Customer Reviews

Why I am a Zionist: Israel Jewish Identity and the Challenges of Today

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It seems like at every dinner or at every family gathering we always start talking about the current situation in the Middle East and Israel and the attitudes that people have towards Zionism. It also seemed that what was really missing from our family bookshelf was a comprehensive book about Zionism seen through the eyes of a Jew living in North America, just like me. We needed an educational book to present the real Zionism that has been lost under the rubble of war and terrorism.
That is why I was so happy when a colleague of mine at work showed me a copy of "Why I am a Zionist."

Troy's focus is the Zionism that can re-unite the Jewish people around universal causes and provide the spiritual anchor in our modern world. More than that, the book also provides a comprehensive guide to the history of Israel, and the important place it has always had in Jewish and world history, in a language that can be understood even by my 10 year old son.
I would definitely recommend anyone who is truly intersted in discovering what Zionism and Israel is really all about, wether Jewish or not, to buy this book and listen to what the author is saying.

Why I am a Zionist is a penetrating and startling analysis of the challenges facing the Jewish nation today. Author Gil Troy ardently returns to the core issues - What is Zionism? Why is Zionism equated with racism in the eyes of the world? - and the result is a crash course in Jewish nationalism and identity, covering an important range of topics including the Arab-Israel conflict, terrorism, multiculturalism, and the quandary of North American modern Zionism In Why I am a Zionist, Troy addresses the tough questions, exploring recent events such as the current Intifada and September 11. The result is a thoroughly relevant and honest exploration of contemporary issues that cannot be ignored.

With each page I realized why I liked it more and more. The book is written the way Professor Troy lectures simple and to the point. All the issues that he discusses are issues that I'm still learning how to deal with myself like how to sympathize with the Palestinians, but still support Israel, making arguments rather than delegitimizing, disagreeing but still loving and how to deal with Jews who don't support Israel and thereby along with the rest of the world validate suicide bombings as legitimate. The other issue of secular Israeli society being religious at heart is also true and the arguments he invokes about anyone who is Zionist has an element of religion in them whether they would like to think so or not rings very true as well. To read this book while travelling in Israel and experiencing parallel situations made it all the more powerful to read.My countless conversations with soldiers who are exasperated by the situation and see it as a horrible place and then their faces when I finally piped up and said: "Don't ever take Israel for granted. The situation seems hopeless, but you are among your own people that is the most important thing. You will never be alone. To have them say Shabbat Shalom and not have a nice weekend, to not have to fight with a professor because an exam is scheduled on a Jewish holiday. To have the whole country be off for Shavuot to respect it as they please. Never ever take that for granted. " They were all silent and then one of them who had come from Russia looked at me and said: " I know exactly what you mean." The others finally all nodded and never said another word about how horrible Israel was and I hope they keep that with them. It was these types of conversations that highlighted every argument Professor Troy gives in his book and as I continued to read his book and experience Israel (for the fifth time) I realized that everything he stated was true.

This is an admirable book. Troy explains how and why the movement called 'Zionism' has deep historical and religious roots in Jewish experience. He explains the present- day villification of Zionism and makes clear how it is Anti- Semitism in a new form. His aim is to reconnect alienated North - American Jews to their history culture and religion. And he argues that their connection with Israel as living experience is the best way to do this. He is a strong supporter of the Birthright program which brings North American Jews to visit the land of Israel.
In the course of this he also traces the background to the Arab- Israeli conflict and shows how Israel's efforts at peace have met rejection time and time again.
This is an accurate telling of the story and a sound work which anyone interested in Israel, the Jewish people, the Middle East conflict - can learn from.

For the Jews, the past decade has been deluged with antisemitic filth, which has poured from Arab and pro-Arab faucets. These sources include most of the international media, the extreme Left, the international media, the United Nations, much of the European Union, the Non-Aligned Movement, Third World regimes, universities and academics and have been perhaps the bitterest since the fall of the Third Reich. The Palestinian terror network has engaged in merciless slaughter of Jewish men, women and children through bomb and bullet. Their malevolence extends to all continents, and Jews are being attacked on all continents.

Universities around the world have become cauldrons of the most uncompromising hatred of Israel and the Jewish people, with the feverish participation of some radical pro-Palestinian Jews. The media around the world does its best to paint the beleaguered nation of Israel as an aggressor and human rights abuser. They use the most sophisticated as well as the most blunt propaganda tricks, while showing not the slightest compassion or sympathy for the six million Jews of Israel threatened with genocide, and targeted for so long by sustained murder and terror.
Those of us who identify as Zionist and who love Israel are being put through difficult times, in a world where Zionism and support for Israel is not politically correct. In fact it is fashionable and PC to express venomous hatred for Israel and Zionism, and woe to anyone who suggests that this prejudice against Zionism and Israel might just have some connection to Antisemitism.

Gil Troy presents here a must read for anyone interested in the topic of Zionism and Israel. He presents a factual and rational defense of Israel and the Zionist cause, and go's further than this too. He explains why beyond opposing anti-Zionism, and Israel-hatred, young people and Jews in general should grab back Zionism as a positive identification and something that can unite the Jewish people and save them from so many of the problems we have today.

The author begins by boldly affirming "I am Zionist because I am a Jew and without recognizing a national component in Judaism, I cannot explain it's unique character".

