Twelve Tribes: Promise and Peril in the New Israel

by Ethan Michaeli, Steven Jay Cohen (Narrator)

“Ethan Michaeli has a gimlet eye for the people, texture, and contradictions of modern Israel. I’m in awe of his powers of observation and his ability as a modern-day Tocqueville to take us inside one of the most complex and confounding countries in the world."" — Jonathan Alter, bestselling author of His Very Jimmy Carter, a Life

An ""illuminating"" and ""richly descriptive"" (New York Times Book Review) portrait of contemporary Israel, revealing the diversity of this extraordinary yet volatile nation by weaving together personal histories of ordinary citizens from all walks of life.

In 2015, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin warned that the country’s citizens were dividing into by class and ethnicity, by geography, and along lines of faith. In Twelve Tribes, award-winning author Ethan Michaeli portrays this increasingly fractured nation by intertwining interviews with Israelis of all tribes into a narrative of social and political change. Framed by Michaeli’s travels across the country over four years and his conversations with Israeli family, friends, and everyday citizens, Twelve Tribes illuminates the complex dynamics within the country, a collective drama with global consequences far beyond the ongoing conflict with the Palestinians.

Readers will meet the aging revolutionaries who founded Israel’s kibbutz movement and the brilliant young people working for the country’s booming Big Tech companies. They will join thousands of ultra-Orthodox Haredim at a joyous memorial for a long-dead Romanian Rebbe in a suburb of Tel Aviv, and hear the life stories of Ethiopian Jews who were incarcerated and tortured in their homeland as “Prisoners of Zion” before they were able to escape to Israel.

And they will be challenged, in turn, by portraits of Israeli Arabs navigating between the opportunities in a prosperous, democratic state and the discrimination they suffer as a vilified minority, as by interviews with both the Palestinians striving to build the institutions of a nascent state and the Israeli settlers seeking to establish a Jewish presence on the same land.

Immersive and enlightening, Twelve Tribes is a vivid depiction of a modern state contending with ancient tensions and dangerous global forces at this crucial historic moment. Through extensive research and access to all sectors of Israeli society, Michaeli reveals Israel to be a land of paradoxical intersections and unlikely cohabitation—a place where all of the world’s struggles meet, and a microcosm for the challenges faced by all nations today.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Jewish, Israel, Middle East, Politics, Audiobook

Audible Audio

Published November 16, 2021

About the author

Ethan Michaeli, the author of “Twelve Tribes: Promise and Peril in the New Israel,” (Custom House Books, 2021), was praised by National Book Award-winner Evan Osnos as a “master portraitist—of lives, places, and cultures. His rendering of contemporary Israel crackles with energy, fueled by a historian’s vision and a journalist’s unrelenting curiosity.”
Brent Staples, Pulitzer-Prize winner and member of The New York Times Editorial Board, described Ethan’s previous book, “The Defender: How the Legendary Black Newspaper Changed America,” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016) as “An extraordinary history…Deeply researched, elegantly written…a towering achievement that will not be soon forgotten.” “The Defender” won Best Non Fiction of 2016 prizes from the Midland Authors Association as well as the Chicago Writers Association, was named as a Notable Book of 2016 by The New York Times as well as the Washington Post and Amazon, and to the short list of the Mark Lynton Prize.
A native of Rochester, NY, Ethan graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in English Literature. He was a copy editor and investigative reporter at The Chicago Daily Defender from 1991 to 1996, and left The Defender to found the Residents’ Journal, a magazine written and produced by the tenants of Chicago’s public housing developments. Ethan served as executive director of Residents’ Journal’s affiliated not-for-profit organization, and under his leadership, the magazine won national awards for its journalism and for its programs training youths and adults in the skills of modern journalism, including the 2006 Studs Terkel Award for its investigative reporting.
Ethan currently is a lecturer at the Harris School of Public Policy of the University of Chicago, and a senior adviser for communications and development at the Goldin Institute, an international not-for-profit organization collaborating with grassroots social change activists in 40 different countries. He has served as a judge in prestigious literary contests including as chair of the 2020 Lynton Prize, and at the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2021. In addition to his books, his writing also has been published by Oxford University Press, the Washington Post, Atlantic Magazine, the Chicago Tribune and other venues.

Reviews

[Umar Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will be light-reading that doesn't cover a lot of new ground for readers who are regular consumers of Israeli publications, podcasts, and news programs, as not a lot of new ground is covered here. However, for English readers, and especially for Americans, who only have a basic grasp of the country, this is an excellent primer. Ethan Michaeli does a pretty good job interviewing a cross-section of Israeli society from the Haredim to old kibbutzniks to techies to the descendents of Iraqi Jews seeking to reconnect with the country their parents were forced to flee. I could nitpick, as I would've liked to have seen a piece on the burgeoning young Israeli hip-hop scene which is increasingly right-wing or Islamists, but overall Michaeli did a pretty good job and there is only so much time and space.

