Impossible Takes Longer: 75 Years After Its Creation, Has Israel Fulfilled Its Founders’ Dreams?

by Daniel Gordis

On Israel's seventy-fifth anniversary comes a nuanced examination of the country's past, present, and future, from the two-time National Jewish Book Award–winning author of Israel . In 1948, Israel’s founders had much more in mind than the creation of a state. They sought not mere sovereignty but also a “national home for the Jewish people,” where Jewish life would be transformed. Did they succeed? The state they made, says Daniel Gordis, is a place of extraordinary success and maddening disappointment, a story of both unprecedented human triumph and great suffering. Now, as the country marks its seventy-fifth anniversary, Gordis asks: Has Israel fulfilled the dreams of its founders? Using Israel's Declaration of Independence as his measure, Gordis provides a thorough, balanced perspective on how the Israel of today exceeds the country’s original aspirations and how it has fallen short. He discusses the often-overlooked reasons for the establishment of the State of Israel; the flourishing of Jewish and Israeli culture; the nation's economy and its transformative tech sector; the Israeli-Arab conflict; the distinct form of Judaism that has emerged in the Jewish state; the nation's complex relationship with the Diaspora; and much more. Offering new angles of thinking about Israel, Gordis brings moderation and clarity to the prevailing discourse. And through weighing Israel’s successes, critiquing its failures, and acknowledging its inherent contradictions, he ultimately suggests that the Jewish state is a success far beyond anything its founders could have imagined.

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

384 pages, Hardcover

Published April 11, 2023

Reviews

[Jax · Rating 5 out of 5]

The seventy-fifth anniversary of Israel’s independence will arrive in April. In this book, Daniel Gordis, Koret Distinguished Fellow at Shalem College in Jerusalem, looks back to the nation’s founding. Using the Declaration of Independence and its goals and principles as his guide, Gordis considers how well Israel has performed in achieving its founding vision. He not only discusses Israel’s extraordinary successes, but also he offers instances where these principles and Israel’s early history create challenges to the concepts of democracy and human rights. For its sweeping view and the connection Gordis’s analyses have to the founding principles, this book is a five star for me.

Thank you to Ecco and NetGalley for allowing me to read this eARC.

[Peter Eckstein · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not a history book. It is a Zionist polemic. Now, I'm not saying that's necessarily bad, but I do think that it is important to understand that this is a book that presents Israel and Zionism from a very specific perspective - I guess I'd say center right politically. If you want to learn about that specific narrative, then it's worth reading while being aware that it isn't the only way of understanding the conflict. If you want to learn about the history of Israel/Palestine, this is NOT the book to read.

I felt that Gordis glossed over the history of Palestinian nationalism, almost relegating it to the sidelines. He acknowledged the "challenges" Israel has faced regarding the minority populations but explained them away as part of the process of Israel becoming a functioning country. He used the trauma of the Holocaust as an excuse for Israeli excesses during the 1948 war.

What really bothered me was that he extensively cited the work of the controversial Mid-East scholar Martin Kramer (founding president of Gordis's employer, Shalem College), who, during the 2010 Herzliya Conference, called for a halt of Western subsidies for Palestinian pre-natal care to control Palestinian population growth and Islamic radicalization.

The book is flawed. If you are a student of Israel/Palestine and want to learn about different perspectives, read the book. But don't forget that is just one very specific narrative.

[Edward Goldstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hopeful survey of Israel’s successes and failures as of 2023

Combining the skills of a political scientist, an academic historian, a conservative rabbi, and a keen observer, Daniel Gordis identifies the successes and failures of Zionism as envisioned by Theodor Herzl and actually practiced by Israel’s founding fathers.

For those willing to participate in a Talmudic dialogue, examining and learning from different views, Dr. Gordis presents an illuminating look at the influences that world politics, and flows of people from Europe and the Levant with their unique cultures have had in shaping Zionism and the soul of Israel.

Using Israel’s Declaration of Independence as both an intellectual baseline and dialectic launchpad, Dr. Gordis explores the questions
that we must ask and answer if we are to determine for ourselves whether Israel is to be, in Gordis’ words, a “Jewish State” or a “State for Jews.”

Dr. Gordis is not without opinion, expressed throughout the book. But his opinion is shared rather than dictated. He is clear that Israel’s future is as an ethnic democracy (that he skillfully distinguishes from liberal democracy in the United States) but that conclusion is painstakingly developed and explained, and I felt free to disagree, albeit with a serious responsibility to explain why.

