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At the Entrance to the Garden of Eden: A Jew's Search for Hope with Christians and Muslims in the Holy Land
A brilliantly observed memoir of an unprecedented and remarkable spiritual journey. “Evocative...compelling.”— St. Louis Post-Dispatch While religion has fueled the often violent conflict plaguing the Holy Land, Yossi Klein Halevi wondered whether it could be a source of unity as well. To find the answer, this religious Israeli Jew began a two-year exploration to discover a common language with his Christian and Muslim neighbors. He followed their holiday cycles, befriended Christian monastics and Islamic mystics, and joined them in prayer in monasteries and mosques in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. At the Entrance to the Garden of Eden traces that remarkable spiritual journey. Halevi candidly reveals how he fought to reconcile his own fears and anger as a Jew to relate to Christians and Muslims as fellow spiritual seekers. He chronicles the difficulty of overcoming multiple obstacles—theological, political, historical, and psychological—that separate believers of the three monotheistic faiths. And he introduces a diverse range of people attempting to reconcile the dichotomous heart of this sacred place—a struggle central to Israel, but which resonates for us all.
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 11, 2007
This is a brilliant, fascinating book about an Israeli, observantly Jewish journalist's spiritual journey. he spends a year observing the holidays and daily rituals with various religious Muslims (primarily Sufi) and Christians. He does all this without ever losing or questioning his Jewish faith - what he is searching for is the interfaith common language and belief structure for all three religions. And he finds it - even if plenty of fundamentalist Muslims, Christians, and Jews would deny it is there.
November 12, 2013
Near the beginning of this book, Halevi talks about the “idolatry of separation,” the emphasis upon how the three monotheistic faiths that sprung out of the middle east, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, distinguish themselves from one another. Each claims Abraham as their spiritual father, but there the differences begin.
Halevi is not concerned with theological discussions of these differences. He does deal with the history of the area – it’s unavoidable in talking about the state of Israel and the claims that each of the religions has staked out in seeing Jerusalem as a holy place – but what he’s most interested in is exploring the devotions of each religion. Halevi is a practicing Jew, but he wants to know what others feel when they practice their faith.
Obviously, he has to overcome a lot of suspicion – why is a Jew even interested in getting to know Christians or Muslims, especially since so few of them have had much interest in getting to know Jews, especially in this viciously divided part of the world? His answer is that “my pilgrimage was an attempt at religious empathy. . . I wanted to test whether faith could be a means of healing than intensifying the conflicts in this land.” One of his underlying assumptions is that he is a religious pluralist, meaning that he believes that all the great religions “are in effect denominations in one great religion, which teaches the primacy of the unseen over the visible and of unity over fragmentation.”
Halevi’s backgroud is as a journalist and for him the test of a “true” religion is its capacity to “turn ordinary people into decent believers and extraordinary people into saints whose presence affirms the presence of God.” By that test, he finds all three religions to have this capacity.
He reports on Islamic sheikhs who harbor no resentment toward Jews, who recognize the atrocities committed on both sides, but transcend this sectarian divide and welcome him, a Jew, to their prayer services. They try to demonstrate to him a sense of God’s presence, rather than try to prove anything to him. The same is true of most of the Christian nuns and monks that he visits. They accept him as he is , being a Jew is unimportant. Again, at their best, they don’t argue with him – they practice their devotions with no expectation of impressing anyone – they try to overcome the distractions of worldly activities and concentrate on a kind of “hidden” goodness that is of value in itself. The Christians who fall short, it seemed to me, are the Armenian Christians who hold on obsessively to the memory of their holocaust 100 years ago.
I’d say, though, that there is a grim ending to this account. Halevi made his explorations in the late 90’s when there was a lot more openness than there is today in Israel and Palestine. In his epilogue, written in 2001, he says he could now never do what he did just a few years earlier. The level of violence and mistrust is immensely higher. Twelve years later, it is higher yet.
Halevi is not concerned with theological discussions of these differences. He does deal with the history of the area – it’s unavoidable in talking about the state of Israel and the claims that each of the religions has staked out in seeing Jerusalem as a holy place – but what he’s most interested in is exploring the devotions of each religion. Halevi is a practicing Jew, but he wants to know what others feel when they practice their faith.