Troy explains how Zionism provides Jews with an identity and how pride in being a Jew, a Greek, an Italian or Irish person can provide people with the time tested and essential anchors in a world overdosing with consumerism, materialism and glorification of the here and now only.
He explains that Zionism is no more 'racist' than any other nationalism, be it America, South Africa, Irish, Polish or Greek.
He explains that he is a Zionist because Jews never forget their attachment to their attachment to their ancient homeland, the Land of Israel and Jerusalem.
He explains how Zionism can unite rather than divide Jews by giving us a sense of belonging regardless of religious observance, beliefs or differences in lifestyles or material circumstances.
At the same time Zionism can serve as a model for positive engagement with the world , by giving us an understanding and respect for the identity of others, based in a healthy pride in our own.
The author urges us to accentuate the positive in Zionism as central to our Jewish identity: the miracle of Israel remaining the only;y democracy in the Middle East at a time when it's existence is threatened by it's neighbors in the region and the dangers and hardships are many. It also means focusing on Jewish identity and culture in Israel, on the home turf of the Jewish people. The author promotes the birthright program which has brought thousands of young Jews from around the world to explore the warmth and excitement, the wonder and vibrancy that is Israel.
Troy urges Jews around the world to visit Israel, engage in correspondence with Israelis, access Israeli websites, explore Israeli arts and culture, which can give a fuller and deeper understanding of a society under stress but which is still, living, learning, earning and growing.

We must familiarize ourselves with the massive humanitarian work done by Israel in places ravaged by disaster and war, such as Haiti, Rwanda and Bosnia and it's welcoming of refugees from the Sudan and Vietnam at different times in it's history.
Before 1973, when Arab economic pressure forced most African states to cut ties with Israel, Israel maintained an ambitious program of aid and assistance, education and training throughout Africa, as well as providing an inspiration for growth and development of a new state.


The author does not neglect to combat the propaganda against Israel and Zionism. The canard that accuses Israel of being a colonial presence and labels Zionism as 'colonialism' labels every Israeli as a 'settler', an 'interloper' a 'colonizer' a 'Western imperialist' even if he or she can trace his ancestry back two thousand years to the Second Temple period,since there has always been a Jewish presence in the Land of Israel since before this time. While simultaneously this mythology awards any Arab, even if his family only moved to the Holy Land during the time of the British mandate, as many Arabs did, as an 'indigenous native'.

It ignores centuries of continuous settlement and engagement with the land by the Jewish people.
He exposes the hypocrisy of international condemnation of Israel, by people who's world view singles out only Israel for opprobrium while ignoring horrific atrocities and genocide in Sudan, Rwanda, Congo, Sri Lanka, Kurdistan, Chechnya and Tibet to name a few countries ravaged by humanitarian disasters.

The author traces Israel's 4 000 year history with particular emphasis on the Palestinian Terror War of 2000-2005 against the Israeli people, and focuses on such atrocities by terror networks such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and Popular Resistance Committees as homicide bombing (usually targeting youth and children), shooting,s bombings lynchings and stabbings of Israeli men, women and children, that took around two thousand lives, including those of 123 children.

But he stresses how Israeli society weathered this attack in the same way that the British stood firm during the 1940 Nazi blitz of Britain, and the Russian people survived the World War II siege of Leningrad.
You can get a more detailed picture of the Israeli experience of terror by reading Israel: Life in the Shadow of Terror.

Though Zionism is not today politically correct and does not grab the attention of many young Jews the way feminism grabs the passions of many young women, Gay Liberation grabs the passions of many young men, and Black Liberation or Black Power ideologies fire up so many young African Americans. But is did so once and remains the National Liberation Movement of the Jewish people.
Gil Tory urges us to reclaim Zionism as the vibrant , progressive ideology it really is , both for Jews at home and in the diaspora.
As regards the far left Diaspora Jews that take a lead in dehumanizing and trying to harm the Jewish State and Israeli people, these must be rejected, in my opinion, as may nations (particularity the Jews throughout history) have had treasonous elements, that for one reason or another refuse to empathize with their own people.

As one who supports human rights, I obviously support Zionism. To do otherwise would be to oppose human rights. So I am a little surprised and saddened by the fact that there are some people who do not support Zionism. And it's worse that some of my fellow liberals regard Zionism as something not quite, um, kosher. That's all the more reason to read this book.

I have to admit that some antizionist propaganda is pretty wild. Reading it, you might think that Zionism is against human rights, or is against justice, or is against truth, or is a form of racism. Or that Zionists are greedy, wanting more land than they somehow "deserve." But I have come to the opposite conclusion, namely that all these epithets are more properly applied to antizionism. And that's another reason why you might want to read this book.

Gil Troy points out that too many people have ignored too much antizionist hatred and vitriol for too long. He thinks the word "Zionism" is in danger of being defined by its enemies. And I think it may be even more insidious than that. I think that the international community risks having many of its institutions defined by their opposition to human rights.

The author points out that Zionism is an integral part of Judaism. He traces the history of Judaism both in and out of the Levant. And he reviews some of the history of modern Israel.

Troy says that at its simplest, Zionism is simply Jewish nationalism, the understanding that Jews are a people, that Judaism is not just a religion, and that Israel is the Jewish homeland.

I think that's an important point. We do not begrudge the French their language, their nationalism, their religions, or their homeland. We do not demand to internationalize their capital city of Paris, or to give Paris to the Germans on the grounds that only Germans truly love Paris. And I could make the same comments about most other nations that we are content to allow to exist.

The author points out the demonization of Israel that we've seen at the United Nations, such as at their conference in Durban in 2001. And he shows how media, including CNN, the BBC, and the New York Times, have played along with dramatic anti-Israeli libels.

I think that some antizionist Big Lies have indeed poisoned the international information supply. And I think that we see some of the effects of this on college campuses today. Troy advocates documenting incidents of antizionist intimidation on campus and demanding campus civility. In addition, I think we also need to demand academic honesty from some of the faculty.

Antizionism is a problem for all of society, not just for the Jews, Hebrew-speakers, or Israelis. And it is a major problem for anyone who supports human rights. I think it's a good idea to read this book and then ask oneself what one can do to help promote human rights.