Israel: Is It Good for the Jews?

by Richard Martin Cohen

From the celebrated syndicated columnist for The Washington Post, comes a passionate testimony to the necessity of Israel’s survival and a dispassionate analysis of why it may not.

Cohen, a writer of uncommon power and feeling, has reported from Israel and the Middle East for decades. Although a long-time critic of some of Israel’s policies—its seizure of the West Bank, for instance—he rejects the current revisionism, which ignores the reasons the State was founded, and recounts the reasons why it once had world-wide support. Cohen argues that the notion that Israel is just another—and the last—of Europe’s many colonial enterprises, is a willful misreading of history.



Israel’s challenges are many—demographic, political, ideological and, bit by bit, a steady erosion of its raison d’être. It is losing people, purpose, and the patience of much of the world. At the same time, it faces a perilous future in which its neighbors, saturated in European-style anti-Semitism for more than seventy years now (the Hamas charter cites the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion”), will ultimately push aside their dictatorial regimes and establish Islamic-style democracies—more threatening to Israel than anything that now exists.



In the end, it is not the existence of Israel that’s on the line. It’s the efficacy of western values.

Genres: Israel, Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2014

Reviews

[Yossi Khebzou · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book for Iom Hatzmaut this year and I came out really disappointed. Firstly, for a book about Israel, it is criminal that it doesn’t talk about the country proper until page 176 of 244. Secondly, he doesn’t even answer the question in the title. Thirdly, and most importantly, he makes a terribly discriminating statement about Jews like myself, who come from Arab lands. I cite “What will happen when Jews from Islamic lands, already nearly 50% of the population, become a healthy majority and change the face that Israel presents to the world, particularly America?" For someone who is “fascinated about the Jews and Jewish culture”, he seems to have a problem with some of us.

Moreover, I only gave it two stars because he does an okay job of analyzing antisemitism in Europe, US and the Middle East, sharply contrasting them all. Outside of that it’s just a simplistic “analysis” of Israeli-Arab relations, prejudices about its inhabitants and a weird praise to far-rightist Ze’ev Jabotinsky that consumes a big part of the book.

[Robert Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Author takes the reader through Jewish history to the present State of Israel and in light of the recent elections presents very valid comments on the future of the Country. A small Democratic Country surrounded on all sides by mostly hostile States gives them reasons to worry and some of their politicians use that fear to remain in Power. Any reader of History knows that subjugated Peoples will eventually cause problems for the oppressor and usually to future Generations. Very good read.

[Bill · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is too disorganized --- Cohen presents lots of facts and history, but with no clear sense of purpose. I did learn a lot of little facts, but the reading was tough going.

[David V. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The copy I'm reading is titled Can Israel Survive? Received as an ARC from the publisher. Started 8-7-14. Finished 8-14-14. Din't agree with everything Mr. Cohen wrote, but I was surprised by how much I did agree with. He certainly gives you plenty to think about. I would like to see him in a panel discussion with other Middle East "experts," Muslim and Jewish. Man, the sparks would fly but maybe some truth would emerge also.

[K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a free copy from the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway Program and think that it interesting. I would recommend it to everyone.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A birds eye view of the relevant history from Theodore Herzel to Nehtanyahu and everyone in between. The book was trying to decide if teh creation of the State of Israel had been a good idea (for the Jews and the world). I liked eh book's breezy, even hunorous side, but also its passion and clear-eyed view of the horrors committed by both sides. He came out somewhere where I come out - that encouraging a group of Euorapaen Jews to establish their homeland in the midst of eh Arab world was a huge mistake and a recipe for disaster - but given that no-one else wanted the Jews (including the US even during he Holacust), what should they have done? And even a harder question- what now?

[Antonia V Domenech · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is sure to stir up emotions in people who are invested in the struggles of Israel. The author is very passionate in arguing his points, but it's hard for me to figure out if he meant to write a memoir or to teach a lesson he thinks we, the readers, need to learn.

[Gabriel Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty good summation of the modern state of Isreal and it's creation.

[Shoshi · Rating 3 out of 5]

First I want to thank the Publishers, to make this book a prize for me on goodreads first read program. I wanted to read it, with plenty of time at hand. Overall Mr. Cohen wrote a unique documentation. He tackled issues like the thing with president Truman, and what Herzl really had in mind. He mentioned, that he is not backing away from his earlier writings. What bothered me, was that he lingered longer than I liked on Israels past, the Palestinian conflict under other things. He could have named the title 'Palestine, is it good for the Jews'. There were topics, I was agree with him. But I missed to read about the present and the positive side from Israel. How it is today. For the Jews there living, its home. No state is perfect governed. The Israeli state was born from desperation and lack of time.Sure, that some Arabs complained. But others got very rich, when the Jews bought their land. Israel is trying to make the Best out of it. I liked the book anyway and would have given it 4 stars. Looking forward to see more books published from Mr. Cohen.

[Marc Ballon · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this provocative book, Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen asks an important question: Is Israel good for the Jews? Given the country's increasingly hardline against the Palestinians and attendant vitriolic criticism of its oft-times brutal occupation of the West Bank, that question seems more relevant than ever. However, Cohen never really answers it in this slim but gripping tome. Instead, he jumps from subject to subject with little rhyme or reason, focusing on European anti-Semitism over the centuries; Theodore Herzl's vision of Israel as a Viennese cafe writ large; and Arab ethnic cleansing of Jewish inhabitants in their countries after Israel's birth. Even in the absence of a truly unifying theme, the book never fails to fascinate or shine light in the dark corners of Jewish/Zionist history. The reader comes away with a better understanding of the need for a Jewish homeland and of Israel and its struggles. Recommended reading for anybody interested in contemporary Middle Eastern affairs.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This thought-provoking examination of the history of Israel is important and accessible reading for anyone who wants to find out more about this most troubled part of the world. The author is Jewish and doesn’t question Israel’s right to exist, but he nevertheless manages to give a relatively impartial assessment of the problems that face Israel today in its conflict with the Palestinians. Many of the American reviews are bitter and virulently anti-Richard Cohen but I didn’t find him to be so objectionably Zionist in this exploration of the issues. On the whole I found this a balanced and well-written book. It’s very much a personal account and that gives it a very human dimension which is sometimes missing from more academic studies. Well worth reading.

[Stephanie Sadownik · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is so much packed into this relatively short read and Cohen does a superb job guiding us through the origins of the Jewish state and vacillating between the past, Cohen's own history and how Israel got where it is today. A necessary enlightening read for anyone interested in the subject.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through Goodreads First Reads. Thanks, Simon & Schuster & Richard Cohen!

This book is at times humorous... I really enjoy reading it.

[V · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good reader first reads. I thought this was a well argued book especially as an answer to critics of an op-Ed article. It made a lot of sense. Glad I got it

[Jayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sure if I had a better vocabulary I would have rated this 4 or maybe 5 stars. The parts of the book i could understand were both enlightening and interesting.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The morass of the conflict, historically put in 21st Century context.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable and an easy read. Raised some good points.

[Kara]

Mix of memoir and history, this is a nonfiction book about Richard Cohen’s family, himself, and the history of Israel as a country. Definitely more of what I was looking for pre-birthright.