,” Weprin stated. “It was never about censorship. It was never about about preventing anyone from reading or discussing ideas. My concern was whether my small neighborhood bookstore could responsibly host an event that appeared likely to require heightened security. As a small business owner, I felt a responsibility to consider the safety of my staff, customers, guests, and community. That was the decision I was trying to make.”

“Disagreeing with a decision is not the same as assigning hateful motives to the person who made it,” she added. “I sincerely wish Alyssa success with her book, and I hope we can move forward with more grace, more curiosity, and a willingness to assume the best in one another-even when we disagree.”

Weprin said she read Rosenheck’s book and will always sell “White. Blonde. Jew” at Bell Bird Books because “I believe people should read, think, question, and decide for themselves.”

On Saturday, Emmy-winning actress Patricia Heaton voiced support for Rosenheck after the cancellation of her book launch event.

“THIS IS NOT THE NASHVILLE WAY. Shame on #bellbirdbooks,” Heaton wrote in a post on X. She also criticized Weprin for caving “to hatred, bigotry and ignorance” and noted that the store owner previously stated Bell Bird Books was excited to feature “a diverse slate of authors and perspectives from all walks of life as our programming continues to grow.”

“Except for Jews I guess,” Heaton said. “I’ll be buying Alyssa’s book elsewhere. Hate has no place in Nashville.”

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) released a statement condemning anti-Zionist critics of the book launch event.

“This is yet another example of how antisemitism is increasingly being repackaged as anti-Zionism, with ‘Zionist’ becoming the basis for campaigns to isolate Jewish authors and intimidate the institutions that host them,” the ADL said. “Why should Jewish authors have to consider whether their Jewish identity will create a liability for themselves or the venues hosting them? We support @AlyssaRosenheck and all those committed to ensuring Jewish voices are heard, not silenced.”