The Holocaust is Over; We Must Rise From Its Ashes

by Avraham Burg

Modern day Israel, and the Jewish community, is strongly influenced by the memory and horrors of Hitler and the Holocaust. Burg argues that the Jewish nation has been traumatized and has lost the ability to trust itself, its neighbors or the world around it. He shows that this is one of the causes for the growing nationalism and violence that are plaguing Israeli society and reverberating through Jewish communities worldwide. Burg uses his own family history--his parents were Holocaust survivors--to inform his innovative views on what the Jewish people need to do to move on and eventually live in peace with their Arab neighbors and feel comfortable in world at large. Thought-provoking, compelling, and original, this book is bound to spark a heated debate around the world.

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

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Joeji · Rating 2 out of 5]

An important book on an important and often avoided topic: How is the Holocaust used to justify injustice? Burg mainly argues that the inability to move past the Holocaust (that is, the inability of the state of Israel to not compare everything to the Holocaust, or make every crisis an urgent existential threat) stymies the ability of Israel to be a "light unto the nations."

While I agree with many tenets of Burg's ideas, I'm bothered by his inability to land on the fact that the Holocaust is often used to direct Israeli policy in the Occupation, shield it from international criticism, and wage a disasterous militant foreign policy. There are moments where this peaks through - but overall, it's ironic that while he decries the crime of "holocaust denial", regarding Israel's puposeful denial of the Armenian genocide, and Israeli policy in the Balkans that ran counter to world opinion, he hardly utters the words, "Palestinian," "the Nakba," "the Occupation," and makes somewhat apologetic statements for Israeli violence. An example of this is while he is decrying Israel's inability to be the center for a humanistic Judaism, and a universalist nation, he talks about the violence of suicide bombers, terrorists, while mentioning a militant culture. It's passive enough that it seems like he's blaming the Palestinians for an inability to be humanistic as well, while showing that despite his deep reading of the racist elements of an Israeli society that claims genocide and tragedy as it's sole property, he may blame the Palestinians for their lack of a state. At least, passively, like his treatment of them throughout the book.

Maybe not, but because his shrillness that vacillates between condemnation of current Israeli policies and a love for his definition of Zionism, it's hard to peg where he lands on the issue that he doesn't dissect, but which the book is ultimately (and secretly) about.

[Zefyr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tense book that felt like reading on eggshells. Burg pulls a lot of punches but I feel that this was done in a way intended to reach people where that is simply necessary. Note the "we" in the title - it's written for people who have been raised in the shadows of trauma, raised by people with numbers on their arms, or by their absences. Reading between lines, there's also the narrative of communicating with, around and through trauma survivors, attempting to get beyond it rather than to learn how to live strongly within it. Worthwhile read.

When it comes to humans killing humans, people—namely you and I—must take a stand beside one of the parties. Who is right? Who is our ally? Who is our enemy? Very often people do not have a clear position on their immediate reality, so how can humans be expected to form an opinion regarding the reality of other people so distant from their hearts and minds? When we must take a position in other people's politics, we must also be introspective, look honestly at ourselves and take the same moral stand regarding the evil among us. This proves to be too much. Our evil, it turns out, is at the very base of our convenient lives. It has taken years for us to reach this state of comfort and we are not going to give up just like that. Thus our indifference becomes complacency: Let's not take sides and let them die. We cannot hear the sobbing and crying where we are, anyway—whether we're in Manhattan's high-rises, London's subways, or Tel Aviv's shopping malls. The millions of people who were slaughtered in the twentieth century are victims of those who stoop and watched or looked the other way. And we are at the top of the list of guilty ones. Yes, we the Jews are again to be blamed. How is this possible?

--

...what is correct in one situation—a harsh, painful exile, alleviated by dreams of grandeur, hope and unending optimism—may be hazardous in another situation, when the servant becomes the master. It is like the battered child that becomes an abusive parent and thus preserves the pathology of his life. In the same way, a humiliated and persecuted people can become similar to the worst of its tormenters. Past oppression does not provide a clean bill of morality to the newly freed people, but rather the opposite.

[Bernie Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book in terms of trying to explain what is wrong with Israel and Israel politics. How do Israeli politicians and others manage to "shoot themselves in the foot" so easily. Avraham Burg's father was one of the true founders of the modern state of Israel. Avraham held some very serious and influential positions in various Israeli governments. It is evident that he has become disgusted and disillusioned in how relatively small groups of "right wingers" have taken hold of the Israel that was supposed to be "a light unto the nations." He provides background, personal history and good advice. I would put this book in a "must read" category for anyone wanting to understand what is going on - why its going on - and why self centred politicians like Benjamin Netanyahu, Olmert, Shamir, Sharon ... and so many others seem to be able to grab the agenda - which is totally contrary to the true wishes of the vast majority of Israelis, Jews, Palestinians and the world at large. His contention that Israel is too affected by the Holocaust in its day to day life, is I think, far fetched and inaccurate. But, he has a lot of worthwhile comments and ideas. And there are a few minor misses - Colin Powell was the Secretary of State - not the Secretary of Defense... should have been caught in the translation to English. Recommended.