Obviously, he has to overcome a lot of suspicion – why is a Jew even interested in getting to know Christians or Muslims, especially since so few of them have had much interest in getting to know Jews, especially in this viciously divided part of the world? His answer is that “my pilgrimage was an attempt at religious empathy. . . I wanted to test whether faith could be a means of healing than intensifying the conflicts in this land.” One of his underlying assumptions is that he is a religious pluralist, meaning that he believes that all the great religions “are in effect denominations in one great religion, which teaches the primacy of the unseen over the visible and of unity over fragmentation.”
Halevi’s backgroud is as a journalist and for him the test of a “true” religion is its capacity to “turn ordinary people into decent believers and extraordinary people into saints whose presence affirms the presence of God.” By that test, he finds all three religions to have this capacity.
He reports on Islamic sheikhs who harbor no resentment toward Jews, who recognize the atrocities committed on both sides, but transcend this sectarian divide and welcome him, a Jew, to their prayer services. They try to demonstrate to him a sense of God’s presence, rather than try to prove anything to him. The same is true of most of the Christian nuns and monks that he visits. They accept him as he is , being a Jew is unimportant. Again, at their best, they don’t argue with him – they practice their devotions with no expectation of impressing anyone – they try to overcome the distractions of worldly activities and concentrate on a kind of “hidden” goodness that is of value in itself. The Christians who fall short, it seemed to me, are the Armenian Christians who hold on obsessively to the memory of their holocaust 100 years ago.
I’d say, though, that there is a grim ending to this account. Halevi made his explorations in the late 90’s when there was a lot more openness than there is today in Israel and Palestine. In his epilogue, written in 2001, he says he could now never do what he did just a few years earlier. The level of violence and mistrust is immensely higher. Twelve years later, it is higher yet.
May 20, 2021
It's a really heartwarming, enthusiastic testament to the power of mystical traditions to bring people together, even (or even especially) Jews and Muslims of Israel and Palestine
September 27, 2012
This is one of my favorite non-fiction books. In the intro, upon re-reading the book recently, I came across a passage that I really connected with. He said that he's a religious pluralist. That he believes that all the religions of the world are really just one, its just that they interpret things differently. It is exactly how I feel. I always called myself a spiritualist, that I was more interested in spirituality than religion. But I agree, I think that people approach spirituality differently, depending no what their needs are. But that it all starts out from the same place, the same concept. And religion has developed based on what people needed.
Its also a really interesting perspective on the 3 major religions living in the mid-east. I really recommend it to anyone who're interested in religion, or the region and conflict.
Its also a really interesting perspective on the 3 major religions living in the mid-east. I really recommend it to anyone who're interested in religion, or the region and conflict.
June 21, 2015
A beautiful book about a man trying to learn if the beauty of religion can overcome the ugliness of religion. A Jewish man in Israel, with fear and hesitation, tries to experience the holiness of Islam and Christianity, and it brought me to tears when he did. I can't believe this book didn't win any or all the prestigious prizes. Yes, essentially he is the oppressor in Israel, so I can see cynics feel his arrogance, but he is an ordinary man trying to find a way out of the tragedy that is playing out. Sadly, it was written right before 9-11, and nothing has gotten better, and it may be worse. More reason to resurrect this book and keep trying. Persistence is the only hope...
October 23, 2018
At the Entrance to the Garden of Eden - A Jew’s search for Hope with Christians And Muslims in the Holy Land by Yossi Klein Halevi,an Orthodox Jew, was written in 2001. His quest is based on his belief that if religious differences were understood that political differences could be overcome. While Halevi gains a good understand of several branches of these religions, it doesn’t seem to go the other way around, so we really can’t test his premise about papering over political differences in Israel.
Halevi seems to focus on fringe strands of these two religions, a Sufi mystic who heads an Islamic group in Israel and several fringe Christian leaders- Gregorians and Armenians. ( whose major focus is not Christianity but never forgetting the Armenian slaughter by the Turks) and a Beatitude sect of Catholics, among others.
Perhaps the best one gets out of this is the celebration/appreciation of diversity of religious beliefs.
