Израиль: история государства

by Daniel Gordis

"Израиль: история государства" - это рассказ о маленьком государстве и о древней идее, благодаря которой оно возникло. Это история страны, своим существованием многократно опровергнувшей теорию вероятности и до сих пор вынужденной противостоять опасным врагам и преодолевать многочисленные трудности. Это рассказ о народе, который возродился, заплатив за это высшую цену. История Израиля сложна, в ней хватает и драматических, и трагических моментов. Это чудесная, захватывающая история, влияющая на нашу жизнь буквально на каждом шагу.
Пришло время рассказать эту историю, чтобы понять не только что произошло, но и прежде всего - почему.

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

488 pages, Hardcover

First published October 18, 2016

Reviews

[Michael O'Brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an informative, well written history of Israel. For the most part, I would characterize it as a political history of Israel primarily --- as opposed to some of the other books I've read of Israel-Palestinian histories which tend to focus more on the military aspects.

From reading this book, I did gain more an appreciation for how unlikely it is that a state like Israel ever came into existence in the first place. I think, perhaps, an analogy in American terms might be if some American Indian tribe such as the Cherokee or Seminoles, driven from their ancestral lands, were scattered all over the globe, somehow managed to maintain their cultural and ethnic identity, and centuries later reconstitute inside their original lands in the southeastern US, deal with the new occupants of their land who moved in during their absence, and build an entirely separate, distinct Cherokee or Seminole nation in these lands. And, on top of all that, long after their original language was all but dead --- make that original language of theirs the commonly spoken tongue of their new state. This is how this seems in the same way with the Jewish people establishing the State of Israel in 1948.

Gordis does an excellent job telling of the great minds such as Theodore Herzl and others who, in the 19th Century, proposed the reestablishment of a Jewish homeland. Also, he does well in describing the historical background driving these new minds behind the Zionist Movement --- the centuries of anti-Semitism, the discriminatory laws --- and extreme brutality and increasing viciousness of the pogroms, particularly within Russia.

One thing I was not fully aware of until reading this book is that the modern use of Hebrew is really a relatively recent thing. For the most part, until the 19th Century, Hebrew --- as far as being a language in daily use by common people --- was dead --- like Latin or Ancient Egyptian. That Hebrew took off and was revived at all is in large part due to the efforts of Rabbi Eliezer Ben-Yehuda --- the man who modernized Hebrew, popularized its use, expended great effort in converting other Jews to learn it and use it in their daily lives --- and pass this on to their children and generations thereafter. I doubt that any effort at reviving an ancient "dead" language in other civilizations has ever happened as successfully. Perhaps, Ireland's efforts with Gaelic come close, but nowhere near as has been the case with Hebrew in Israel and the rest of the Jewish community.

In addition, Gordis does well in describing the phenomenal efforts involved in unifying Jews within a state like Israel. I think most Gentiles have a tendency to think of Jews and Judaism as one bloc. But, as he shows, that is far from the case. In fact, there are many subdivisions --- each with their own profound culture, beliefs, and customs. Groups based on where the Jews originated with terms such "Ash-Kenazi", "Mizrahim", and "Sephardim" --- as well as groups based upon religion --- such as the Orthodox and Haredim ---- as well as divisions based upon politics such as socialism, secularism, nationalism, and free markets. From reading this book, it's very clear that the forces working within against, at least in the beginning, of settling Palestine and eventually building the State of Israel were very nearly as strong as those seeking the destruction of Israel from without.

I was surprised at the extent to which Gordis does not go into much detail on Israel's wars or upon the terrorist attacks upon it such as the 1972 murders of its Olympic athletes or the Entebbe raid. However, this is "a concise history" ---- so keeping things brief does make some sense, given this. Doing so also gives him more room to discuss aspects of Israel's politics and culture that many readers may not be aware of.

This is definitely a book written primarily from an Israeli Jewish point of view --- so it may be good to read other accounts of Israeli and Palestinian history to get a balanced story of this region; however, it is very well-written, factual, and readable, and I enjoyed it very much. While earlier I did not plan it out this way, I did find that reading this along with the "Lonely Planet: Israel and the Palestinian Territories" complemented each other --- with this book giving me the background and the travel guide giving me the geography and descriptions of historical sites described in this book which made it fun and interesting to me in planning future travel to this nation. I do recommend this book for anyone desiring more about Israel and about the events driving its establishment.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

After I read The Way to the Spring: Life and Death in Palestine late last year, I promised myself and any of my review-readers that I would read something more sympathetic to Israel, so that's why I read this. I'm very glad I did even though it really didn't help me to work my way through my feelings about the conflicts between Israel and its neighbors. I'm Jewish by the Nazi/Israel definition of the word and I think I undeniably would have supported the creation of the state of Israel when it began and I also find a lot that Israel has accomplished to be inspiring and it really does fill me with pride for the amazingness of the Jewish people throughout time.

That said, I cannot forget the other book I read. It was very upsetting to learn about the horrific mistreatment of Palestineans at the hands of the IDF and the Jewish settlers. That is real, it's not just an anti-Semitic fantasy. But after reading this book I'm even less sure of what anyone should be doing about any of this. I knew already from reading Bill Clinton's memoir years ago that Arafat had turned down a two-state agreement, and I learned from this book that Palestine has rejected many chances to have their own state next to Israel. Instead, they only want the end to the Jewish state altogether, and that cannot and should not happen. There is no doubt in my mind, especially after also having just read Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History, that the refusal of the Arabs in the middle east to accept deals with Israel that forces them to recognize that Israel IS a country is not simply an anger about colonialism or a disliking of western values, but specifically about anti-Semitic conspiracy theories that seems to infect people and cause enormous harm repeatedly throughout history. And that makes me worry that there can never be peace.

