Thanks, David. While Israel still has very much to offer the world - science, high technology, medicine, and culture, I think it would not be wrong to see Israel's political evolution as a 2,000-year-old tragedy. It is hard for me to hold out room for optimism. A nation can simply not hold dominion over five million people forever without suffering from moral decay (which it is) or politically disintegrating, which it might.
A subject that is so fraught, I hesitate to comment. I appreciate that you allude to the task of maintaining some kind of honoring of religious/spiritual impulse for those of us in the diaspora. For me the value of quest for Zion is as a metaphor and ideal which is exclusive of if not antithetical to - the place where exceptionalism and tribal hatred lives.
Great to hear from you, Paul. Yes, the issue is so fraught that any comment is apt to bring criticism, rebuke, and not infrequently, name-calling from those who are assured they are in possession of unqualified truth. It is a sorry state of affairs, which, needless to say, is not a salutary environment for peace-making.
Zionism is a very broad and protean concept with many shades of meaning. I like yours, and I believe the Israeli Declaration of Independence attempts to express that spirit. How far Israel has fallen from its ideals!
Thanks, David. While Israel still has very much to offer the world - science, high technology, medicine, and culture, I think it would not be wrong to see Israel's political evolution as a 2,000-year-old tragedy. It is hard for me to hold out room for optimism. A nation can simply not hold dominion over five million people forever without suffering from moral decay (which it is) or politically disintegrating, which it might.
I enjoyed reading it. A very balanced write-up.
Wow, Joe! What a terrific interview. As someone who would never attempt a 500 page history, I really appreciate this discussion of Israel.
Many thanks, Ed. Alterman's book is so engaging a read that the pages just flew by. I truly wanted it to go on.
A subject that is so fraught, I hesitate to comment. I appreciate that you allude to the task of maintaining some kind of honoring of religious/spiritual impulse for those of us in the diaspora. For me the value of quest for Zion is as a metaphor and ideal which is exclusive of if not antithetical to - the place where exceptionalism and tribal hatred lives.
Great to hear from you, Paul. Yes, the issue is so fraught that any comment is apt to bring criticism, rebuke, and not infrequently, name-calling from those who are assured they are in possession of unqualified truth. It is a sorry state of affairs, which, needless to say, is not a salutary environment for peace-making.
Zionism is a very broad and protean concept with many shades of meaning. I like yours, and I believe the Israeli Declaration of Independence attempts to express that spirit. How far Israel has fallen from its ideals!
Thanks, Joe.
You are most welcome, Abe.
Most informative!
Thanks, Joe. Very informative.
As always, I am sincerely grateful for your interest, Jean.
well done, though more than sad, actually tragic.