A note I would like to make is refuting the Palestinian activist who said that due to technology the Arab public is increasingly with the Palestinian cause. I think the evidence points to the contrary. A decade ago you'd be hard-pressed to find any Arab openly supportive of Israel. Today there are an increasing number of Gulf Arabs, Egyptians, and others who are vocal about their support for Israel. However, in an ironic twist, this technology has led to widespread support for Palestinians among young Americans (particularly those on the political left).

Michaeli uses the metaphor of twelve tribes. Of course in reality Israel is a diverse society in which there are hundreds of tribes, but the fundamental question posed is can a nation where half the citizens will be either Haredim or Arab in the coming years succeed? Will the half that serves in the Israeli Defense Forces, pays taxes, creates jobs and wealth, and secures international support for Israel, feel they're getting a raw deal and check out? With the increasingly antisemitic climate in Europe that doesn't seem like an option for that many Israelis, despite citizenship eligibility for the descendents of European Jews, and North America would appear to be the only viable option. This is the same option many Palestinian families are taking and go to Hebron or Ramallah now and you can't escape American accents, food, fashion, and even politics. Everyone in Israel, on both sides of all divides, is connected, the question posed is can these connections blend to form a functional union? And, just as all these tribes are connected, due to multiple circumstances of history, America is intimately connected to all of these tribes.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my new favorite books and not only because it was written by my brother, Ethan Michaeli, who is a great writer, and incredibly smart, as well as a role model for me, and a mentor. Ethan's new book is crucial because it shares with the world a badly needed updated vision of Israel. Much of our family loves in Israel, and my brother and I have been traveling back and forth for our whole lives, and we have seen how much has changed, while the perception of the country and the region has changed very little since the 1970s. The media frames so much content on Israel around conflict, and "Twelve Tribes" doesn't ignore or sugar coat Israel's conflicts, but it's such a reductive way to view a country with such incredible diversity of backgrounds, thoughts, and ambitions. The focus on conflict also ignores the amazing cross pollination of ideas, cultures, and cuisines of Israelis. Ethan's book shares a more hopeful portrait of a deeply complex, and richly layered country, and he does so by listening to the people of Israel. Ethan shares his impressions, but not ahead of the many, many, many Israelis he spoke to over four years of extensive visits with scores of interviews with people as varied as kibbutzniks from our parents' era (50s), young Palestinian activists, and the King of Falafel. Their voices are our guides into a new, and updated understanding of a very modern and dynamic Israel.

[Gregoire Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredibly insightful, artfully written account of modern Israeli and (to a lesser extent) Palestinian societies. Through the lens of 34 stories, Michaeli brings to life societies both scarred and uplifted by the diversity that has come to exemplify modernity in plurality nation-states. I couldn’t recommend this book more.

The Good: Michaeli’s narration style has a way of instantly bringing you into the stories he is telling. It’s uncanny how easily I felt like I really was standing next to him interviewing his subjects, and how effortlessly he transitioned from journalistic account to history lesson.

The Bad: Some of Michaeli’s chapter transitions leave perhaps too much of a cliffhanger on material. I appreciate the style and what he is trying to achieve, but think it falls short (for the best of reasons — I want it to keep going). Additionally, if you approach this book as an ideologue of any persuasion, prepare for disappointment; Michaeli avoids taking positions as avidly as he probably should have avoided the large-batch kugels at Haredi religious celebrations.

The Interesting: Michaeli achieves a sense of parallel struggles between both religious and secular Israelis and Palestinians in an extraordinarily powerful way. But he doesn’t do it from a soapbox. Rather, he does his magic through the interweaving of stories — using this book’s structure and common thread of Twelve Tribes to do the heavy lifting. The result speaks for itself.

[Shellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this hoping it would help me with understanding this part of the world that is so confusing and messed up. And he actually did help me some. But I think Israel will always remain a country of extreme misunderstanding and confusion to me. It’s so sad to me since my life motto has always been ‘can’t we all just get along?’ I do realize that for me, just one simple person, to really understand this region would make me smarter, or perceptive than all the scholars that have studied Israel for most of their lives, and for sure those who live there. I’ve never even been there. So I know my desire to understand is a really high mark. But I will still try. And this book was really a good help. I encourage you to read it.