“Impossible Takes Longer. . .” is artfully crafted and well written written. I recommend it to anyone with a passion for Israel, but especially for American Jews who (like me) too often view Israel through our own foggy lens.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great retrospective as well as reflection on Israel’s seventy five years through the lens of its founding document. While I do not always agree with Rabbi Gordis his writing is clear, thought-provoking and a challenge to all who love Israel and dream of her fulfilling her founding vision.

Some will disagree with Gordis’ analysis from the get-go but I really appreciate is presentation and analysis. May Israel reach the vision of her founders while the author so beautifully lays out, with its challenges as well.

[Trish Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written, nuanced, and informative consideration of an incredibly complex topic. I'm neither a scholar nor a causal expert on the recent history of Israel, and so I especially appreciated the author's clarity and vision for the scope of this project. There is no way to consider this question without it being somehow controversial, and yet the author's tone and perspective prompted curiosity and interest rather than discord. I am very glad to have had the chance to spend time with this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most impressive and illuminating books I've ever read. It's an easy five-star for me and I will recommend it far and wide.
As a Jewish woman of 60+ years, I grew up learning about Israel and supporting Israel. However, like many American Jews, I found my support for Israel becoming more and more unsteady. I could not understand some of what was happening there, nor why. I found it puzzling and a little hard to grapple with. The world seemed to be doubting Israel as well. So, what happened?

Gordis is able to give the reader a crash course on the whys and hows of Israel, starting from before its very existence. He does this by explaining the concept of Israel and the original intent--and then explains just exactly why impossible takes longer; the title is very apt. I thought I knew something about Israel, but I learned that I was missing a lot of the pieces of the puzzle.

Has it changed my current view towards Israel? I am not sure, yet. But it has certainly given me more information to digest as I take a fresh look at the Jewish State.

The writing is beautifully done and this reads smoothly and logically. Every temple and synagogue in the diaspora should start a study group using this book as a text. And, obviously it is perfect for Jewish book clubs.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It's simply excellent all the way around!

[Anouk · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars? My enjoyment of it was closer to 3 stars, but I absolutely recommend this book. When it comes to Israel outside of the conflict, my main feeling is "wtf is going on" and this, along with Daniel Sokatch's book, helped clarify things, especially from a political perspective.

I appreciated having a more recent perspective as this was written about a year ago. The section on Israel's relations with the diaspora was my favorite since I wasn't quite aware of all the tensions between Jewish America and Israel. I also found the section on Israeli Judaism interesting.

Parts of this book seem naively hopeful post-October 7, but that's not the author's fault since it hadn't happened yet when this was published. And though this book was much more readable than the author's history of Israel, I still had to look up quite a few words. (Shoutout to Kindle's dictionary and Wikipedia features.) I've never seen tefillin referred to as "phylacteries" before and let's just say I'm not a fan.

I think the real question this book tries to address is whether Israel is a success. That was probably explicitly stated somewhere in the introduction - I don't remember. It would have been helpful to read with that in mind throughout the book. The conclusion highlighted the double standard Israel is held to on a global scale, which was my main takeaway.

[Ray Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this read and learned a lot from it.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book 4 stars for it's content. Daniel Gordis expertly tackles, unravels, and explains many intricately complex issues. It was quite an education and am thankful for the truths on both sides of the issues laid out in this book. But, if I was rating this book on readability, I'd probably give it 3 stars. Still, I'm glad I persevered and read through till the end. I'm a better person for learning about the history and nuances of the complexities of the Jewish State of Israel, its people and its relationship with the Diaspora.

[Melvyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredibly thoughtful and thought-provoking work that combines evidence and passion.

Daniel Gordis had me hooked from the very premise: lay out the country's successes and failures and compare them with the goals of Israel's founders. He uncovers nuances in the Declaration of Independence, asks profound questions, challenges Israel's critics and supporters, and, as summarized by one reviewer, "shows us why hope remains the most realistic assessment of Israel’s future.”

Highly recommended.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for anyone who wants a concise history of Israel, where we are now and how we got here. The author gives clarity to past and current internal and external conflicts. It's easy to read, easy to understand and will expand your knowledge on the region.

[Emily Kahn-freedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written. I learned a lot. Balanced analysis of a complex history.

[Robert L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative, inspiring

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enlightened and particularly timely.

[Lydland · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting history of the State of Israel from it's founding. Well balanced.

[Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very important read. Highly recommend

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gordis builds on some of the themes he covered in detail in his previous books on Israeli history and Israeli-American Jewish relations, but focuses on the question of how well Israel has succeeded in its first 75 years of existence. The metric he uses is Israel's Declaration of Independence from May 1948. This in turn requires a better understanding of the context in which it was written, what that document says, and often just as importantly what it does not say.

Overall the prognosis is positive, with Israel managing to create a flourishing homeland for the Jewish people, albeit an imperfect one that continues to face major challenges. One of the things that the historical comparisons put in perspective for me is that the current divide between left and right isn't new and didn't start with the "occupation" in 1967. From the very beginning (i.e. pre-1948), there were huge disputes along ideological lines between socialists and revisionist Zionists, secular and religious, etc., often resulting in violence including several high profile assassinations and nearly resulting in civil war between Ben Gurion and Begin.

While he doesn't shy away from controversial subjects, he does exhibit a tendency to glorify Israel's successes, and downplay some of its deficiencies, putting a more positive spin on the current [at time of writing] state of affairs than many others have done. He generally does a good job of remaining objective, allowing his personal opinions to come through a few times as he lashes out at the Obama administration (John Kerry in particular, who he views as having been antagonistic and unfair to Israel) and the Israeli rabbinate (which he views as corrupt and overly powerful). He also repeats many of his gripes regarding American Jewry and secular Israelis, which was unnecessary as he already wrote a whole book about it.

What the book doesn't attempt to answer is what happens next. Some of the issues that were too big to tackle in 1948 have only snowballed since then, and remain as a ticking time bomb if not defused before they inevitably explode. We saw inklings of that last year with the controversy over "judicial reform", which is but one symptom of the lack of a comprehensive constitution. Although Gordis blows off the significance of the 2018 Nation-State Law, the status of the Israeli Arabs as second class citizens needs to be resolved. As does the situation with the Palestinians, as tragically evidenced by the October 7 attack and resulting war. Israel has certainly come a long way in the past 75 years, but clearly a lot of work is left to do, and it's not clear that either the current leadership or society is up to the task.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023 is the 75th year of Israel’s re-founding. In May 1948, the leaders of the Jewish community declared the establishment of the State of Israel. The “Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel” was read aloud by David Ben-Gurion. Broadcasted live on the radio, the text of the declaration was also sent out to the world’s media.

Daniel Gordis takes the ideas and principles expressed in this declaration, unpacks them, and asks how well the state has lived up to the vision expressed by the founding generation of Zionists in this momentous document.

This ingenious method of exploration Israel’s 75 years of modern statehood allows Gordis to focus in on some of the central questions about Zionism and the rationale for a Jewish State as well as the achievements and failures of Israel. By exploring the meaning of the founding principles and visions, and then looking at how Israeli society, culture, and governance have either met and surpassed that vision, or have at times fallen short of those principles, we get a clear set of themes and standards to consider and evaluate.

Gordis provides a balanced approach, one that pulls few punches in criticizing Israel when appropriate. He does not shy away from pointing out the internal tensions in the founders’ visions and principles, and the sometimes inconsistency of the application. This allows Gordis to also express his profound love and admiration for the breathtaking achievements of Israel’s 75 years.

This is a wonderful book that helps reiterate the purpose and need for Israel, as well as understanding Israel within the context of its founding purposes. Reading this after the pogrom of Oct 7 and subsequent explosion of world-wide antisemitism was heartening and reaffirming.

[Voyt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is my first book about Israeli democracy, treatment of minorities, the economy, secularism, religion and place on the international stage. I wanted to learn more about conflict with Palestinians. Gordis discusses the challenges to achieving a two-state solution but does not discuss what Israel will become if it does not achieve a two-state solution. Suddenly the impossible won’t take just a little longer. It is far out of reach and must be dismissed as unrealistic.

There are many confusing and long reviews on Internet. I am not an expert on Israel/Jews subject, nor historian.

Book reads quite well and deliveres plenty of information. All what I can say:
Had the U.S. Congress not passed the Johnson-Reed Immigration Act of 1924, there might not be an Israel today; many of the Jews of Europe would have ended up in America, not Israel. Yet despite of it,
Rothschild Zionists currently run the US Anglo-Zionist empire, not just as behind-the-scenes financiers as was common in the past, but as “hands on the wheel” / “in full public view” managers.

