whitefox: helping brands, thought leaders and writers create beautiful bespoke books

The challenge

Ben M. Freeman is a gay Jewish author and internationally renowned educator who is confronting antisemitism and raising awareness of the Holocaust. As the leading voice of the modern Jewish pride movement, he published the Jewish Pride manifesto, Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People, in February 2021 to international acclaim. Currently based in Hong Kong, Ben is now a Research Fellow at the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy. 

Inspired by his experiences with LGBTQ+, Ben aims to educate, inspire and empower Jewish people to respond to antisemitism and celebrate their strength. Through his work, he encourages them to define their own identities as proud Jewish people. 

To pursue this mission, Ben M. Freeman collaborates with No Pasaran Media, a publishing platform elevating the voice of left-wing activists in the fight against the antisemitism of the Left. First on their agenda was the reissue of Steve Cohen’s That’s Funny, You Don’t Look Anti-Semitic, which was originally released in 1984. In 2020, they approached whitefox for help in producing their first original publication, Ben’s Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People, deciding to partner with whitefox to have access to experts who could edit, design and market their books.

The solution

Our dedicated and extensive team of experts helped No Pasaran Media in the creation of their first original publication, project managing every stage of the publishing process, from editorial and design services to sales and distribution. By giving them access to a pool of vetted publishing talent, whitefox successfully ensured that the book was given the time, consideration and expertise it deserved. 

Having complete creative control over this project, No Pasaran Media was able to create a book that stayed true to their message and vision. They were also able to take all the positives from the mainstream publishing route, such as professional editing and access to a distribution network, while also having the room to feel empowered by the creative choices they made about their work.

The result

Since its publication, and with the expert assistance of whitefox’s PR partners, Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People has garnered well-deserved attention and recognition worldwide, with Simon Sebag Montefiore hailing it as ‘fascinating, inspiring and heart-breaking’. Hannah Rosenthal, former CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and US State Department Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism for the Obama administration, agrees, stating, ‘Everyone should follow his work and read this book.’ Hannah further observes, ‘Freeman has a remarkable ability to explain the concept of peoplehood of the Jewish people. He understands well the importance of our many identities and makes a potent argument for Jewish pride.’ 

Alongside promoting his book in bookshops and live events, Ben M. Freeman has been the host on Podcasts Against Antisemitism and The Times Will Tell podcast, and a commentator in Amanda Kinsey’s film Jews of the Wild West. 

By taking a flexible approach, whitefox was able to perfectly reflect No Pasaran Media’s objectives for the book. The success of this partnership encouraged No Pasaran Media to turn this project into a Jewish Pride trilogy, and Ben’s follow-up book, Jewish Pride: Reclaiming our Story, is due to be released in October 2022. Part three, and the finale of Ben’s trilogy, will be released with the help of whitefox in 2024.