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Discover what Jewish people in America have to say about Israel—their voices have never mattered more than they do now.
As anti-Israel sentiment spreads around the world—from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to former President Jimmy Carter—it has never been more important for American Jews to share their feelings and thoughts about Israel, and foster a connection to Israel in the next generation of Jewish and Christian adults.
This inspirational book features the insights of top scholars, business leaders, professionals, politicians, authors, artists and community and religious leaders covering the entire denominational spectrum of Jewish life in America today—and offers an exciting glimpse into the history of Zionism in America with statements from Jews who saw the movement come to life. Presenting a diversity of views, it will encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to think about what Israel means to them and, in particular, help young adults jump start their own lasting, personal relationship with Israel.
Contributors:
Morris Abram • Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson • Dr. Marc D. Angel • Samuel Bak • Barbara B. Balser • Rabbi Robert B. Barr • Bernard M. Baruch • Steven Bayme • Ariel Beery • Ari Spungen Bildner • George S. Blumenthal • Michael Bogdanow • Louis D. Brandeis • Marshall J. Breger • Matthew Brooks • Rabbi Sharon Brous • Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin • Shoshana S. Cardin • Emanuel Celler • Central Conference of American Rabbis • Steven M. Cohen • Rabbi Stanley M. Davids • Shira Dicker • Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff • Peter Edelman • Rabbi Dan Ehrenkrantz • Albert Einstein • Daniel J. Elazar • Rabbi David Ellenson • Senator Russ Feingold • Rabbi Mordecai Finley • Wayne L. Firestone • Max M. Fisher • Sylvia Barack Fishman • Stephen M. Flatow • Felix Frankfurter • Debbie Friedman • Jane Friedman • Richard Elliott Friedman • Abraham H. Foxman • Rabbi Roland B. Gittelsohn • Stanley P. Gold • Ari L. Goldman • Rabbi Niles Elliot Goldstein • David M. Gordis • Richard James Horatio Gottheil • Lisa D. Grant • Arthur Green • Harold Grinspoon • Samuel Heilman • Lillian Hellman • Nat Hentoff • Arthur Hertzberg • Abraham Joshua Heschel • Assemblyman Dov Hikind • Peter Himmelman • Rabbi Bradley Hirschfield • Bethamie Horowitz • Edward Jacobson • Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis • James J. Katz • Rabbi Karyn D. Kedar • Rabbi Kauffman Kohler • Lydia Kukoff • Arthur Kurzweil • Emma Lazarus • Rabbi Felix Levy • Judah Magnes • Rabbi Janet R. Marder • Harpo Marx • Danny Maseng • Rabbi Goldie Milgram • Rabbi Hirshy Minkowicz • Alan Mittleman • Rabbi David Polish • Joachim Prinz • Laurie L. Patton • Elliot Ratzman • Shulamit Reinharz • Thane Rosenbaum • Alvin H. Rosenfeld • Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin • Jonathan D. Sarna • Solomon Schechter • Susan Weidman Schneider • Peninnah Schram • Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz • Lynn Schusterman • Howard Schwartz • Rosanne Miller Selfon • Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro • Danny Siegel • Abba Hillel Silver • Rabbi Alan Silverstein • David Silverstein • Rabbi Milton Steinberg • Aryeh Lev Stollman • Oscar Solomon Straus • David M. Suissa • Marie Syrkin • Rabbi Joseph Baer Soloveitchik • Aaron Press Taylor • Rabbi David A. Teutsch • Stephen Joel Trachtenberg • Rabbi Gordon Tucker • Rabbi Moshe Waldoks • Michael Walzer • Rep. Henry A. Waxman • Rabbi Avraham Weiss • Dr. Robert Wexler • Rabbi Stephen S. Wise • Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf • Rabbi David Wolpe • Shara Yurkiewicz
This book contains short essays by nearly one hundred American Jews, including politicians, writers, artists, academics, students and entertainers. Among the contributors are 31 rabbis and such notable people as Nat Hentoff, Louise D. Brandeis, Solomon Schechter, Albert Einstein, Lillian Hellman, Abraham Joshua Heschel and Harpo Marx. It is divided into five parts and discusses such themes as the role Israel has played in their lives, what keeps them connected to Israel and how it relates to their sense of what it means to be Jewish and American. Editor Salkin believes that many American Jews have lost their sense of connection to the State of Israel: financial support has lessened, and the ability of many American Jews to intellectually defend Israel "has become ever shakier." Offering a multitude of views, the book's air is to encourage Jews to think about what Israel means to them, giving readers—both Jews and Christians—a remarkable insight into this important subject.
