When We Were Arabs: A Jewish Family’s Forgotten History

"When We Were Arabs is an absorbing family history that spans continents and epochs. Author Massoud Hayoun is a member of the Arab diaspora – and along with his Moroccan, Egyptian and Tunisian heritage, he’s also Jewish. Using his grandparents’ stories, he illuminates the fading history of a once thriving Arab Jewish community, in the process delivering a scathing indictment of colonialism. When We Were Arabs is a nostalgic celebration of a rich, diverse tradition, wrapped around a prayer for a time and place where Jews and Muslims can rejoice in their commonalities."