Some notable areas in the book:
When meeting with the Beatitudes and their effort to reconcile with Jews, his reaction: “Becoming part of a Jewish majority and meeting Christians like you- made it possible for me to stop fearing Christianity. “ Joanna, a Beatitude nun said in trying to reach out for reconciliation,
“It’s not necessarily what Jesus preached, it was what his disciples and others who distorted his “love” and did against the Jews. Jesus was the divine instrument for fulfilling the Jewish goal of spreading the word of God through the world. “
The problem is that he is meeting with fringe players. The religious leaders whether they be Christian or Muslim are essentially on the fringe and it is difficult to take away much from this book that applies to a larger population outside Israel and certainly inside Israel. Miriam reveals herself when responding to a question about why is it necessary to insert Jesus into every spiritual drama. Why can’t God relate to each faith in is own terms. She responds: “If Jesus isn’t the son of God then giving up a husband and children make no sense. “
Thus we see that the way different religions approach God is the means of the religion as opposed to God Himself being the end. Both Christianity and Islam need their intermediaries.
Finally when Halevi actually meets with a Sheikh in Gaza, there is no way in which the Sheikh will even attempt to understand Halevi and reach out to him. Reading this book 18 years later, the problem is even more intractable and that’s why Halevi and the readers are stuck at the entrance to the Garden if Eden.
Halevi seems to focus on fringe strands of these two religions, a Sufi mystic who heads an Islamic group in Israel and several fringe Christian leaders- Gregorians and Armenians. ( whose major focus is not Christianity but never forgetting the Armenian slaughter by the Turks) and a Beatitude sect of Catholics, among others.
Perhaps the best one gets out of this is the celebration/appreciation of diversity of religious beliefs.
Some notable areas in the book:
When meeting with the Beatitudes and their effort to reconcile with Jews, his reaction: “Becoming part of a Jewish majority and meeting Christians like you- made it possible for me to stop fearing Christianity. “ Joanna, a Beatitude nun said in trying to reach out for reconciliation,
“It’s not necessarily what Jesus preached, it was what his disciples and others who distorted his “love” and did against the Jews. Jesus was the divine instrument for fulfilling the Jewish goal of spreading the word of God through the world. “
The problem is that he is meeting with fringe players. The religious leaders whether they be Christian or Muslim are essentially on the fringe and it is difficult to take away much from this book that applies to a larger population outside Israel and certainly inside Israel. Miriam reveals herself when responding to a question about why is it necessary to insert Jesus into every spiritual drama. Why can’t God relate to each faith in is own terms. She responds: “If Jesus isn’t the son of God then giving up a husband and children make no sense. “
Thus we see that the way different religions approach God is the means of the religion as opposed to God Himself being the end. Both Christianity and Islam need their intermediaries.
Finally when Halevi actually meets with a Sheikh in Gaza, there is no way in which the Sheikh will even attempt to understand Halevi and reach out to him. Reading this book 18 years later, the problem is even more intractable and that’s why Halevi and the readers are stuck at the entrance to the Garden if Eden.
February 11, 2015
Written before the second intifada and before 9/11, this book should seem dated. I found his journey and experiences still quite relevant, both from a religious and political perspective. As an Orthodox Jewish Israeli raised in Brooklyn by Holocaust survivors, he certainly has an interesting background. His journey to find solidarity with Muslims and Christians in prayer and worship is fascinating. His ambitious mission could come across as naive Kumbaya-type exploration, but his deeply held religious beliefs -- and prejudices -- keep the narrative to veering off into lala land. As a journalist, he is unafraid to ask questions of the people with whom he interacts, and those questions and the answers he receives give insight to the individuals, their faiths, and their political beliefs. It's also worth noting that the people he chooses to worship with--and reciprocally, who allow an Orthodox Israeli to worship with them--are a very certain (and fairly small) subgroup, and I think he acknowledges this. He's not claiming that the Muslims he interacts with represent all Muslims in the middle east. He seeks out and finds Sufi mystics who are also interested in dialogue with Jews. He does not find a secret to the divides that separate the Abrahamic faiths, but his journey is definitely worth reading.
December 29, 2011
This is an excellent book - clearly structured, well-written, insightful and inspirational. Halevi did an excellent job describing the complex social, religious and political realities of the Holy Land - all through the narrative of his own spiritual search.
Also, Halevi's perspectives as an American religious Jew, child of Holocaust survivors, and now Israeli citizen - helped me get a sense of the deep distrust many Jews have of Christians and Christianity. There were a number of vignettes which made me cringe -- knowing that as a Christian, the individuals Halevi meets with were/are part of my "tribe."
One of my favorite quotes from the book...
