Get Started Reading Israel

Tags: Books, Israel Engagement, History, Arts and Culture, Jewish Identity, Hebrew, Nationalism, Elana Heideman

By Dr. Elana Yael Heideman

“No Time To Read” by Gary Csuk

Does anyone have time to read anymore?

It isn’t easy finding time for leisure reading, and many will dive in to a favorite fiction, adventure, or drama for those precious moments of quiet when we can enjoy a really good book.

Perusing the shelves of possible literary escapes, you might be surprised to learn not only how many books about Israel or by Israeli authors are out there to enjoy, but how many others around the world share your same interest in exploring the history, culture, and life of the Jewish State.

Of course, some of the best books aren’t historical in nature.

Rather, they are the ones that incorporate the rich history of the land into a personal tale of love, of conflict, of intrigue. The plot thickened by the unique dynamic of Israel’s existence and the constant challenges with which she is faced.

So how does one choose from the plethora of options out there? And how much better to enjoy a book than to join in a discussion with others around the world who are seeking the same knowledge, understanding, and inspiration about Israel that you are?

The Reading Israel Book Club is here to help!

We help you cope with the overwhelming list of possibilities by making a selection each month while also including informative content, guiding questions, and a global community to share your thoughts with.

With guest reviewers, and virtual meet-the-author opportunities, we look forward to turning our mutual love of Israel and of books into a dynamic experience that we can all enjoy.

Participation in the Reading Israel Book Club is free of charge!

To sign up, click here and join your fellow bibliophiles in a literary exploration of our one and only Jewish state!

Want to get started Reading Israel Today?

We are kicking off the new year with Saving Israel, by Daniel Gordis.

"Is Israel worth saving, and if so, how do we secure its future? The Jewish State must end, say its enemies, from intellectuals like Tony Judt to hate-filled demagogues like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Even average Israelis are wondering if they wouldn't be better off somewhere else and whether they ought to persevere. Daniel Gordis is confident his fellow Jews can renew their faith in the cause, and in Saving Israel, he outlines how."

Few books can combine the sweep of Israel's complex and extraordinary history with personal insight and passion. Saving Israel accomplishes this and more, it educates and inspires it readers while furnishing them with well-grounded hope for the future. Daniel Gordis has written an essential text for students, scholars, journalists--anyone concerned with the survival of the Jewish State. - Michael Oren

Daniel Gordis's morally powerful Saving Israel, from a writer whose reflections are consistently as intellectually impressive as they are moving, engages in an acutely necessary argument: that sovereignty has significantly changed the Jewish condition by influencing how we think. Gordis addresses the exigencies of our time with the urgency they overridingly demand, and with the depth of feeling they inspire. - Cynthia Ozick

One of Israel’s most thoughtful observers – An American who made Israel his home, despite its imperfections and dangers. - Alan Dershowitz

Join the Reading Israel Book Club and tell us what YOU think!

Sign up today!

Recommended for you:

Living Beyond Terrorism: Israeli Stories of Hope and Healing

Reading Israel: In the Sands of Sinai by Dr. Itzhak Brook

A Pigeon and A Boy

Return to Zion: The History of Modern Israel

About the Author

Dr. Elana Yael Heideman, Executive Director of The Israel Forever Foundation, is a dynamic and passionate educator who works creatively and collaboratively in developing content and programming to deepen and activate the personal connection to Israel for Diaspora Jews. Elana’s extensive experience in public speaking, educational consulting and analytic research and writing has served to advance her vision of Israel-inspired Jewish identity that incorporates the relevance of the Holocaust, Antisemitism and Zionism to contemporary issues faced throughout the Jewish world in a continuous effort to facilitate dialogue and build bridges between the past, present and future.

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