Because this book failed to talk really at all about the kinds of things Isreal does to Palestine every day, and instead focuses only on the losses Isreal has, even when they're far fewer than the losses on the other side, I have to admit I find it untrustworthy. The author seems to really take pride in the IDF not trying to kill civilians, but the stories out of Palestine tell us otherwise, and also tells us that there are other ways to mistreat people besides killing them. For instance, you could spray "skunk" liquid on them, you can bulldoze their houses, you can arrest and torture them, you can force everyone to have a curfew, you can limit their mobility. Also, you can turn a blind eye to settlers moving into territories that are not theirs and then killing plenty of people (people interviewed in The Way to the Spring feared the settlers more than they feared the IDF) while technically being about to say their military doesn't routinely kill civilians.

Honestly, though, I'm not sure what anyone should do about any of it. I feel terrible for the Palestinians and I cannot stand them being killed, but I think their leadership has fucked them time and time again by refusing compromises mostly due to an ani-Semitic hatred for Israel. I used to think that Israel, as the stronger party, had all the responsibility to back off of their military incursions, and to really try to make a good faith peace, even if some Israelis get killed in the process. And I guess I still think that, but I'm less cocksure that shit would work. Now that I'm 34, I guess the last of my youthful idealism about human nature is gone, and now I think humans suck so bad that we'll fight this planet right into its early grave. Maybe the Christians are right about the Jews returning to their ancestral homeland signaling the start of the apocalypse and now we're ringing in the end times with trumpets (Trump/Pence). I almost wish that was the case because then all this shit would have been predetemined and decidedly less tragic.

[Hassan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is perhaps one of the worst books I've ever read on Israeli history post-independence. The first part which covers the events and processes leading up to the creation of Israel is fine--but the rest is unforgivably bad. It's evidently clear that Gordis is extremely pro-Israel, and it shows in the way he presents the narrative to the reader. For one, Gordis keeps writing that Israel seems to always be in a state of existential danger, despite the overwhelming evidence that Israel is far more advanced and militarily capable than any Arab country around it. For every Jewish person, a deep and nuanced history which informs the reader's opinion of the difficult decisions they had to make. For most Arabs, they are painted as an angry, irrational, extremist collective which wants nothing more than to kill Jews and destroy Israel. It reaches its worst point when Gordis talks about the Intifada. Could you believe that he presents the idea of IDF soldiers shooting and beating Palestinians and breaking their bones as harmful to the soldiers' feelings? This is not someone who wants to present an unbiased history of Israel to you. This is a work which is trying to present a highly biased and warped view of Israeli history to convince you to accept the right wing Israeli nationalist narrative. This is a work which glosses over some of the ugliest parts of Israeli history in favor of rosy prose about national pride and emotion in the face of hardship. As a reviewer, I too am biased in favor of my opinions. For that reason, I will not recommend any specific book, but I highly urge the reader to seek out any book on Israeli history which does not evidently favor a pro or anti Israeli narrative. Research the author(s) beforehand, and know to look for bias where you can find it. (For instance, this loving statement about Gordis from the Wikipedia page on him: "Gordis has been harshly critical of American Jews who criticize Israeli government policies, sometimes publicly accusing them of either betraying Israel and the Jewish people (as in the case of Rabbi Sharon Brous), having insufficient love for Israel (Rabbi Jill Jacobs) or being a traitor to the Jewish people (Peter Beinart). He has also extended this assessment to rabbinical seminaries and their students.")

1/5. The pre-Israel history portions are fine, but the rest is unforgivably bad.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

My life-long fascination and love of Israel was amplified by visiting in November. Anyone following along on my wall saw the pictures, poem and thoughts I expressed about the trip.

I remember crying for joy as a young teen when I heard about the Camp David Peace Accords. I was more devastated by the horrible assassination of Yitzhak Rabin than I was by the election of Donald Trump. Both events had frightening implications for the two countries I love the most.

But I am a J-Street Jew. I believe in questioning Israel's leadership, which I find in its current form to be extremist, anti-peace (but less so than the Palestinian leadership) and the greatest threat to Israel's long-term security. The ultra orthodox in Israel are a tremendous drag on the economy there. And the settler movements' racist, absolutist, violent, and zealous hold on the Israeli government is a stain on the creation of the likes of Herzl, Ha'am, Ben-Gurion, Dayan, Rabin, and countless others.

Having just completed reading Daniel Gordis;s "Israel, A Concise History of a Nation Reborn," my love for Israel is stronger, as is my appreciation for the Israeli perspectives. My fear for the country might also be more substantial, largely based on some of what I mentioned above.

Gordis, who Wikipedia says was a more liberal Jew who has shifted to be slightly right of center, does a masterful job of laying out Israel's history, and the place of Jews in and on the land. He is balanced in his portrayal, but the pro-Israel leanings that naturally surface at times appear reasonable for the most part.

While Gordis is a bit too slanted when he discusses the Iranian nuclear deal (How about citing all the experts in Israel and the world who supported the deal, instead of focusing on Henry Kissinger and George Schultz?), only hints at the threats of the settler movement to peace and the ultra orthodox to the economy, and offers little on the current extremism of the Netanyahu government, overall he has accomplished something remarkable and of long-lasting value in his book. For a more balanced portrayal of the most recent decade, you will have to look elsewhere. Well worth the read, no matter the weaknesses on current events.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book. Daniel Gordis gives a great summary of the history of Israel. I would recommend it to learn some background, especially if you want to hear it from a perspective sympathetic to a Jewish Israeli point of view.

It was interesting learning about the diversity of peoples that would make up the eventual state of Israel. There are the ethnic differences: while the vast majority are Jews, about one quarter of the country are Arabs and other non-Jewish ethnicities. But even within the Jewish community you have many divisions: European Jews and Middle Eastern Jews (not that there were just 2 groups; they came from all over – but this was the biggest cultural divide). Secular and religious Jews. There are the Haredi, or ultra-Orthodox community, which are very distinctive and at the center of some polarizing political issues. And there have been fierce debates about how central Zionism should be to the Jewish identity.