[Brian Katz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot. I will be visiting Israel in 9 months and this was a great read to sensitize me to the vast diaspora from Jews have come to the land of Israel today. I’ve read many books about Israel’s history, but this was a great joy because it provided a tour of the country, which I will take soon, and the many different people who make their homes in the many different locations of modern day Israel. The author toured the entire country and provided a great understanding of the significance of each location from a historical perspective as well as the make up of the people that live there today.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very personal and yet objective journalistic view from an American writer who has personal and deep connections to Israel. It is a unique perspective and offers an opportunity to travel to Israel as though you were a part of the family.

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of fascinating interviews with Jews and Muslims (some in the West Bank) about a fascinating country.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read. Easy light read from a journalist. Thankful to have revived a copy to review.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this as a gift from my middle son last February when I first began planning a congregational trip to Israel. Waited until plans progressed far enough along to believe we would actually get there to begin reading.

I am extremely glad I read this book with its many diverse perspectives and clear messaging regarding the incredible melting pot within this small country and the unbelievable complexity of the issues, players, agendas and historical and current relationships. Won’t even pretend I followed it all but enough to avoid being a gullible American during my travels.

Short chapters and strong writing make it very consumable.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long but worthwhile survey of Israeli population. Great book.

[Howard Lazar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michaeli's book about the sometimes gorgeous mosaic of Israeli society is highly readable and very comprehensive as he writes about his experiences with Ashkanazim, Sefardim, Ethiopians, Black Hebrews, Arabs, Settlers, Bedouins, Haredim, Secular...you name it. Unfortunately, since he wrote this book before the horrific events of Oct. 7, 2023 & their aftermath which changed Israel forever, the book is now missing this latest chapter and is somewhat outdated. I think it's fair to say that neither he, nor any of the dozens of people he interviewed could envision what happened. Still I recommend this book as a good survey of the people of Israel. Recommended.

[fredie farca · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesante

Una forma de platicar con los diferentes grupos que viven en Israel, destacando antecedentes,
Cómo se sienten y se ven ellos.

[FMLDNR · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good book

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were quite a few issues wth this book, many of which could have been solved with a good editor. The author clearly fell into the trap of writing a book about writing a book. Following this route, especially when accidental, as it seems is the case here, often only succeeds in proving the author's narcissism. This sort of book can be interesting if done purposely as a study of writing as a profession, or as a sort of journal to document using the writing process to further discover oneself, etc., but I definitely get the feel that was not the case here. It seems this could have been sold as a travelog if 85% of the needlessly detailed and distracting descriptions were edited out. As it is, the book is simply ineffective. In short, I did finish the book, despite wanting to put it down, I held out in the hope that I'd find something new while attempting to enjoy the descriptions of the places I know so well after having lived in Israel for years. However, I'd say reading the entire book wasn't worth it, even considering the fun travelog aspect. The descriptions are simply grating (why is naming the type of water you bought worthy of inclusion? Why is the name of the streets making up every single intersection vital to include? Why do we need florid descriptions of people not even tangentially related to the story like waiters, taxi drivers, shop attendants etc.? ) I kept hoping these people would contribute something if value to the story to justify the time spent on the useless descriptions, but 90% of the time, this was not the case. It was distracting and frustrating.

I often felt that the book read as if the author was directly reading from his notes with no real organization other than chronology.

Overall, while I had high hopes and legitimately gave the book a good chance, I was not impressed.

[Scott Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars) This work is a part travel-log, part current affairs, part history of Israel. The author recounts his adventures and travels through the current country of Israel, blending in reporting of the lives of those he meets and talks with as well as relaying history, politics and social issues through his writing. Some of the things that stand out in this work is that Israel is a diverse nation, not just with the classic definition of European-based Jews and Palestinians who have lived there for centuries. There are Ethiopians, African-Americans..all types of people live in Israel, immigrating to further diversity the country.

The Palestinian conflict is omnipresent, but life is not just all about that conflict. People are trying to live their lives. Some serve in the armed forces beyond their conscription. Some engage with the international community in one way or another. Some just go about day to day business, adapting to what the circumstances are.

This work is a solid read. Maybe not the definitive tome on modern Israel, but offers a number of good insights/considerations. Worth a library check out.

[Colin Freebury · Rating 2 out of 5]

A report on the author’s periodic travels throughout Israel from 2014 to 2018. He interviews people from different Jewish and Muslim communities to gain an understanding of their history, living conditions, politics, and aspirations for themselves and for Israel. Despite differing and competing viewpoints between different Jewish communities, he remains hopeful that Israel will find a way, if they can resist “every variety of international manipulation and innovate its own solutions to its particular problems.” If only! Unfortunately, his concluding remarks seems to overlook significant parts of what he heard from orthodox Jews and west-bank settlers, not to mention Palestinians. I sympathize: it’s not easy to see a way forward for peace in Israel, yet it doesn’t help to give in to despair.

