Bücher von Daniel Gordis

Winner of the Jewish Book of the Year AwardThe first comprehensive yet accessible history of the state of Israel from its inception to present day, from Daniel Gordis, "one of the most respected Israel analysts" (The Forward) living and writing in Jerusalem.Israel is a tiny state, and yet it has captured the world’s attention, aroused its imagination, and lately, been the object of its opprobrium. Why does such a small country speak to so many global concerns? More pressingly: Why does Israel make the decisions it does? And what lies in its future?We cannot answer these questions until we understand Israel’s people and the questions and conflicts, the hopes and desires, that have animated their conversations and actions. Though Israel’s history is rife with conflict, these conflicts do not fully communicate the spirit of Israel and its people: they give short shrift to the dream that gave birth to the state, and to the vision for the Jewish people that was at its core. Guiding us through the milestones of Israeli history, Gordis relays the drama of the Jewish people’s story and the creation of the state. Clear-eyed and erudite, he illustrates how Israel became a cultural, economic and military powerhouse—but also explains where Israel made grave mistakes and traces the long history of Israel’s deepening isolation. With Israel, public intellectual Daniel Gordis offers us a brief but thorough account of the cultural, economic, and political history of this complex nation, from its beginnings to the present. Accessible, levelheaded, and rigorous, Israel sheds light on the Israel’s past so we can understand its future. The result is a vivid portrait of a people, and a nation, reborn.

From National Jewish Book Award Winner and author ofIsrael, a bold reevaluation of the tensions between American and Israeli Jews that reimagines the past, present, and future of Jewish lifeRelations between the American Jewish community and Israel are at an all-time nadir. Since Israels founding seventy years ago, particularly as memory of the Holocaust and of Israels early vulnerability has receded, the divide has grown only wider. Most explanations pin the blame on Israels handling of its conflict with the Palestinians, Israels attitude toward non-Orthodox Judaism, and Israels dismissive attitude toward American Jews in general. In short, the cause for the rupture is not what Israelis;its what Israeldoes.These explanations tell only half the story.We Stand Dividedexamines the history of the troubled relationship, showing that from the outset, the founders of what are now the worlds two largest Jewish communities were responding to different threats and opportunities, and had very different ideas of how to guarantee a Jewish future.With an even hand, Daniel Gordis takes us beyond the headlines and explains how Israel and America have fundamentally different ideas about issues ranging from democracy and history to religion and identity. He argues that as a first step to healing the breach, the two communities must acknowledge and discuss their profound differences and moral commitments. Only then can they forge a path forward, together.