The Divided Self

Israel and the Jewish Psyche Today

By: David J Goldberg

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Hardcover | 31 March 2006 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Hardcover
248 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
21.6 x 13.8 x 2.1

Hardcover

RRP $120.00

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How should Jews respond to an age of militant Zionism and resurgent anti-Semitism? Is insisting on a separate sense of identity anachronistic and dangerous, or is it the only way of preserving the Jewish cultural heritage? Rabbi David Goldberg, one of today's most respected and outspoken Jewish leaders, grapples with the dilemmas of contemporary Jewishness with characteristic candour, and sketches the emerging faultlines in the Jewish sense of identity. He offers up a completely fresh reading of Jewish history, arguing that the narrative of relentless woe and suffering popularised by nineteenth-century writers, such as George Eliot was based on a highly selective reading of the past. Goldberg retraces the history of the Jews, and rejects the mythology of eternal victimhood. Instead, he focuses on the survival strategies that have been pursued throughout the centuries. He contrasts the pragmatic flexibility of the Jewish Diaspora with the military assertiveness of modern Israel. With wit, insight and compassion he highlights the growing gulf between Israeli and Diaspora Jewishness. Following G.B.
Shaw's quip about Britain and America, Goldberg argues that Israeli and Diaspora Jews are in danger of becoming divided by a common heritage. This book will stimulate, engage and provoke readers of all beliefs and cultures.

Industry Reviews

'David Goldberg's vivid, provocative and witty book should be required reading for anyone who cares about the future of the Jewish people, and the peace of the Middle East.' - Max Hastings 'Surveying clearly and concisely the history of both Jewish life in the diaspora and of diaspora relations with Israel, David Goldberg reopens a debate that has laid dormant, if not suppressed, for decades: is Zionism good for the Jews? This is no anti-Zionist rant, but a careful, impeccably fair questioning of the Zionist assumption that diaspora living is neurotic and doomed' - Jonathan Freedland, journalist and author 'Engaging and provocative and is sure to raise some conservative heckles. It's an interesting and stimulating read by one of the most respected commentators on the subject.'- The Dubliner.

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