"All of us [are:] heirs to theologies of contempt... we [need:] the wisdom to sort the negative traits from our traditions without destroying their beauty." (135)
Also, Halevi's perspectives as an American religious Jew, child of Holocaust survivors, and now Israeli citizen - helped me get a sense of the deep distrust many Jews have of Christians and Christianity. There were a number of vignettes which made me cringe -- knowing that as a Christian, the individuals Halevi meets with were/are part of my "tribe."
One of my favorite quotes from the book...
"All of us [are:] heirs to theologies of contempt... we [need:] the wisdom to sort the negative traits from our traditions without destroying their beauty." (135)
August 13, 2018
This was a wonderful book and I found Yossi Klein Halevi's perspective to be very encouraging. That being said - I have to admit that I couldn't really relate well to his ability to connect so strongly and with such feeling to the Sufi Muslim worship methods of the Zikr dance. I envy him for having the ability to have the emotions and the ecstasy to truly join in that form of worship but for me it was very alien. Also, having read this book in 2018 (it was written before the second Intifada) I see it through much more cynical and skeptical eyes. It would have been wonderful if the efforts of Klein Halevi and the late Rabbi Froman had achieved more in interfaith dialogue and brought about peace in that region closer - but, unfortunately, that has not been the case. And it seems that both sides are even farther apart now then they have ever been.
August 8, 2017
Beautifully written book about Halevi’s journey to greater understanding and shared prayer with Christians and Muslims. Very personal and autobiographical, it mostly describes his meetings with various figures and communities (Sufi Muslims, various Catholic monastics, Copts, and Armenian Orthodox). It’s full of wisdom and nuggets of ideas that I just wanted to chew on in thought for a while—which also made it a slow book to read but for other reasons than the above. Reading it and meeting him, it’s clear this is his real self.
January 29, 2012
This is a wonderful account of one orthodox Jewish person's attempt to engage with the spiritualities of Islam and Christianity in the context of Israel/Palestine. It is beautifully written, very moving and ultimately hopeful about the human possibilities of overcoming the demonization of the Other. There is still no formally agreed peace process for the afea but the kind of meetings Halevi describes have a symbolic power for what is possible.
August 29, 2017
Hopeful against the odds, and very well written.
HaLevi isn't a starry-eyed mystic which would seem to be the main risk in a book of this sort. He manages to evoke hope and convey a seemingly Messianic vision while keeping his feet on the ground, not a simple feat.
As said by one of the characters in the book, a colorful Sufi Sheikh: "There are enough politicians in the land of the prophets. But where are the prophets in the land of the prophets?"
HaLevi isn't a starry-eyed mystic which would seem to be the main risk in a book of this sort. He manages to evoke hope and convey a seemingly Messianic vision while keeping his feet on the ground, not a simple feat.
As said by one of the characters in the book, a colorful Sufi Sheikh: "There are enough politicians in the land of the prophets. But where are the prophets in the land of the prophets?"
September 30, 2012
This was a beautiful book. The author's descriptions of the people he meets and places he goes and his honest reflection and expressions of his feelings and fears was just captivating. If he and the people he befriends in this book were in power, we could have peace. Insha'Allah - Keyn Hehi Ratzon.
December 28, 2014
An amazing look into the worlds of Christianity and Islam through both a Jewish and overall monotheistic religious lense. Though, as an Orthodox Jew, I don't necessarily agree with all of HaLevi's forays into Christianity and Islam, I think his explorations of the other two religions that hold the Land of Israel as holy are fascinating. Definitely worth a read!
August 20, 2014
Jewish Israeli journalist spends time getting to know Christians and worshipping with Muslims. Sections are political in regard to Israel-Palestine.
March 22, 2013
An interesting book to read before Easter and to begin to learn about Israel.
November 12, 2013
Chapter on Armenia is truly outstanding.
August 9, 2017
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
May 27, 2017
A Jew, a Christian, a Moslem in direct interactions in Israel......
August 23, 2017
A truly inspiring story and a wonderful look at the Abrahamic faiths. A must read for any theologian be they Christian, Jew or Muslim.
October 2, 2022
Now that I have read all the books by Yosi Klein Halevi, his journey has become clear. Starting from the roots of being a Jewish extremist, to making Aliyah, to his search for partners in peace of from other monotheistic religions, to facing the divide that challenges Israeli society to becoming his own voice in reaching out to Palestinians, he has laid out his thoughts and believes in a well articulated logical manner. I highly recommend reading all of his books, even in order to get the full picture of what he is trying to lay out.