And of course, there are different views on what is ethically permissible to do to defend themselves when they are under attack. I was struck by the sophisticated discussions and arguments on this issue from various Israeli leaders, and the respect for freedom of speech and dissent in Israel. Gordis says that self-critique is one of the most defining characteristics of Israeli society.

Despite these internal and external challenges, Israel has flourished. It has built a liberal democracy with a thriving economy. I’m inspired by their resilience, creativity, humanity, and the depth of their philosophical debates.

[Adam Hummel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish I could give it 10 out of 5 stars. Cannot say enough good things about this book. Insightful, great history, meaningful, well-written. Incredible volume to add to the already amazing library out there of books on Israeli history. Another brilliant book by Daniel Gordis.

[Scott Hitchcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*'s

Not being Jewish it's amazing how much of the history of Israel I actually knew and remembered. With all the focus in today's world on racism and equality it's a sad focal point that after thousands of years this group of people are still on the receiving end of so much outright hatred.

[Rodney Harvill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers the history of Israel from the beginning of the Zionist movement in the late 1890’s to 2016, when it was published. Even for a small nation like Israel, a century of history is a lot of ground to cover; hence the book is a high-level survey of the relevant history. A few high points I noticed include:

• The Zionist movement was prompted by rising anti-Semitism in Europe, especially in western Europe. As centuries-old restrictions on occupations were removed, Jews had been entering new fields and excelling, often outperforming their non-Jewish colleagues and arousing envy. Furthermore, those engaging in violence against the Jews in pogroms often called on them to go back to their homeland. The Zionists got the message and concluded that the only way to truly be safe in the world was to have a Jewish homeland where Jews would make and enforce the laws.
• In 1903, there was a violent pogrom in Kishinev, Russia that claimed the lives of four dozen Jews. In the wake of this pogrom, Jewish poet Chaim Bialik wrote “In the City of Slaughter,” condemning both the violent persecutors as well as the Jews themselves for cowering in their basements while their families were brutalized. It was time for a new Jew who would no longer tolerate being abused. Interestingly enough, Kishinev may have cast a longer shadow than did the Holocaust, for it merely validated the lessons already learned at Kishinev.
• While some Zionists worked towards formation of a Jewish homeland, the vision and diligent efforts of Eliezer Ben Yehuda restored Hebrew to the status of a spoken language, believing that a Jewish homeland needed its own Jewish language. Interestingly enough, he ran into resistance from Orthodox Jews, who thought he was profaning a sacred language. I find this absolutely stunning. When the Old Testament scriptures were written, Hebrew was a spoken language, covering every aspect of life, from the sacred to the profane. How did these Orthodox Jews fail to see this?
• The Zionist movement prompted a series of Aliyot (plural of Aliyah), waves of Jewish immigration into Palestine, both before and after World War I. In the wake of the Balfour declaration and the formation of the British Mandate after World War I, the British initially encouraged Jewish immigration into Palestine but then restricted it in an effort to appease Arab opposition. These restrictions proved to be an obstacle for Jews fleeing Germany between Hitler’s rise to power and the outbreak of World War II. Many Jews attempting to immigrate to Palestine were forced to return to Europe to face death in Hitler’s concentration camps. After World War II, these restrictions remained in place, and Holocaust survivors attempting to immigrate found themselves locked up behind the barbed wire fences around internment camps.
• Starting in the 1920’s Arabs in Palestine started resorting to violence against Jews in an effort to drive them out. The ad hoc defense forces formed up for self defense would go on to be the core of the armed forces Israel fielded in its 1948 Independence War.
• During the Independence War, many Arabs in Palestine left their homes or were forced to leave. Simultaneously, a similar number of Jews in Arab nations such as Egypt, Syria, Iraq, etc., were driven out, forced to leave their homes and worldly possessions behind. Israel, lacking the resources to care for them, welcomed them. The Arab nations turned the Palestinian Arabs into permanent refugees.
• The 1967 Six Day War was prompted a military mobilization and buildup by Israel’s neighbors, coupled with bellicose rhetoric about driving the Jews into the sea. Severely outnumbered, Israel recognized that it could not afford to let its enemies choose the time and place of battle and decided to launch a surprise attack that decimated enemy air forces and gained for Israel air superiority. As the primary threat was from Egypt, along with the need to reopen the Straits of Tiran, which Egypt had closed in violation of international law, Israel initially focused its efforts in the Sinai but soon recognized an opportunity to deal with other issues. For example, the Golan Heights had been used as high ground to periodically bombard Galilee. Furthermore, all Jewish holy sites were under Jordanian control in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Since Israel was now at war with Syria and Jordan, there was a golden opportunity to gain control of these territories, and Israel took advantage of it.
• After its overwhelming victory in the Six Day War, Israel became overconfident in its ability to defeat its enemies. This period of overconfidence, the conceptzia, ended with the surprise attack by Syria and Egypt on Yom Kippur in 1973. In the end, Israel was victorious in its third existential war in twenty-five years.
• Because the Palestinians began using southern Lebanon as a base of operations from which they could fire rockets into Galilee, Israel decided to invade and occupy part of Lebanon to stop the rockets. I had wrongly assumed that being caught by surprise in the Yom Kippur War had made Israel more reactive to provocations. Instead, these rocket attacks were causing Israelis to have to sleep in their basements and in shelters. Israel hadn’t come as far as it had for its people to have to cower in their basements as at Kishinev, and the prime minister decided to take decisive action.
• In deciding who qualified as sufficiently Jewish to be eligible for citizenship, Israel abandoned the traditional criterion of having a Jewish mother and followed the lead of the Nuremberg laws. If a person was Jewish enough to be hunted down by the Nazis, he was Jewish enough to be an Israeli citizen. Not surprisingly, Jews came to Israel from all over the world and brought with them the values of their places of origin. Not surprisingly, this has produced conflict, but it is also a part of their Israeli identity.
• In its conflicts with its neighbors and with Palestinian terrorists, Israel has sometimes overreacted. The author acknowledges this and also points out that such overreactions tend to provoke soul searching in Israel and lead to changes in how Israelis wage war. What he finds frustrating, though, is that the world tends to spotlight Israel’s overreactions to a provocation and completely ignore the provocation, typically an act of terrorism, that led to the overreaction. One such incident occurred in 1953. A group of Palestinian infiltrators lobbed a grenade into an apartment in the middle of the night, killing a mother and two of her young children as they slept in their beds. In response, Israeli troops demolished Qibya, a West Bank border village, killing 50-60 inhabitants and provoking an international outcry over the reprisal but not over the Israelis killed in their sleep. The author and other Israelis tend to see such asymmetric international responses as the latest manifestation of Jew-hatred, and I am inclined to agree with him. No provocation, no response. If the provocations stop, so will the reprisals.

