Heroes of Israel: Profiles of Jewish Courage [Hardcover]

Chaim Herzog (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1989

A celebration of Jewish heroes, ancient and modern, from biblical figures such as Joshua to the soldiers who staged the raid on Entebbe Airport in 1976 to save 100 hostages.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Jews, both men and women, who have fought or led their people in military or paramilitary actions are eloquently recalled here by Israel's president, starting with biblical figures. The author points out the special physical and moral courage of each, and the conditions and enemies against which they battled: Joshua at Jericho, Deborah, judge and prophetess turned warrior, nation-builder David, intrepid Bar-Kokhba and the zealots of Masada. Massacres of Jews in the modern European era, he stresses, dwarf even those by Muslims and Christians in the Middle Ages. Led by Ben-Gurion, first president of the Zionist State, the 1948 War of Independence and successive victories in wars against Arabs produced more heroes in Herzog's canon and left the stamp of General Moshe Dayan and Golda Meir on modern Israel. The author ends with the Entebbe rescue operation of 1976 and thereby avoids addressing controversial actions of more recent years. Photos.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Herzog, President of the State of Israel, has written a passionate, sensitive, and compelling book about the exploits of an intriguing and somewhat controversial selection of military heroes from the biblical, post-biblical, and modern periods, ranging from Joshua through the Nili spies to the Entebbe rescue. His stirring descriptions of the faith, steadfastness, loyalty, and unswerving devotion to principles on the part of his subjects evoke admiration. He emphasizes traits of resilience, resourcefulness, daring, and courage in both biblical and modern-day heroes. Feats of the modern-day figures are illuminated by extensive background material on major historic events. Fascinating illustrations enhance the text and inspire added appreciation for the bravery of these individuals.
- Carol R. Glatt, Northeastern Hosp. of Philadelphia
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Little Brown & Co (T); 1st edition (September 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316359017
• ISBN-13: 978-0316359016
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,821,729 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An inspiring work, February 6, 2005

By 

Shalom Freedman "Shalom Freedman" (Jerusalem,Israel) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Heroes of Israel: Profiles of Jewish Courage (Hardcover)

These are selections from the long record of Jewish heroism, selections of those whose names and stories are well- known from King David down to the rescuers of Entebbe. This is a very small selection of the many many Jews who often in a quiet and unknown way showed great courage in defending their own people. What is somewhat sad is that the ranks of these heroes , and often these martyrs , are growing all the time because of the constant effort of enemies to destroy the Jewish people. The stories of the great great majority of those who have fought with courage, defended their people and often paid the greatest price for it, are largely untold.

5.0 out of 5 stars Erudite and engaging volume, November 22, 2010

By 

Gary Selikow (Great Kush) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heroes of Israel: Profiles of Jewish Courage (Hardcover)

This erudite and engaging volume is a tribute to Jewish valour and perseverance throughout the ages from Biblical figures like Joshua, Deborah, Samson, David, JUdah the Maccabee and Bar Kochba to recent heroes like Joseph Trumpeldor, Mordechai Anielewicz and Hannah Senesh, Yigal Allon, Dov Gruner, David Ben Gurion and Yoni Netanyahu.
The author draws on his own knowledge of the Bible, Jewish history and military affairs.
While each chapter is a highly readable mini biography in itself, it is recommended to read the entire book from cover to cover as it gives a pertinent overview of Jewish history. filled with facts and narratives you will discover in this blazing pathway through the Nation of Israel.
Each figure provides a special type of courage and strength.
Joshua and King David were great nation builders, and Judah Maccabbee and Bar Kochba held off the might of cast Empires determined to subject Israel, Joseph Trumpledor revived the essence of the fighting Jew who knew only the Jewish people alone could fight for their survival and the Warsaw Ghetto fighters put up a spark of resistance against the Nazi death machine and Hannah Szenesh and Yoni Netanyhau gave their lives to rescue their fellow Jews.
Sadly no history of the Jews can omit the tragedies, genocide and bloodshed visited on the Jews through the ages,
Hence we read in the chapter on Bar Kochba of the mass slaughter of Jewish civilians by the Romans during the Jewish Wars in which over a million Jews were slaughtered. The Talmud and Midrash contains many accounts of the mass slaughter of civilians, including children who were wrapped in Torah scrolls and burned to death. One passage describes how the "brains of three hundred children were dashed upon one stone' by the Romans.
The chapter on the Warsaw Ghetto uprisings describe the horrors of the Holocaust with heartbreaking pictures of Jewish children starving to death and being massacred in the Warsaw Ghetto.
And the later chapters document some of the Arabs terror attacks in which Jewish men, women and children died in modern Israel.

In the current fight for survival against a hostile and hate filled world hellbent on the destruction of the tiny renewed nation, Israel again needs to call on the vast reserves of courage we read about in this illustrated digest.
Today, when we are faced with the new antisemitism, which tries to cut the Jewish people off from the Land of Israel and from being a nation, it is important to instill in young Jews a pride in their national identity and a strong identification with the Land of Israel
The history and people hood of the Jews and the Nation of Israel is one!