Uncertain Empire - (Stanford Studies in Jewish History and Culture) by Elizabeth E Imber

Book Synopsis

Following the British conquest of Ottoman Palestine, Jews across the British Empire--from Jerusalem to Johannesburg, London to Calcutta--found themselves at the heart of global Jewish political discourse. As these intellectuals, politicians, activists, and communal elites navigated shifting political landscapes, some envisioned Palestine as a British dominion, leveraging imperial power for Jewish state-building, while others fostered ties with anticolonial movements, contemplating independent national aspirations. Uncertain Empire considers this intricate interplay between British imperialism, Zionism, and anticolonial movements from the 1917 British conquest of Palestine to the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948.

Elizabeth Imber highlights diverse and sometimes conflicting visions of Jewish political futures, offering detailed case studies of key figures including Chaim Arlosoroff, Moshe Shertok, Helen Bentwich, Rachel Ezra, and Hermann Kallenbach. She explores a "politics of uncertainty" in which Jews engaged with both imperial stability and the rise of anticolonial mobilization, when many were likewise forced to reconsider Palestine as a viable refuge and political solution. Ultimately, this book provides a nuanced understanding of how the British Empire's fate became central to Zionist and broader Jewish political thought, revealing the complex intersections of empire, state power, and Jewish politics during a time marked by profound urgency and exigency.

Review Quotes

"Uncertain Empire brilliantly reframes our understanding of the road to 1948 in Israel/Palestine. Moving beyond the historical debates narrowly focused on nationalism and colonialism, Elizabeth Imber reveals how the Jewish experience within the global British Empire decisively shaped Jewish political thought about the future of Palestine." --James Loeffler, Johns Hopkins University

"Elizabeth Imber's bold and innovative global approach reframes Jewish history in the first half of the twentieth century, illuminating the entanglement of Zionism with imperial interests and anti-colonial movements. A pioneering book." --Derek Penslar, Harvard University

About the Author

Elizabeth E. Imber is Assistant Professor of History and Michael and Lisa Leffell Chair in Modern Jewish History at Clark University.