One of the most interesting things that I find in the book is the conflict he articulates at the "occupation." I do not wish to get into a debate of is there an occupation or not, is it Israeli land or not, and I do not necessarily agree with all of the author's characterizations, and yet, he recognizes that primarily populated with Palestinians where under Israeli control, such as Gaza; this was before the withdrawal. And yet, he fully recognizes unless the IDF asserts control over such areas, the security situation in Israel would be much worse.
I believe, this is the heart and soul of most Israelis. They want peace, but are unwilling to compromise security in the pursuit of peace which then becomes an internal struggle. And to resolve this struggle, he seeks out Muslims and Christians to engage in pursuit of peace. And although it was only select engagements he was able to pursue, it had an impact.
I think the most powerful part of the book is the updated preface which explains how he thought the book had little impact until he received an e-mail from Abdullah Antepli. His engagement with Abdullah eventually led to the formation of the Muslim Leadership Initiative.
I believe this engagement eventually led to Yossi Klein Halevi eventually writing "Letters To My Palestinian Neighbors," which was intended to start a broader dialogue and all levels and not wait for the politicians of the day to solve the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
Perhaps as a book on it's own, it is a nice story of searching for Christians and Muslims to engage about Israel. But as a collection of all his books it lays out a journey that is the path for a majority of Israelis I know.
One of the most interesting things that I find in the book is the conflict he articulates at the "occupation." I do not wish to get into a debate of is there an occupation or not, is it Israeli land or not, and I do not necessarily agree with all of the author's characterizations, and yet, he recognizes that primarily populated with Palestinians where under Israeli control, such as Gaza; this was before the withdrawal. And yet, he fully recognizes unless the IDF asserts control over such areas, the security situation in Israel would be much worse.
I believe, this is the heart and soul of most Israelis. They want peace, but are unwilling to compromise security in the pursuit of peace which then becomes an internal struggle. And to resolve this struggle, he seeks out Muslims and Christians to engage in pursuit of peace. And although it was only select engagements he was able to pursue, it had an impact.
I think the most powerful part of the book is the updated preface which explains how he thought the book had little impact until he received an e-mail from Abdullah Antepli. His engagement with Abdullah eventually led to the formation of the Muslim Leadership Initiative.
I believe this engagement eventually led to Yossi Klein Halevi eventually writing "Letters To My Palestinian Neighbors," which was intended to start a broader dialogue and all levels and not wait for the politicians of the day to solve the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
Perhaps as a book on it's own, it is a nice story of searching for Christians and Muslims to engage about Israel. But as a collection of all his books it lays out a journey that is the path for a majority of Israelis I know.
February 4, 2024
I wrote this review and then I noticed that the subtitle differed in different editions. Was Halevi looking for God or looking for hope as he explored the Abrahamic faiths in Israel and in the Occupied Territories.
I am so looking for hope in this very difficult time (post 10/7, post-the widening of the war despite everyone's intentions to not widen it, increasing antisemitism at home, bad political behavior everywhere).
I'm not sure that Klein Halevi found hope. I admire his persistence in looking for hope. He ranged quite widely in his search. I admire his courage. So often though, he was afraid. Afraid for his own life, afraid to speak, afraid to be misunderstood.
I'm not sure that he found God in the other faiths that he explored. He is so tied to his own personal, observant (in his way) Jewish faith, that continually referenced back to what he knew, trying to ground his alien experiences in his own understanding of religion and faith.
However, he did speak. He wrote. Originally published in 2001, it was reissued in 2019. And so much of it still feels fresh and true. The more things seem to change, the more that they stay the same. The presence of the conflict, even when he wasn't writing about that. The siloed-ness of the religions and the supreme difficulty of understanding each other, even within a faith.
I'm glad that I read this book.
I am so looking for hope in this very difficult time (post 10/7, post-the widening of the war despite everyone's intentions to not widen it, increasing antisemitism at home, bad political behavior everywhere).
I'm not sure that Klein Halevi found hope. I admire his persistence in looking for hope. He ranged quite widely in his search. I admire his courage. So often though, he was afraid. Afraid for his own life, afraid to speak, afraid to be misunderstood.
I'm not sure that he found God in the other faiths that he explored. He is so tied to his own personal, observant (in his way) Jewish faith, that continually referenced back to what he knew, trying to ground his alien experiences in his own understanding of religion and faith.
