Judaism Does Not Equal Israel: The Rebirth of the Jewish Prophetic [Hardcover]

Marc H. Ellis (Author)

Book Description

Series: Does Not Equal | Publication Date: March 31, 2009

Reviewing the historical record of the past sixty years and envisioning the prospects for a just and lasting peace, Ellis makes an unyielding case--based on the most cherished Jewish values--that the present policies of the Israeli state cannot reasonably be defended. The future not only of Judaism but of Israel itself, he argues, hinges on a fundamental shift in Israel's treatment of the Palestinians and on a completely new direction in the peace process.

At a time when critics of Israeli policies are silenced with the charge of anti-Semitism, Ellis offers a prophetic Jewish alternative to the blind acceptance of Zionism, demonstrating "great courage, integrity, and insight," according to Noam Chomsky.

Sure to be the subject of fervent debate, Judaism Does Not Equal Israel marks a major effort by a leading American Jewish thinker to make the case that condemning current Israeli policies is fully consonant with being a good Jew.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Ellis, a prominent Jewish intellectual, writes a provocative book that is likely to outrage many Jews as well as Gentile supporters of Israel, but it must be seriously considered. Most “Jewish” criticism of Israel comes either from nominal Jews with little attachment to the Jewish community, or from ultra-Orthodox Jews who feel only the Messiah can restore the Jewish state. But Ellis fits neither description, and many of his assertions are likely to strike nerves. He convincingly asserts that post-Holocaust Jews are united less by language or religious tradition than by their attachment to the survival of the state of Israel. In the process, he maintains, Jews have abandoned their prophetic mission and replaced it with support for a military state that oppresses Palestinians. He urges Jews to consider separating their Jewish identity from Israel. Ellis paints with too broad a brush, since many staunch supporters of Israel’s existence criticize particular policies of the Israeli government. Many of his criticisms of the Israeli government are simplistic and one-sided. Still, this is a strongly argued work that should and probably will be heatedly debated. --Jay Freeman

About the Author

Marc H. Ellis is a leading authority on contemporary Judaism and is widely recognized as one of the most influential Jewish thinkers of his generation. A University Professor of American and Jewish Studies and the founding director of the Center for Jewish Studies at Baylor University, he is the author of fifteen books and has written articles published in the International Herald Tribune, Christian Century, and Ha'aretz. Ellis regularly provides commentary and analysis on NPR and the BBC and has been inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. Collegium of Scholars at Morehouse College. He lives in Waco, Texas.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: New Press, The (March 31, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595584250
• ISBN-13: 978-1595584250
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,531,788 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A top pick for community library collections on current Jewish issues, September 13, 2009

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Judaism Does Not Equal Israel: The Rebirth of the Jewish Prophetic (Hardcover)

Just because it houses Jerusalem and is the world's only Jewish state does not mean Jews should support it without question. "Judaism Does Not Equal Israel" is an attack on the current policies of Israel, from a source that isn't usually listed as one of its opponents - political critic Marc H. Ellis, himself a Jewish man. Claiming that Israel has strayed from Jewish principles in favor of Holocaust victimization and cruelty to Palestinians, "Judaism Does Not Equal Israel" is a frank and blunt volume that reflects what many American Jews feel about their so-called homeland, and a top pick for community library collections on current Jewish issues.