My review barely scratches the surface. The book is very informative and well written.

[E.T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 Extraordinary ! This was a political history of (modern) Israel right from the roots of Zionism in the 19th century to the 2010s. It was perfect - readable, informative, empathetic, self-critical (the author is an Israeli) and never lost sight of the "big picture" too. Have been interested in learning about Israel as there are some parallels with India and with Europe's present predicament.
Some insights :-
a) Firstly, I think the issue of why Israel was founded by partitioning Palestine (and not say Poland/Germany) needed to be elaborated more. The 0.5 rating has been deducted for this reason else the book is perfect.
b) A truth conveniently forgotten by the world is that the refugee movement on partition of Palestine was 2-way. Just as with partition in India, an equal no. of Jews became refugees from Arab lands and Palestine, as Arab Palestinians. Israel gave them citizenship and they rebuilt their lives. The Arab countries did not. And I think Palestinians and Israel's Arab neighbours have a problem in closure and moving on.
c) Israel's repeated efforts at peace were thwarted despite public declarations of returning close to 95% of the land under occupation and providing reparations. It is noteworthy that Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005 while uprooting thousands of Jews, and the Palestinians responded to this gesture by upscaling violence and electing Hamas.
d) A great feature that distinguishes Israel from Arabs is self-criticism and liberty. Was surprised to read that some authors with strong anti-Israel views like Ilan Pappe are Jews. This is not an exception but a necessary and sufficient condition of being a liberal democracy. Please name one Arab Muslim who has empathised with the Israeli position or criticised the Palestinian violence.
e) While India lacks intellectuals in the RW space, Israel seems to have a strong intellectual tradition because of (d). Infact , I am continuing with "Saving Israel" by the author to read a sensible opinion on what lies ahead for Israel ? How does one deal with an intolerant minority and hateful neighbours who want to wipe out your existence.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I've long been a proponent of Israel and tried to keep up with its news, much has escaped me. Much of the history of its founding was also new to me (or forgotten if I knew it). This book (which I listened to rather than read) was an enormous aid in helping me fill in the gaps in my knowledge as well as to enlighten me on many of the issues currently facing the nation.

The publication date of the book, 2016, is also fortuitous for me since it, while mostly up to date, was written before the current crowd of anti-Semites in US government and public life came to prominence. There were times when I wondered if perhaps pro-Israeli commentators were being too sensitive to certain remarks, such as the one made late last year (2018) using the words "from the river to the sea." Thanks to this book, I learned of the phrase's origin and meaning and now understand better why it was so strongly criticized.

Another disturbing revelation is the continued rise of anti-Semitism in Europe. It is horrifying that this trend exists and persists. It's also disheartening and frustrating to learn how completely the chatterati have been seduced by the PR put out by terrorists who seek Israel's demise.

On a positive note, I'm amazed but not surprised by the decency and self-awareness of the Israeli populace. Israel, as with all nations, sometimes does bad things. To their credit, the Israeli people, while seeking to remain strong, also seek to remain just.

[Virginia Cornelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Istoria este o redare a unei perspectivei, si spre deosebire de matematica si fizica, indiferente si amorale , ea implica de fiecare data un grad crescut de subiectivism .

Consecutiv interesului meu pentru cultura si istoria araba s-a ivit si interesul pentru perspectiva evreilor, in privinta istoriei moderne si curiozitatea legata de conflictul arabo-israelian.

Asa ca am cumparat aceasta carte , " O istorie a evreilor " a lui Paul Johnson si cartea lui Ronen Bergman " Ridica-te si ucide primul " .

Am inceput cu Gordis, deoarece ofera o perspectiva mai ampla asupra istoriei recente a poporului evreu.

Mi-a placut prima parte, prezentarea situatiei evreilor in anii 1800 si inceputul anilor 1900, aparitia ideologiei sioniste si dorinta de a avea un loc numai ai lor. Situatie extrem de complicata. Unde sa apara o noua tara? Mi s-a parut de-a dreptul incredibila si bizara ideea de a crea un stat evreu in Africa ( Planul Uganda). La fel, mi s-a parut interesanta dorinta de secularizare - conditie sine qua non in crearea unui noi stat, dar si nevoia de aparitie a unui om nou, a unui evreu nou " care sa nu se mai aplece in fata persecutiilor, sa nu se mai ascunda dupa butoie ca in pogromul de la Chisinau ( citat aproximativ) ci sa stea cu arma in mana in fata prigonitorului.
Reinvierea si reinventarea limbii ebraice, o limba care sa lege locuitorii noului spatiu, sa ajute si sa sustina nationalismul, si renuntarea la ebraica rabinilor si a carturarilor.

Ce nu mi-a placut la felul in care a fost scrisa cartea :

Subiectivismul.

Cartea fiind premiata cu National Jewish Book Award am trecut peste faptul ca autorul este analist si editor si nu istoric, si iata, am gresit. Am citit mai degraba o mostra de patriotism literar in urmatoarele aproximativ 200 de pagini si nu ceea ce ma gandeam eu ca o sa fie intr o istorie, fie ea si scurta.

Multe poezii inserate care nu mi - au transmis niciun mesaj. S-a dorit un elogiu oamenilor de cultura israeliei, in principiu celor in baza carora s-a construit ideologia sionista.

Foarte putin despre tipurile de evrei ( secularizati, ultraordodocsi , sefarzi, ashkenazi , ideologiile si felul in care s-au inteles sau nu ), nonetnicii evrei ( arabii ) sunt exceptional mentionati , iar despre conflictele cu vecinii - foarte putin spus,si cand a fost abordat subiectul - actiunea a fost una defensiva.

Deloc despre evolutie economica si militara a Israelului ,de la nimic sau foarte putin la o superputere regionala si nu numai.

Sa inchei intr-o nota amuzanta, atat evreii sau cel putin autorul, ii acuza pe englezi de rele tratamente si intentii impotriva lor , in pofida Declaratiei Balfour si culmea, arabii fac acelasi lucru, sustinand ca au fost folositi de englezi care au facut promisiuni, au tinut Declaratia in sertar pana cand au castigat razboiul impotriva Imperiului Otoman , lucru imposibil fara participarea arabilor, si apoi au venit si cu Declaratia si cu pactul Sykes- Pycot .

3 stele pentru lirism si subiectivism .

Crearea unei

[Ameya Joshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you don't know too much about Israel - this is the perfect place to start without any doubt at all. As it says in the long title : it is a 'concise history' and although one may debate how long should something which is 'concise' be (at 500ish pages probably longer than what the word would lead you to believe) - it is breezy, brief and very readable.

The book is accessible even for absolute novices - I appreciated the effort to go back into the history of Judaism and why the land of Israel was so important was also covered - before the more expected part of history from Herzl and his Zionist Congress. Gordis balances between being exhaustive and getting too detailed very well; also providing not just a political history but also the cultural evolution and an introduction to the thought leaders of Israel. The post-1948 part also tries hard to provide multiple threads of vox populi, the changing political & religious winds and not just the official line.

So while this is a book I wholeheartedly recommend -it is also a book I feel which must be read in conjunction with something else . Gordis is unapologetically, unabashedly Israeli and although he says he tries to make his perspective neutral - the bias stands out. The Arabs 'astonishingly reject peace-overtures', 'predictably respond with violence' and are unwilling to compromise while being dishonest, manipulative and unappreciative of the Israelis in general. The whole Israel-Palestine saga is more a narrative war today than anything else with both sides having made innumerable mistakes and intentional misdeeds, both having been victims and aggressors countless number of times and to go back in time to unravel the threads is essentially an exercise in 'who started it'.

Depending on who tells you the story could lead to a completely different picture being painted. So read this for the Israeli side of things, but do follow it up with the other narrative as well. I would recommend : (1) The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East by Sandy Tolan or (2) Palestine by Joe Sacco as two options.

[Julian Douglass · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique and interesting account on the creation of Israel. Mr. Gordis does not start his biography on the state in 1948, but about 50 years before that with the creation of Zionism and how that idea created the state for Jews to come to and live free of persecution. Unlike Ahron Bregman’s balanced view of the state of Israel and the occupied territories, Mr. Gordis has a more slanted view towards the Jewish people and their right to the land. However, his view and reasoning aren’t as belligerent as some Right-wing Israelis and American Jews and non-Jews say in the media or on the internet, as their "love" for Israel is shorthand for their hatred of Arabs. Mr. Gordis describes the Jewish state as a set of compromises that one side was never willing to accommodate to, and even when they got what they wanted, they were never happy. Israel is a state of many different ideologies, views on how the Jewish state should survive, and the way Israeli society should function. A deep and interesting account on the different views of Zionism and how it created the state of Israel and the political, social, and economic culture and powerhouse it is today.

[Dee Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible credit 16 hours 19 min Narrated by Fred Sanders (A)

A great history of the country of Israel. I would have profited more from Catch-67 if I had read this book first. The author gives great background of the way Jews were mistreated by the countries to which they scattered in the Diaspora after they were banished by the Romans in 70 A.D. from their homeland. This was more than a political history. The author included Hebrew books, poetry, music, and films. It was a fascinating and heartbreaking read.
If you want insight into the Israel Palestine problems, this is a great background.

[Noah Goats · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of the foundation of modern Israel, from the first conception of Zionism by Theodor Herzl to the modern Jewish state, is a fascinating piece of history, and Daniel Gordis tells it very well. This is a great and highly readable book.

Gordis comes to the subject with a strong bias in favor of Israel, and he makes a good case for his point of view. (But then again, all my sympathies are with Israel to begin with.) Gordis doesn’t shy away from the mistakes and even atrocities that have been committed in the creation of the state of Israel, but he always puts them in context and is careful to show them from each side’s perspective.

It really is astonishing that 2,000 years after Titus destroyed the temple and scattered the Jews across the Empire their culture and sense of home was so powerful that they went back. Lots of people have been scattered and dislocated by history, only the Jews have maintained their identity so completely that they have come back home again after such a length of time. And it’s also amazing how things came together, from the first spark of modern zionism, to Turkey losing control of Palestine, to the holocaust, and then a successful war for independence against all their neighbors at once... the Jewish people can be excused for seeing a miracle in all this.

Of course, there is a messy side to all the glory, with the teeming shantytowns full of Palestinian refugees who have been stuck between Israel and the Arab world since the late 1940s and all the bitter fighting and terrorism that has flowed out of this situation... Israel is suffering from a number of sores that ooze to this day and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

[Jolanta (knygupė) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5*

[Lukas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book in preparation for a week-long trip to Israel -- it has ended up as one of my all-time favorite books. Gordis, the author, manages to convey Israel's highly complex history in an accessible, coherent, and dense reading that you cannot put away. By interjecting excerpts from contemporary poems, songs, speeches, and religious texts, he creates a vivid image of the zeitgeist at any given time. Every fact, every personality, and every event is well embedded in its historical context so that you do not get lost a single time. This book is an important reading if one aims to understand contemporary international affairs.

Key Learnings:
- To better understand the context of historical events, delve into some popular contemporary poetry, literature, and song-writing. In the case of Israel, these media helped create a unifying vision around the founding of a Jewish state.
- A handful of committed, idealistic people can change the course of history entirely. Israeli history has repeatedly made clear that even a couple of 12th-graders sending a letter to the government can make it to the history books.
- To understand most, of not all, current international affairs, Israel’s history is an insightful teacher. Israel holds an important role in the international intelligence community. In the Middle East, it is surrounded by hostile neighbor countries, pointing back to many of the tensions in the regions. Historically, it has been the site of proxy wars of global superpowers. An amazing amount of resolutions of the United Nations has focused on this nation.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non-Fiction>History, 4 Stars
I picked up this book because I realized I knew very little about the region and its history. I thought I knew about Israel-it's a nation that the winning side of WWII set aside for the Jews and the reason for the placement of this nation is that this is the place that the Jews are originally 'from' as a people. Having lived in various other nations for many generations, the Jewish people have seen suffering and oppression everywhere they have migrated to and needed a place to be 'theirs.' My very rudimentary understanding wasn't necessarily wrong, but was definitely simplistic.

I very much enjoyed this history. The author makes clear attempts to be unbiased, but I don't think this is an attainable goal. This is not the fault of the author; it is just the way it is sometimes with contentious situations. While the Arabs are described as mostly hostile with some forgiving examples, the hostile Jews are described with qualifiers such as an individual who carries out an attack being 'insane' or a group has 'no choice but to respond with violence'-- the Arab descriptions rarely include such qualifiers. Again, this is understandable but I do want to explain it for potential readers to understand the bias that is inherent (and I would argue unavoidable) here.

I enjoyed reading the earlier history the most--this is usually the case for me. The author describes the biblical foundation for seeking out specifically the land around Jerusalem and the generations of Jews who would dream of returning as more of an abstract ideal than an actual plan, the beginnings of Zionism, the poetry and other cultural works of the Jewish people, and the leaders of various movements along the way to finally fighting for their own nation that would become Israel.
Other than then early history, I also enjoyed learning about the internal struggles and that there have been various divides between religion vs secular, Israeli Jew vs US Jew-- just the internal struggles that risk the overall plan for the people as a whole. It is really amazing that Israel has gotten to the position that it has considering it is surrounded by enemies who literally plan to exterminate it, its allies are mercurial and everchanging, its people are united but with internal struggles and historical differences and its very liberal immigration policies.

I learned a lot. I would encourage anyone wanting to know more about the Jewish state of Israel to read this book. It is full of well-delivered facts. Yes, it's a bit dense and it is not a beach read, but it is very informative. If I only retain 10% of what I learned I will be much better off for it.

[Heleen.A.H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved it! But it was obviously biased, and that’s the only reason I'm giving it 3 stars!
I’m aware of the wrong policies that have been seen from the Jewish state during the last few decades, but it doesn't change the fact that through unique smart diplomacy, Jewish people gained prosperity when they were falling into an abyss. They made a nation out of chaos! They changed the affiliation of Jew from a religious one to a national one! They could have been less aggressive, though!
But their experience of making a state is something from which we Kurds must learn.

[Q Silver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Important and informative, it gets so focused on immense details that it forgets many of its readers are ignorant of the big picture. It assumes its readers are as familiar with these “basic facts” as the author is, which unfortunately makes it a bit difficult to truly follow as it leaves unsaid what it believes to be obvious.

[Hal Schrieve · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book covers a lot of ground in terms of the facts of Israel’s statehood and is a good primer on what you are likely to hear about the history of Israel from a right-wing perspective. The facts it cites aren’t flagrantly incorrect and in some sense it gives an outside reader a lot to think about in terms of the long history of arguments about Zionism within Israel and it will definitely tell a person more than a more general book on current struggles—it goes all the way back to the nineteenth century and the birth of Zionist thought.

However, I have beef with how this author writes history. Here are my two major criticisms of this book:

1. Gordis writes history as propaganda and leaves out facts that don’t support his viewpoint/which depict people on his side in a bad light .

I appreciate that the majority of people looking to read this book support the existence of the state of Israel and frankly I am not sure that this is a problem. A historian can direct his book at a particular audience and even hold specific beliefs and state his argument for these beliefs in his work. However, Gordis does not limit himself to making reasoned arguments in favor of Israeli policy or arguing that his position is the correct one (as opposed to opponents’). Rather he behaves as if he is giving an unbiased history but leaves out details on the deaths of Palestinian civilians, the racism of early Zionists, and war crimes committed by Israeli soldiers in history and the present. These are deeply irresponsible things for even a propagandist to do, because it leaves him with an argument that only stands if one ignores the huge gaps. Gordis even uses adverbs and adjectives like “savage” to describe dissenting political groups within Israel, and doesn’t present any of the various reasons Israeli Jews or Jews in the American diaspora might be uncomfortable with settlements or with the marginalization of Arabs within Israeli society or a whole host of issues. It is basically the same issue as reading a history of the Vietnam War which presents America as a just democratic nation fighting for freedom and creating prosperity—it isn’t just biased, it completely obfuscates the historical picture and doesn’t show the intelligent opponents of state policy. Fundamentally, Gordis doesn’t seem to recognize that people who have materially suffered under the state of Israel might access his book or read it and be able to refute his blatant refusal to engage in discussion. This makes me uneasy. It is a pity because I have heard good things about the religious works written by Gordis.

2. He only uses secondary sources.

While general purpose surveys of History are necessary for popular consumption, Gordis doesn’t really add anything here. He is just picking and choosing from longer and more detailed narratives of different parts of Israeli history in order to craft a condensed narrative. I don’t appreciate his brevity or how he selects his facts and I think this book would have more merit if he did any primary historical research at all.

[Matthew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Presents basically the Israeli government's account of Israeli history (i.e. Israel has never done anything wrong)

Let me start by saying: this is one of the best books I've read for learning about Israel's History, and the perspective of many Israeli's. It is well written and the right amount of depth. It is well researched and accurate for the most part.

HOWEVER - on every major point of controversy, it basically presents the "Israel did nothing wrong" perspective. Every time something came up where the author seemed to be spending an inordinate amount of time explaining how Israel was in the right (for some conflict or massacre etc), I would go to wikipedia and read about events for myself. That's the way I'd recommend reading this book.

The author also repeatedly treats Jews and Israelis with a recognition of heterogeneity (different factions, different beliefs), but repeatedly lumps all Arabs together.

Some examples
"The Arab population was angry at the support for a Jewish state. In a pattern that they would repeat again and again, they responded with violence."

"In what was already their standard pattern, arabs reaponded to peele in yet another round of violence"

On the Deir Yassin massacre:
”the Irgun categorically denied the rapes, but the denials fell on deaf ears, largely because all parties had something to benefit” (well that's one perspective...)

“Had there been genocide or rape? Later historians, both Israeli and Palestinian, agreed that there had been no rapes whatsoever, and the death toll was almost precisely what the Irgun claimed.
(very much not true)

"But that was never how the Arabs described it. At the time, their assertions of a horrific massacre spread and prompted more Palestinians to flee their homes, ultimately making them refugees."
(ah yes, they made themselves refugees)

On the Lydda exodus he says only:
“The IDF and local Arab leadership reached an agreement that population would leave the town and move to the east” ("they reached an agreement" really, an occupying army and an occupied population? No mention of pillage, property theft, deaths from marching in the heat, etc?)


I could go on and on with examples like this...

[Talia Carner · Rating 5 out of 5]

From near annihilation to resurrection. In the rich tapestry of Israel’s concise—yet dense and painful—history, Daniel Gordis weaves awe into the complexity of constructing a new kind of Jewish society. Out of a dream that would not die, the new nation is a self-reflective, spiritual and intellectual, yet one that has conquered swamps and dessert and taken arms time and again because there was never the option of turning back. “Israel” the book is an extraordinary reminder that “Israel” the county, with its new language, secular culture and unparalleled achievements, is nothing short of a man-made miracle.
-- Talia Carner, author HOTEL MOSCOW and JERUSALEM MAIDEN (and others).

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

History of Israel interesting read. It read like a collection of biographies of different people one after the other. Then in parts like news bulletins. Some people and events I had never heard about others a little, this book for me filled in some gaps about Israel, so its very good book easy to follow and if it interests you go ahead have a go. Definately enlightened me on troubles facing people living in that part of the world and how complicated it is. Recommend it to anyone who is a student of history.

[Amrit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danny Gordis is eloquent, polarizing, and weaves threads from Israel's complicated history in a coherent fashion. My uneducated admiration of the country comes from friends and family. After reading this book, I better understand the difference of opinion between European Jewry, American Jewry and the nation state of Israel.

[Boze Herrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Periodically I become fascinated by the question of how the Jewish people have managed to survive 2,500 years of near-constant persecution. Toward the end of his book “Israel: A Concise History,” Daniel Gordis, a Jewish reporter living in Israel, points out that the Jews are the only ancient people still living in their ancestral homeland, practicing their ancient religion and speaking the same language they spoke thousands of years ago. A Washington Post columnist once called it the greatest miracle of modern times; and yet, with the exception of weird Bible prophecy types, no one seems to care. I’ve taken informal polls of my Christian friends and very few of them were aware that the Jewish return to Israel in the 1940s (after 2,000 years of exile and diaspora) was an event of an unprecedented nature. To put it in perspective, no other race of people in world history has survived more than forty years of exile and returned home en masse; conquest and assimilation typically wipes them out. And yet the Jews have endured, despite the fact that they’re persecuted and marked for extermination seemingly everywhere they go. The question of why the Jews are so hated is a great mystery, one that Gordis touches on at various points in this accessible survey of modern Israel: he calls anti-semitism an irrational, almost super-human force that is capable of manifesting anywhere, citing, among countless other examples, a Russian pogrom in the 1900s in which Jewish women and children were viciously slaughtered by mobs. At the height of the second world war, the Germans continued to waste money and resources on rounding up and exterminating Jews as if the Holocaust mattered more to them than winning the war did. What accounts for that? And how did the Jews ultimately triumph against these and other enemies and rebuild their homeland? It’s possibly the most extraordinary drama of the twentieth century but again, no one seems to be talking about it.

[Logan Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed learning more about Western Asia (Middle Eastern) history from various perspectives. Having studied my whole life the ancient events via the medium of religious texts with a modern Christian lens, it has been fascinating to dive into histories of these lands written from an Ottoman perspective first and now Israeli perspective. Each book builds upon the others, further clarifies and shines lights on aspects to challenge my beliefs and to see it from a different perspective. Each group obviously has their own biases and agenda, so it has been immensely helpful to see through their eyes events that were happening that shaped the current circumstances that are still at the center of so much conflict and debate. It hasn’t given me answers or strong opinions, as I see the multitude of ways different events can be perceived and how that perception leads to atrocities and conflict and further rupturing into violence. It is tragic, complicated, and collective memory/trauma winding its way through millennia fuels so much misconceptions, misunderstandings, blind righteous rage, defensiveness, hurt, victimization. The cycle perpetuates and it is so sad. I’m grateful for those who do the research though into the facts, the context, who allow for self criticism and debate. So important for any progress. Highly recommend.

[Darin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good and thorough look at the history of Israel from a worldly non-believer perspective. Would love to find a history book in the country from a Messianic Jewish perspective.