However, he did speak. He wrote. Originally published in 2001, it was reissued in 2019. And so much of it still feels fresh and true. The more things seem to change, the more that they stay the same. The presence of the conflict, even when he wasn't writing about that. The siloed-ness of the religions and the supreme difficulty of understanding each other, even within a faith.
I'm glad that I read this book.
December 28, 2020
I read this book to see whether it was appropriate for my American interfaith group, and I'm still not sure of the answer.
As one can see from the title, this author's search is very rooted in the Israeli landscape. In the US, where both Jews and Muslims are minorities... one can transcend the political difference and even become allies, setting aside the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts. For Yossi in Israel, achieving a level of comfort just interacting with Muslims is so highly fraught that even the attempt is heroic.
But as an American Jew, the second half of the book which dealt with Yossi's experience with Christians resonated with me more deeply. It challenged me to get out of my comfort zone and try to accept (not practice) the sanctity and sincerity of mainline Catholics and other Christians, and their commitment to turn from their antagonistic view of Judaism.
As one can see from the title, this author's search is very rooted in the Israeli landscape. In the US, where both Jews and Muslims are minorities... one can transcend the political difference and even become allies, setting aside the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts. For Yossi in Israel, achieving a level of comfort just interacting with Muslims is so highly fraught that even the attempt is heroic.
But as an American Jew, the second half of the book which dealt with Yossi's experience with Christians resonated with me more deeply. It challenged me to get out of my comfort zone and try to accept (not practice) the sanctity and sincerity of mainline Catholics and other Christians, and their commitment to turn from their antagonistic view of Judaism.
July 14, 2020
WOW! I recommend this book for readers or any religion. I found the author to be sincere in his quest and honest in representing his environment to the reader. I am reading this book with other Christian clergy and I am the lone Jew and so far our discussions have been wonderful.
This is my third book by this author and I have enjoyed all 3 with his earliest book on my shelf waiting to be started!
This is my third book by this author and I have enjoyed all 3 with his earliest book on my shelf waiting to be started!
November 12, 2025
Yossi Klein Halevi invites readers to wander through the tangled vines of interfaith spirituality in Israel — and sometimes gets a bit lost among the olive branches. Halevi’s earnest quest for divine connection among the Abrahamic cousins is moving. In the end, he doesn't exactly find paradise, but it’s fertile ground for thought — a spiritual salad with just enough zest to keep you from tossing it.
August 29, 2023
A wonderful journey taken by a religious Jew living in Israel to try to understand the other two Abrahamic faiths living in that same land. It was written before 9/11 and before the second intifada so I wondered if it might be dated. Not so. As relevant today as the day it was written. While Halevi is no Pollyanna, his words do give us some hope.
June 5, 2020
Beautifully written, poignant, a book of hope, if only a slim ray. Halevi is amazingly perceptive, honest, and courageous in his quest to learn from other faiths in a dangerous and tumultuous time and environment, while remaining true to his own ethnic and religious heritage.
November 10, 2021
Should be on the short-list of books to read about Israel.
January 5, 2024
Halevi narrates his encounters with various Israeli Muslims and Christians. They didn't always see eye to eye. They did listen.
September 8, 2018
This is an important book for anyone interested in ecumenical issues. Halevi tells of encounters with similarly ecumenical minded Muslims and Christians. None seem to be mainstream.
Interestingly, he finds some "ecumenical" Muslims espousing a position that includes Jews but not Christians and some Christians including Jews but not Muslims. He keeps seeking broader inclusivity.
He fears and finds some who claim ecumenical interest but continue to consider theirs the only right and true; some even proselytize.
The encounters are well told; the players are vividly described.
Halevi seeks to put religion into the Israeli/Palestinian discussion, something he claims is usually omitted. He ponders if religion could be a gateway to reconciliation. At the end, politics has overcome whatever religious rapprochement might have accomplished, had it gone mainstream.
Interestingly, he finds some "ecumenical" Muslims espousing a position that includes Jews but not Christians and some Christians including Jews but not Muslims. He keeps seeking broader inclusivity.
He fears and finds some who claim ecumenical interest but continue to consider theirs the only right and true; some even proselytize.
The encounters are well told; the players are vividly described.
Halevi seeks to put religion into the Israeli/Palestinian discussion, something he claims is usually omitted. He ponders if religion could be a gateway to reconciliation. At the end, politics has overcome whatever religious rapprochement might have accomplished, had it gone mainstream.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews