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Tuvia Book
Author, educator, Tour-Guide, artist

The Scourge of Post-Zionism

Two events recently seemed to highlight that the Jewish State has a severe case of schizophrenia. One the one hand, the annual Yom Ha’Aztmaut ceremony, complete with the heads of the political and military echelons of Israel singing, or attempting to sing, popular Zionist songs, honouring 120 exceptional soldiers at the President’s residence in Jerusalem reminded us that we have good and motivated people to proudly show us the way.  Yet the same week, the President of the Ben Gurion University invited MK Haneen Zoabi, of all people, to a panel whose theme was, “Who is an Israeli?” If that would not have been so sad, it just might have been funny.

Anyone who regularly reads Haaretz or listens to some of the political statements of some leading academics at Israeli universities will have to agree with Sarah Tuttle-Singer’s recent observation that,

A lot of people have a hard time with Jewish people being in a position of power. Including ourselves, apparently.

One of the gravest challenges to contemporary Zionist pride, according to Yoram Hazony is the phenomenon of “Post-Zionism.”  In his book The Jewish State: the Struggle for Israel’s Soul he states that,

Today there exists the possibility that Buber’s ideological children are on the verge of transforming Israel into precisely that which the early dreamers of Zion had fought to escape: A State devoid of any Jewish purpose or meaning, one that can neither inspire the Jews nor save them in distress.

Hazony’s scathing attack on Post-Zionism and its proponents would seem to bode ill for the future of Israel.  Hazony states that the problem with this trend is the manner that “every aspect of Zionism is made to appear individuous, every ideal repugnant and every adherent loathsome” (p.19).  This all contributes towards the disconnect felt by some Israelis and Jews towards Israel.

One of the leading proponents of Post-Zionism is Tom Segev.  Segev in his book Elvis in Jerusalem: Post-Zionism and the Americanization of Israel claims that recently unearthed archival documents from the early years of the State showed that,

Israel’s history was less beautiful, less noble less innocent, less just and less wise than the country had always claimed.

This kind of self-doubt and reassessing the “carved in stone” educational foundations of Israel’s history is a major contributing factor to the lack of pride, clarity and direction for some in contemporary Israel.

Whilst no country is perfect, what Israel’s homegrown detractors seem to forget is just how much Israel has achieved in the first sixty-five years of its existence.  We have revived our language, made the desert bloom, rebuilt our homeland, ingathered our exiles, have the ability to defend our homeland and protect Jews worldwide and we strive to make the world a better place for all of its inhabitants.

Israel is more than just a, “nation like other nations.”  We strive to be a, “light unto the nations.”  Daniel Gordis succinctly summed it up when he stated that, in addition to striving for the benefit our own citizens,

This country has become a country, with all of its imperfections, that sees as part of its purpose as looking out for other people.

 

About the Author
Tuvia Book has a doctorate in education and is the author and illustrator of the internationally acclaimed Israel education curriculum; "For the Sake of Zion; A Curriculum of Israel Studies" (Fifth edition, Koren), "Jewish Journeys, The Second Temple Period to the Bar Kokhba Revolt, 536 BCE-136 CE," (Koren), "Moral Dilemmas of the Modern Israeli Soldier" (Rama) and the soon to be published “Jewish Journeys, The First Temple Period, 1000 -586 BCE” (Koren). Dr. Book was born in London and raised in both the UK and South Africa. After making Aliya at the age of 17 and studying in Yeshiva he volunteered for the IDF, where he served in an elite combat unit. Upon his discharge he completed his undergraduate degree in Jewish history and literature, as well as a certification in graphic design. He then served as the Information Officer and deputy head of security at the Israeli Consulate of Philadelphia, while earning a graduate degree in Jewish Studies. Upon his return to Israel, Dr. Book graduated from a course of study with the Israeli Ministry of Tourism and is a licensed tour guide. Tuvia has been working in the field of Jewish education, both formal and informal, for many years. He has guided and taught Jewish students and educators from around the English-speaking world for some of Israel’s premier educational institutions and programs. Tuvia has lectured throughout North America, Australia, Europe, and South Africa. In addition, his artwork has been commissioned on every continent (except Antarctica). Tuvia served as a Shaliach (emissary) for the Jewish Agency for Israel as the Director of Israel and Zionist Education at the Board of Jewish Education of Greater New York (Jewish Education Project). He was a lecturer/educational guide at the Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Education (AMIIE) in Israel. Tuvia has lectured at both Bar Ilan University and Hebrew University. He is a Teaching Fellow at the Tikvah Fund. He is a research associate at the Hudson Institute. His latest book, "Jewish Journeys, The First Temple Period, From King David to King Zedekiah, 1000 - 586 BCE," (Koren) is part of a series on Jewish history.