[Hana Gabrielle (HG) Bidon · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I know a little bit about Israeli politics from taking a Science and Technology Studies course, this book takes my knowledge to a new level. I learned more contemporary politics in Israel in 2015 and I never knew about the political tension in this country and I'm glad to hear from a journalistic perspective that is written in a personal matter as if someone was talking to me about this in a two-hour long conversation.

[Eli · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really disappointed, probably rated it lower than I would have otherwise because I had high expectations. Too much about what hummus he and his brother liked best, with little insightful to say about the people he met. He often described how he got to interview people, and then said little about what he learned in those interviews.

[Eric Sbar · Rating 3 out of 5]

By covering interviews with various individuals the author met on his visits to Israel. Not a deep book but a slog to get through with only a cursory understanding of the issues

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

It grew on me. Michaeli visits Israel three times between 2014 and 2018, noshing all over the place (there's a subtheme that he makes explicit in the epilogue about food as an index of cultural dominance), hanging out with Haredim (to the extent they'll let him), and making trips to speak with Palestinian activists, Bedouin NGO leaders, Ethiopian doctors and the activists who helped get Ethiopian Jews to Israel, and Lubavitchers who just don't get why people are so upset about their taking of their God-given land. He's willing to talk to anyone, whether they're manning the corner store, driving his taxi, or selling him falafel (quite a lot of falafel is eaten here). At first, it felt somewhat aimlessly discursive and rambly. And, narratively, he makes some eccentric choices--for about the first 2/3 of the book, we get to hear his evaluation of the body of everyone he meets (they're invariably "fit" or "trim"), until those words mysteriously disappear in the last 150 or so pages, and we also are treated to extremely detailed meal descriptions, even in places where he's not making a point about waning Ashkenazi hegemony, culturally and culinarily. (For instance, we frequently find out what kind of pasta and which flavors of ice cream people order, and these are not revelatory.) That said, his generosity as a listener--he keeps visiting the shrine of the Shtefanisher rebbe to see what his followers are up to (and to see if this kind of belief speaks to him at all, which it does on occasion), checks out their yeshivas, talks to businessmen and a settler winery owner and an investigative reporter--ends up becoming the story. It's the old "two Jews, three synagogues" joke, here solidified and spun out into a portrait of the multifariousness of Israeli society and its complex entanglements with American Jewry in particular.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essentially a travelogue of the author's trips to Israel from 2014-2018. Instead of hitting the tourist sites, he instead documents his visits with friends, family, and assorted characters in attempt to document the various factions that comprise modern Israeli society. These are the types of conversations and encounters that anyone who's lived in Israel or spent more than a couple of weeks on a packaged tour has experienced, but he does a good job of consolidating the experiences into an accessible and engaging format.

Audiobook: The narrator should not have been let anywhere near this text. He manages to mangle, butcher, mutilate, and desecrate just about every Hebrew and Arabic name, place, and word. Shame on him for not bothering to spend even 5 minutes to learn even the most rudimentary principles of the languages, and shame on the publisher for not spending even 5 minutes to review and edit.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a tad dense, but it holds great information on modern Israel. It doesn't take a detached, academic perspective, but a real social perspective by talking to the actual people in the country. From the taxi drivers to the community leaders, Michaeli provides a broad perspective on the situation.

[David Hunsicker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting first person accounts of interviews with representatives of various segments of Israeli and Palestinian society. But it would have benefited from a broader research approach rather than just journalistic interviews with family, friends and other acquaintances. But an easy and enjoyable read.

[Simon Hepple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book which takes you through a broad swath of Israeli society and how people interact with eachother.

I really enjoyed hearing how people came to Israel and even the Palestinian view was covered in this book.

It possibly changed my views a little on Palestine and the fact it will be impossible for peace unless the Palestinians have their own state.

[Arabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part docuseries, part history lesson, and part travel guide, this book takes its reader on a meandering journey through parts of Israel and Palestine. A very good glimpse at an historic and complicated part of the world that most of us know little of substance about.

[Scott Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am studying the Old Testament this year so I was hoping to get some insights but was disappointed. It is a politicised view the current situation so it is biased and honestly a little boring. It did help me understand the situation better but overall nothing special.

[Jerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

@ Chapter 17

[Haur Bin Chua · Rating 3 out of 5]

Through a series of personal encounters, this book reveals the diversity that exists within Israel beyond the dual factions of Israelis and Palestinians - Jews from Eastern Europe, America, Ethiopia, Christians, Palestinians, Bedouins. All of whom has their own version of Israel, and trying to find their own places. Coupled with historical and political contexts behind the country, all of which manifest in the complexity we observe in this Holy Land.

[Carina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting, I learned a lot.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for this review.