Publisher's Note xv
Introduction xxi
PART I—IDENTITY & HERITAGE: MY ANCESTRAL HOME REBORN IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF MY IDENTITY 1
Rabbi David Wolpe 3
Sylvia Barack Fishman 6
Matthew Brooks 9
Samuel Bak 11
Rabbi Karyn D. Kedar 14
David M. Suissa 16
Stephen Joel Trachtenberg 17
Peninnah Schram 20
David Silverstein 22
Rabbi Gordon Tucker 25
Shira Dicker 27
Rabbi David Ellenson 29
George S. Blumenthal 32
Susan Weidman Schneider 35
Howard Schwartz 37
Alan Mittleman 40
Lisa D. Grant 42
Arthur Kurzweil 44
Debbie Friedman 46
Rabbi Alan Silverstein 48
Bethamie Horowitz 51
Wayne L. Firestone 53
Barbara B. Balser 54
James J. Katz 57
Michael Bogdanow 59
PART II—REFUGE: A REFUGE FROM ANTI-SEMITISM, A PLACE OF SAFETY 61
Shulamit Reinharz 63
Abraham H. Foxman 66
Rep. Henry A. Waxman 67
Thane Rosenbaum 69
Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin 71
Senator Russ Feingold 72
Harold Grinspoon 74
Alvin H. Rosenfeld 77
Nat Hentoff 79
Assemblyman Dov Hikind 80
Stephen M. Flatow 81
Samuel Heilman 83
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz 85
Danny Maseng 87
Michael Walzer 89
PART III—FAITH & COVENANT: A LIVING, VIBRANT PART OF MY RELIGIOUS FAITH 93
Lynn Schusterman 95
Ari Spungen Bildner 99
Rabbi Bradley Hirschfield 101
Aryeh Lev Stollman 103
Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis 105
Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin 108
Ari L. Goldman 111
Rabbi Mordecai Finley 113
Peter Himmelman 116
Shara Yurkiewicz 118
Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson 120
Lydia Kukoff 123
Jane Friedman 125
Rabbi Hirshy Minkowicz 127
Marshall J. Breger 128
Rabbi Janet R. Marder 130
PART IV—TIKKUM OLAM: A LIGHT UNTO THE NATIONS—HOPES FOR REPAIRING THE WORLD AND DREAMS OF A BETTER WORLD 135
Dr. Marc D. Angel 137
Jonathan D. Sarna 139
Shoshana S. Cardin 142
Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf 144
Danny Siegel 146
Rabbi Sharon Brous 149
Arthur Green 151
Rabbi David A. Teutsch 154
Steven Bayme 155
Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff 158
Aaron Press Taylor 160
Rabbi Avraham Weiss 162
Stanley P. Gold 166
Rabbi Goldie Milgram 168
Ariel Beery 170
Rabbi Stanley M. Davids 174
Steven M. Cohen 176
Rabbi Moshe Waldoks 180
David M. Gordis 182
Rabbi Robert B. Barr 184
Richard Elliott Friedman 186
Rosanne Miller Selfon 188
Elliot Ratzman 191
Rabbi Niles Elliot Goldstein 193
Peter Edelman 195
Rabbi Dan Ehrenkrantz 197
Laurie L. Patton 199
Dr. Robert Wexler 201
Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro 202
PART V—AN AMERICAN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: THE WORDS OF THE FATHERS AND MOTHERS 205
Emma Lazarus 207
Richard James Horatio Gottheil 209
Rabbi Kauffman Kohler 210
Oscar Solomon Straus 211
Louis D. Brandeis 212
Felix Frankfurter 214
Solomon Schechter 216
Rabbi Milton Steinberg 217
Judah Magnes 219
Rabbi Felix Levy 220
Edward Jacobson 221
Abba Hillel Silver 222
Rabbi Stephen S. Wise 224
Rabbi David Polish 226
Rabbi Roland B. Gittelsohn 228
Bernard M. Baruch 230
Emanuel Celler 231
Albert Einstein 232
Arthur Hertzberg 233
Morris Abram 236
Daniel J. Elazar 237
Max M. Fisher 238
Lillian Hellman 239
Harpo Marx 239
Abraham Joshua Heschel 240
Joachim Prinz 243
Marie Syrkin 244
Rabbi Joseph Baer Soloveitchik 245
Central Conference of American Rabbis 246
Glossary 252
Suggestions for Further Reading and Sources of Current Information 255
Index of Contributors 258
Credits 261