In Ghosts of a Holy War, award-winning journalist Yardena Schwartz delves into the pivotal yet often overlooked 1929 Hebron massacre, illuminating its enduring impact on the Arab-Israeli conflict. Through meticulous research and firsthand accounts, Schwartz traces the threads connecting this century-old tragedy to contemporary tensions, offering readers a profound understanding of the region's complex history. 

The narrative centers on David Shainberg, a young American Jew who moved to Hebron in 1928 to study at the renowned yeshiva. His heartfelt letters home, discovered decades later in a Memphis attic, paint a vivid picture of a city where Jews and Muslims once coexisted peacefully. However, this harmony was shattered on August 24, 1929, when incited by false rumors, Arab mobs brutally attacked the Jewish community, resulting in the deaths of 67 Jews, including Shainberg.

Schwartz examines the role of Haj Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, whose incendiary rhetoric and later alliance with Nazi Germany fueled anti-Jewish sentiments. She draws parallels between the 1929 massacre and the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, highlighting recurring patterns of violence and the persistent challenges to peace in the region.