[Glen Stott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a long book, filled with information – way more than I could possibly pass along in a review. Gordis begins his History in the mid to late 1800s. He describes the birth of Zionism and what it stood for. He follows various movements to create a Jewish state, not all of them focused on the Middle East – Argentina, for example, was seriously considered. Gordis caries through the impact of the disastrous WWI & WWII, though the impact of WWII was significantly greater. He describes, in detail, the political movements and changes as Israel has struggled through several wars and battled terrorism. Politically it has vacillated between the right (religious) and left (secular). He outlines the various international relationships that have waxed and waned through the seventy years Israel has existed. The book is highly informative and points out the successes and the painful lessons learned through mistakes made along the way.

In order to be as well informed as I can, I make it a habit to read different views on many subjects, including politics, science, history, etc. I try to read with an open mind to fairly evaluate what I read. This means I must also be willing to change my mind about any subject when new data or facts show me a change is appropriate. When I was younger, the need to change arose more often. At over seventy years old, I rarely read anything that requires a significant change. This book is an exception. I find I must change my mind about Israel in several ways.

I have always viewed Jews as God’s first chosen people, along with my Christian belief that the Messiah will come, and they will finally recognize him. The Promised Land was given to them, but they lost it. In 1948, the United Nations gave part of Palestine to the Jews for their homeland. I have always thought the UN does not have the power to give a land to any people. That would be like giving California to Mexico, (which in today’s world, sometimes seems like a good idea 😉). So, while I have high hopes and best wishes for the Jewish people, I have felt they should not have taken Palestine and driven the Palestinians from their established homes and country.

As it turns out, I was uninformed and misinformed about what happened. When the Jews developed serious intentions of making Palestine the Jewish homeland in the 1800’s, it was a sparsely populated land (mostly Arabs with some Jews) that was part of the Ottoman Empire (Turkey). In the 1880s, Jews began moving in with no resistance from Turkey. After World War I and the destruction of the Ottoman Empire, Great Britain took Palestine as a colony. To begin with, Great Britain welcomed the Jews. As the Jews immigrated into Palestine they set up governments and communities. When the Arabic countries of the Middle East realized Jews were becoming the majority they tried to flood in Arabs and complained to Great Britain. Great Britain bowed to the Arabic nations and turned on the Jews. It established annual immigration limits of Jews while Arabs were allowed to rush in. After the end of World War II, Great Britain was attempting to extricate itself from the Middle East. It was in this situation that the UN stepped in to establish Palestine as a homeland for the Jews. For centuries Palestine had not been a country, but a satellite of other countries. It was not filled with an Arabic population with deep roots. Most of the Arabs and Jews were new arrivals that came in from the early part of the 20th century to the end of WWII. Israel was established as a democratic nation and the Jews were the majority, though in some areas Arabs did have significant representation. Ultimately, the Jews had to fight a revolutionary war to subdue Arabs who were unwilling to be governed by Jews. Most of the major Arabic countries fought against Israel. As Israel began to win the revolution, many of the Arabian Palestinians fled the country. Arabian countries refused to accept the refugees as citizens and kept them in refugee camps, where many are still today, along with their posterity. They don’t want to go back to the country they left, a democratic Israel. Instead they want Israel destroyed and the Jews removed from power. In the revolution, Great Britain supported the Arabs, but when Israel demonstrated a willingness to use force of arms against Great Britain, the British decided this was not a war they wanted to get into. The United States was not willing to assist Israel in their revolution, so Israel purchased arms from Czechoslovakia with money donated by Jews from around the world. Based upon this information, I now believe Israel has a valid right to exist.

I have read other related books, “The New Middle East” by Shimon Perez (1993) for one, but none had nearly the depth of information in this book. Started 2018.03.18 - Finished 2018.03.31

[Mitri Laatvala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Розповідається в основному про ХХ століття і аж до наших днів. Тонкощі Ізраїлю зрозуміти важко , але прочитавши цю книгу відкрив дуже багато деталей, зокрема те що євреї бувають релігійні і світські , бо чомусь завжди думав що перших там чуть не під 90% , але це не так. А ставлення до ортодоксальних неоднозначне і в самому Ізраїлі. До них радше ставляться з розумінням , хоча і розуміють що вони не несуть конкретного розвитку для держави і за рахунок великої народжуваності, а це в середньому шість дітей у сім’ї,  несуть тягар для держави бо в ортодоксів багато приференсій, зокрема відсутність обов’язкової служби в армії (а ортодоксів вже більше 25%). Також дізнався про алії (імміграції в Ізраїль ) і які вони були . І відповідно до місця народження євреї теж ділились на європейських і всіх решта . І відповідно при імміграції європейські були більш заможні ніж скажімо близько східні. Це постійно провокувало розпорошеність в і без того неоднорідному і новому суспільстві ,але це не було найбільшою проблемою. Найцікавішим для мене був період з 1948 року коли Ізраїль проголосив незалежність і всі його сусіди навколо намагались стерти . Так  тривало майже всі наступні десятиліття , але держава вистояла і навіть змогла відбити втричі більшу територію в арабів. І хоч євреї постійно жили на одній землі з палестинцями найбільші проблеми почались в 70-ті коли ці нові території стали непотрібним тягарем для розвитку держави. Тут вся історія доволі заплутана і складна , але виглядає що Палестина не хотіла частину території , яку в неї відібрали а натомість хотіла щоб євреї повністю покинули ці землі. І в своїй неспроможності там виникають терористичні організації які майже щотижнево організовують нові вибухи в цівильних місцях скупчення євреїв.  Взагалі важко зрозуміти як Ізраїль вистояв повністю оточений арабськими країнами по периметру ,і навіть зумів постійно розвивати економіку.  Останні роки менш більш мирні відносини склались лише з Йорданією і Єгиптом натомість інші прямо заявляють що їх головна ціль знищити євреїв.   Як не дивно але доля Ізраїлю багато в чому схожа з долею України,  раніше я про таке навряд би міг подумати ...