[Esther · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very powerful and provocative work on the role the Holocaust has played in shaping Jewish identity, politics, and Judaism in the state of Israel. It could have been edited and translated a little better from the Hebrew. Although I didn't agree with everyhing Burg said, I believe his ideas are worth chewing on. I only wish he had more thoughts regarding where we go from here; most of his analysis is on the past.

[Antonio Conci · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most insightful book I have ever read about Palestine - Israel and modern history in the middle East.
Written by the former president of the Knesset of Israel, explain very clearly and with lots of self-criticism reasons for the tension within the state of Israeli politics and how this is reflected across its neighbors.

Incredibly brave, audacious, unique and very very thoughful.
I enjoyed every single page.

Super recommended

[Kathleen McRae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avraham Burg is a humanist and has recognized the light of peaceful relations and the terrible destruction that ensues when humanity pursues a militaristic solution.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Israel is a militarist state for a reason. They are still traumatized by the Holocaust, a tragedy that occurred eighty years ago. The fear of being targeted again has caused the worst of Israeli domestic and foreign policy, and prevented peace. Politicians need to chill out, and Israel needs to finally defeat Hitler.

That’s what this book, whose Hebrew title is untranslatable, is about. It is an excellent book, despite the fact that there were probably translation errors that muddled the message. I do like the message, though.

[Fernando Pestana da Costa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting book by a left leaning Israeli politician about the need of Jewish-Israeli politicians and religious leaders to start dissociating themselves and their discourses from the victimization tone and content that has been all too present in their dealings with Israel's Arab neighbors, with the Palestinians, with the world at large, and even with their Israeli political adversaries.

[Arye · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a challenge to read! No I did not read it in the original Hebrew but it felt like I was reading it in another language. The book presents challenging ideas to ideas that I was educated about as a Canadian Jew. Did the book make me think? Yes! Will this be a book that I will go back to in the future? Probably not.

[Jibran Mir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A candid and clear eyed view of contemporary Israel by one of its own. Although this was first published in 2007, the author's words are more relevant than ever.

[Andy Oram · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an important book for Jews, Israelis, and people who care about the fate of these people (or the Palestinians with whom they tussle so tragically). It is essentially a call for peace, but there is a great depth to it, and the author was quite courageous to take the position that we must redefine Israel's and Jews' purpose without reference to the Shoah--it is hard to understand just how courageous he is unless one knows Israel well. I do feel that Burg is unfairly negative toward the Israeli mentality--after all, the country is in the middle of a stunning economic and technological success story, and wonderful cultural achievements, so the people are by no means stuck in Holocaust negativity. But the main ideas are still valuable, and touch on modern Israeli problems besides its attitude toward war and the Palestinians. I just wish Burg wasn't so long-winded and repetitive. Take your time, because the book is well-written but turns back on itself regularly.

[Sonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wahrscheinlich war diese Lektüre für mich dadurch angenehm, dass ich nicht unmittelbar Adressat dieses Buches bin. Ich fand es interessant von jemandem, der aus der Politik, aus dem öffentlichen Leben kommt, etwas über dieses Land zu erfahren. Über den betonten Subjektivismus Avraham Burgs kann man bestimmt geteilter Meinung sein. Mich haben seine persönlichen Anekdoten mal interessiert mal irritiert. Was mit der Zeit ein wenig nervig wird, ist der messianische Ton, den er anschlägt, um über die Zukunft Israels zu sprechen.
Insgesamt habe ich dieses Buch gern gelesen.

[Abdullah Al Bayyari · Rating 4 out of 5]

وإن كان البعض قد إعتبر الكتاب بمثابة ورقة طلاق أبراهام بورغ (رئيس الكنيست الإسرائيلي الأسبق ، ومدير الوكالة اليهودية سابقا) من الصهيونية الهرتزيلية وبالذات بعد وصفه للدولة الإسرائيلية بالكيان الفاشي ، إلا أن ذلك لا ��منع كون ذلك توظيف تحت مظلة الديموقراطية الإسرائيلية المدعاة ، تماما كحركة السلام الآن ، وغيرها ، إلا أن ذلك لا ينفي الحاجة للتواصل مع تلك العناصر.

[Eric]

Témoignage intéressant par un acteur/observateur au coeur de la société israélienne. Son analyse sur la façon dont la shoa continue de déterminer la politique israellienne est particulièrement pertinente.

Enfin, les passages plus intimes - sur ses relations avec ses parents - sont émouvants et font de cet ouvrage plus qu'un essai politique/géopolitique.

[Dan Sofaer]

Very good, learning about Isreal's history and breathing a sigh of relief that someone has the courage to speak out. Confessional and desultory in a refreshing way. Many typos and errors in the translation.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not necessarily agree with how heavily he believes religion plays a role in Israeli/Palestinian relations, and he ignores other factors in the conflict but lots of wonderful personal reflections and an eye opening Jewish perspective

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book. I loved his Charlie Rose interview. In a nutshell: Tikkun (to heal, mend, repair) is the captsone of Judaism, not paranoia, oppression, isolation. A fresh look.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

confusing. distorted. provocative.

[Sam Lindsay-levine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carefully argued, clearly very well thought out, convincing, and insightful.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deeply provoking

[Nanci · Rating 3 out of 5]

the author makes some excellent points, but they get lost somehow throughout the book and I wonder if its the translation.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slow reading but really good.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fresh and provocative Jewish perspective.