Israel - by Daniel Gordis

About the Book

Originally published in hardcover in 2016 by Ecco.

Book Synopsis

Winner of the Jewish Book of the Year Award

The 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 the Back Cover

Israel is a tiny state, and yet since its creation, it has captured the world's attention, earned its admiration, and, often, been the object of its opprobrium. Why is so much of the international community focused on a small country like Israel? Why are Israelis so deeply divided on so many key issues? Why does Israel make the decisions it does? And what lies in its future?

Weaving together historical documents, letters, and interviews with his own intimate knowledge of the country, Daniel Gordis tells the story of Israel: when the idea of a Jewish state originated, how the dream was transformed into reality, and how Israel's history has unfolded and why. Israel probes the soul of both a people and a country that have long triumphed over adversity, but which still face grave--some say insurmountable--challenges.

Gordis guides us through the milestones of Israeli history and introduces the passionate and formidable personalities who pioneered the country and shaped its pivotal moments. He illustrates how Israel became a cultural, economic, and military powerhouse--but he also explains its grave mistakes and traces its long history of international isolation. Clear-eyed and authoritative, Gordis shows that above all else Israel's prime purpose--and its major accomplishment--has been the modern rebirth of the Jewish people.

With Israel, Gordis offers us a brief but thorough history of this complex nation, from its beginnings to the present. Accessible, level-headed, and rigorous, Israel sheds light on Israel's past so we can understand its present and future. The result is a vivid portrait of a people, and a nation, reborn.

Review Quotes

"Gordis crafts an elegant, personal narrative. . . . a readable, concise history that effectively captures the sense of grand ideas in Israel's identity." - Kirkus
"Like Israel itself, Daniel Gordis' Israel is audacious, intensive and unique. It tells the breathtaking story of the third Jewish commonwealth from the very beginning to today. Anyone interested in the history of Zionism will find priceless information and profound insight in this much needed, fair and balanced book." - Ari Shavit, author of My Promised Land
"Gordis has written a luminous history that tells the story of Israel not only through its statesmen and warriors but its artists and writers and poets. Gordis gives us the soul of Israel, and helps explain why the most hated country on the planet is also among the most beloved." - Yossi Klein Halevi, author of Like Dreamers: The Story of the Israeli Paratroopers Who Reunited Jerusalem and Divided a Nation
"A fascinating, accessible, nuanced, and smart account of a complex story, this book should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand this complicated corner of the world." - Deborah Lipstadt, author of Denial: Holocaust History on Trial and Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies at Emory University
"Gordis captures the essence of who Israel is, where it has come from, and why the Jewish state will--and must--continue to exist. When I am asked "Is there one book to read about Israel?", I now have an answer." - Ambassador Dennis Ross, Special Middle East coordinator under President Bill Clinton and author of The Missing Peace: The Inside Story of the Fight for Middle East Peace
"Gordis describes how Israel grew into a flourishing country with the largest Jewish population in the world using a revived language that even the founder of Zionism believed could not be resuscitated. . . . Gordis has an ability to get to the core of issues and to discuss them in straightforward language that nevertheless conveys sophisticated analysis. . . . One of the best features of this book is the way Gordis weaves into his narrative literature, music-even dance-that capture, and sometimes shape, the emotions of the people at a pivotal point. . . . Gordis's concise history of Israel so well fills an urgent need." - Washington Free Beacon Review
"Israel . . . captures the clamorous freedom, cultural effervescence, and economic prosperity that mark Israel today." - Hoover Institution
"This will serve as a fine introduction to this tiny but vitally important nation." - Booklist
"Gordis brings to life the colorful patchwork of Israeli society and all those whose work helped shape it. . . . His writerly feat is in making so much so vivid through straightforward prose. . . . Certain to become a standard work." - Commentary
"An excellent introduction for anyone with a new or ongoing interest in Israel. A comprehensive bibliography serves as a guide to further reading." - Library Journal
"Gordis shows how Israel has battled the odds for decades." - The American Thinker
"Gordis has an ability to get to the core of issues and to discuss them in straightforward language that nevertheless conveys sophisticated analysis. . . . Gordis's concise history of Israel fills an urgent need." - Washington Free Beacon Review
"Daniel Gordis's new history of Israel should become a standard for years to come, perhaps even a classic. . . .Clear, forceful, frank, and often inspiring, this mighty tome of both academic and personal writing explores the ups, downs, and turning points in a history that begins with Theodore Herzl's vision and ends with tomorrow's challenges. . . . Gordis guides readers through all of this and much more, with a blend of energy and grace, brain and heart in mutual embrace." - Jewish Book Council
"A welcome new primer, just in time for a new generation of English-speakers who are interested in Israel, to learn about the country and its struggles." - Jerusalem Post
"Gordis not only is unconcerned about an open discussion of Israel's flaws, including serious ones, but welcomes it.... Knowledge doesn't hurt, either, and Gordis is determined to do his best to provide some to those who don't know as much about Israel as they think they know, or as much as they need to know." - New York Observer
"You will enjoy the fluid motion of Gordis's writing style, which somehow condenses thousands of details into memorable, thought-provoking passages. . .. Gordis grants us more than a peek at the past and present." - San Francisco Book Review
"The author loves his adopted homeland without ignoring its blemishes. He treats the most contested episodes in Israeli history, such as the plight of both Arab and Jewish refugees during the 1948 War of Independence, honestly and fairly." - Wall Street Journal
As the title promises, he delivers a concise, readable history that celebrates its subject without idealizing it. It's a book that belongs on the shelf of every believer in the Zionist dream." - Atlanta Jewish Times
"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
"Daniel Gordis combines encyclopedic knowledge with the writing talent of a novelist. He makes complex historical events accessible as he spans the whole sweep of Israel's history, explaining how and why the rebuilding of the Jewish state in the twentieth century has transformed Jewish history forever. Israel is a book that genuinely matters." - Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, author of Jewish Literacy, A Code of Jewish Ethics, and Rebbe
"Daniel Gordis combines encyclopedic knowledge with the writing talent of a novelist. He makes complex historical events accessible as he spans the whole sweep of Israel's history, explaining how and why the rebuilding of the Jewish state in the twentieth century has transformed Jewish history forever." - Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, author of Jewish Literacy, A Code of Jewish Ethics, and Rebbe
"Gordis weaves anecdote with historic judgment, and effectively uses both literary sources and introductions to Israel's formative personalities to reflect on Israel's history, its politics and especially, its soul. Israel is vibrant, articulate, and replete with wisdom." - Ilan Troen, President of the Association for Israel Studies
"Gordis guides readers through all of this and much more, with a blend of energy and grace, brain and heart in mutual embrace." - Jewish Book Council