The Holocaust Is Over; We Must Rise From its Ashes [Paperback]

Avraham Burg (Author)

Book Description

Release date: December 22, 2009

Modern-day Israel, and the Jewish community, are strongly influenced by the memory and horrors of Hitler and the Holocaust. Burg argues that the Jewish nation has been traumatized and has lost the ability to trust itself, its neighbors or the world around it. He shows that this is one of  the causes for the growing nationalism and violence that are plaguing Israeli society and reverberating through Jewish communities worldwide. Burg uses his own family history--his parents were Holocaust survivors--to inform his innovative views on what the Jewish people need to do to move on and eventually live in peace with their Arab neighbors and feel comfortable in the world at large. Thought-provoking, compelling, and original, this book is bound to spark a heated debate around the world.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This is an important book by a very courageous man. The shadow of the Shoah and its abusive application to the contemporary Middle East have been a catastrophe for Jews, Israelis and Arabs alike. In Burg's view Israel must move beyond Hitler's poisoned legacy. If they cannot or will not do this, the Middle East will never see peace and Israel has no future.” -- Tony Judt, bestselling author of Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945 and Professor at New York University

“An Israeli-born son of Holocaust survivors, Burg addresses a heartfelt plea to his countrymen: remember the past, but do not be its slaves; pathology is neither patriotism nor statescraft.  A compelling and eloquent cri de coeur from a veteran of Israel's wars and politics.” -- Howard M. Sachar, bestselling author of A History of the Jews in the Modern World and A History of Israel

"Burg takes a blunt, loving, painful and desperately important look at the state of the Jewish soul today. Anyone who cares about the future of the Middle East and the fate of victimized peoples needs to read this book and think hard." -- J.J. Goldberg, author of Jewish Power: Inside the American Jewish Establishment and Editorial Director of The Forward

“This fascinating and thought-provoking book should be read by every person who cares about Israel. Burg's central theme is that Israeli leaders use the memory of the Holocaust in ways that are warping the country's soul, creating unnecessary fear, and making it impossible to achieve peace with the Palestinians.” -- John J. Mearsheimer, bestselling author of The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy and Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago 

"[An] assured and provocative polemic. . . . [A] lecture with much wisdom . . . worthy of global consideration." -- Kirkus Reviews

“An honest reflection of a tormented man searching for the universal values in Judaism.” -- Le Figaro

“In this book of memories and reflections, the former Knesset Speaker delivers his disquieting findings about Israel that 'became a Kingdom without a prophesy.'... Foremost a book of hope from a man who wants to find ways to return Judaism to its universal calling.” --Le Monde

“Short of being Prime Minister, Burg could not be higher in the Zionist establishment.” David Remnick, The New Yorker

 

"Mr. Burg...wrote a powerful book, an indictment of how Zionism and the Holocaust have been used."--Globe and Mail

"[A] compelling mix of polemic, personal memoir, homage to his parents and meditation on Judaism." --The Independent

"Avraham Burg has great faith in the creative power of argument. His book has already provoked much controversy and now that it has been translated is certain to provoke more. At a time when crass, catchpenny titles pour from the presses, it is that unusual thing: A new book that matters." -- Arab News

About the Author

Avraham Burg is a prominent Israeli politician, opinion maker, and former speaker of the Knesset. He has been active in politics as a leader in the Labor Party and the One Israel party. He has written for such publications as The Guardian and The International Herald Tribune, and his first book was a bestseller in Israel. He lives in Nataf, Jerusalem.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; 1 edition (December 22, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0230618979
• ISBN-13: 978-0230618978
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #455,031 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 40 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Courage to write the unsayable Truth July 9, 2009

By Margot Salom

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I found Avraham Burg's book exactly what I was looking for. He has made a courageous statement on the negative effects of holocaust memory on the philosophy and ethics of Israel and the Jewish Diaspora. He makes the cogent point that it is time to move on from the position of 'narcisstic victimology' (not his term). He points out how Israel/Jews are seeing the Shoah (holocaust) as 'sui generis' and are deprecating some of the other 'holocausts/massacres' that have occurred in recent history. Bauer (2001,p20) states that" "the genocide of the Jews was neither better not worse than any other" In this book Burg is discussing the detrimental effects of this belief in the 'unprecedentness' of the Shoah in both Israel and the Diaspora.

Burg makes the important point in the choice of the title of the Hebrew version of his book -"Defeating Hitler" - indeed as another writer (Yehuda Elkana 1988) has stated "this is Hitler's paradoxical and tragic victory" Defeating Hitler is what it is all about.

The final chapters link the initial argument to Judaism and he propounds on "A New Judaism" in which the new prayer book (Siddur) says "You chose us with all of the nations" instead of ' You chose us above ll of the nations".

I can't speak highly enough of this book. Firstly for the courage to say the unsayable. Secondly for the insightful and skilled writing.

Margot Salom

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Goes against the positions of major Jewish U.S. organizations July 9, 2009

By Alan Mayer-Sommer

Format:Hardcover

Burg writes that disagreement is the essence of written and oral discussion. He delivers on his promise of controversy staking out positions that contradict almost all the positions of the major U.S. Jewish organizations especially AIPAC. This makes his book stimulating and refreshing stating, for example, that a refugee people (Jews establishing Israel) created another refugee people - the Palestinians. I think his message is weakened by some apparently unresolved issues with his father and by a surprisingly unrealistic idealism that frames his answer to the problems and contradictions he raises. The book is worth reading, however, and will surely anger pro-Israel hard-liners.

53 of 68 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Important Message December 27, 2008

By Loyd E. Eskildson HALL OF FAME

Format:Hardcover

Burg's central thesis is that Israel has changed, and become like some of the nations it abhors - specifically through its constant abuse of Palestinians and increasing belief the Israelis are "God's people" (racism), all the while using the Holocaust as cover. Doing so continues to victimize current generations of Jews.

"The Holocaust is Over" can be seen as a plea for Israelis to stop seeing themselves as victims. Hopefully it will also lead to American politicians ceasing their non-stop slathering over Israel.