This book has reinforced my belief as to what a "miracle" Israel is. Against all odds and with all of its fallibilities, Israel remains a glue that holds America together. Talmudic ideology combined with high-tech policing, greedy corporations, a ravenous military machine, and an all-powerful international banking cartel turned the US into the first true global Talmudic empire.
Has Israel fulfilled it's founders dream? Sure thing, indeed.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

It examines the history, achievements, and challenges of Israel since its founding. It demonstrates that Israel has achieved remarkable success in security, technology, and economic growth but struggles with complex social and political issues - many of which may be impossible to solve. The thing that resonated with me was the section about Jewish identity. The balance between Israel's identity as a Jewish state and its democratic ideals is a continuing tension. The way that Israel may view reform Judaism as not really Jewish, and may even have negative impressions of American Judaism in general too, i found interesting. I think Israel is full of paradox here. Also, the way they define whether or not you are Jewish, while claiming to accept all Jewish people entry to the homeland, well unless your mother isnt "Jewish".

It is a fascinating read and certainly opens up discussions on many other topics: Israel's global influence, Endurance of Hope, what the future may bring with the generation after Ben-Gurion founding fathers.

[Tatyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book did for me what I wanted it to do - offered a deep dive into complexities of Israel’s history and today’s realities. It did have some repetition of facts and the story was a bit “jumpy”, but overall I appreciated the balanced narrative mostly not picking “the right” side but rather offering several competing angles for reader’s consideration. Some parts were mind-blowingly inspiring, specifically on the revival of the Hebrew language and highest number of non profits per capita. I also loved the part that helped understand the “tech miracle” of the 90s better (1. End of Lavi project (own fighter plane) released 5k engineers and scientists 2. Break up of Soviet Union led to massive exodus of soviet Jews to Israel 3. IDF security needs and flat hierarchy produced entrepreneurial highly trained tech talent 4. Dogmatic focus on education). Overall would recommend to anyone trying yo understand the country and its people (in broad sense) better.

[kglibrarian (Karin Greenberg) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was published six months before October 7th--I find it difficult to read anything about Israel that doesn't include the perspective from that tragic day. It's as if the time before belongs to another era. Despite that huge void, it's an important, well-researched account of the history and accomplishments of Israel. It's written in compelling, accessible language and touches on all aspects of the formation of Israel and the issues it's faced as a country.

Because of the pre-10/7 publication, so much of the ideas and beliefs of the author sadly seem overly optimistic. Still, the discussions of the roots of Zionism, the endless conflicts, the political and religious divisions within Israel, and how American and other Diaspora Jews relate to Israel are intriguing and worthy.

Highly recommend this one to anyone who is interested in the history and complexities of Israel.

[Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, Daniel Gordis writes in a way that is inviting yet biting at times.

The principle of this book is that Israel's Declaration of Independence is the basis for which we will look at the question "Has Israel fulfilled its Founders' Dreams?" And in typical fashion, Daniel Gordis answers the question not one way or the other, but showing that, like history is apt to show, there is no black-and-white answer. While Israel has fulfilled the dreams of its founders in some ways, it has, in other ways, failed immensely.

A great book.

[Joni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. The best book on what Israel was and more importantly, what Israel is. Israel was never meant to be the middle-east version of America. It was to be a Jewish democracy not a democracy inhabited by Jews. I fear that a 2-state solution is like controlled nuclear fission - always 20 years in the future.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid and thought-provoking follow-up to Gordis' Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn however there is a great deal of repetition noticeable when reading the two back to back.

[Ayelet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to an interview where he talked about what he would change after the October 7th attacks, so I kept that in mind as I read the book. The most interesting parts were when he talked about how the founders couldn't have imagined life today and how we take for granted so many of the things that they struggled for.

[Hava · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nuanced book that analyzes if Israel has lived up to its goals as delineated in its decreation of independence. The analysis is balanced celebrating Israel's successes and identifying its failures. The audio version that I listened to on Audible is well-read and makes for a productive listen.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new perspective on Israel: a historical analysis based upon the Declaration. Does Israel meet all of the promises of the Declaration? The analysis is very thorough and covers the time from 1890s to 2022. And he is optimistic both in the fulfillment of the promise and the likelihood of ongoing improvement.

[Helensn1234 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was quite the eye-opener and explained the many nuances of Israeli society. I appreciated the breadth and scope of the information presented. A must read for anyone wanting a more in depth view of Israel.

I wish I could ask the author if his conclusions have changed since October 7th?

[Bea Elwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative, published about 8 months before the Oct attacks in Gaza '23, this book informs from the perspective of the Israeli Declaration of Independence. Highly recommended for anyone who is curious about the conflict and wants to be better informed.