“Aviva Halamish has produced a splendid biography of Meir Yaari, one of the Zionist movement’s most colorful and intriguing figures. Writing with profound erudition and empathy, Halamish reveals the mysteries of Yaari’s charisma, his intellectual and organizational strengths, and his all-too-human flaws. Halamish throws light on not only Yaari as an individual but also on the kibbutz movement that he founded and on Israeli history writ large.”
— Derek Penslar, Stanley Lewis Professor of Israel Studies, University of Oxford

“Aviva Halamish has written a riveting biography of a key figure in the history of the Yishuv and the State of Israel. It is a work of extraordinary and relentless exploration of archival sources, letters, memoirs, and the contemporaneous press to reveal, in an engaging and fascinating manner, Yaari’s personal story and pivotal role in the creation of a new society. A must-read for scholars and students of the emergence of the Jewish State.”
— Jehuda Reinharz, Richard Koret Professor of Modern Jewish History, Brandeis University

“Aviva Halamish wrote a comprehensive biography of one of the most fascinating figures in the Zionist history, skillfully tracing his inner contradictions, conflicts with colleagues and opponents. What was the source of his magic impact on his adherents, who followed him to the dividing line between Zionism and communism? Whoever wishes to understand the social and cultural making of one of the most important kibbutz movements, Hashomer Hatza’ir, should read Halamish’s book.”
— Anita Shapira, Tel Aviv University

“This is an excellent book, one that I enjoyed reading very much. Halamish is an extraordinary historian and storyteller. It is also important for me to note that even though I was born and educated in Israel, I learned much and gained new insights into the kibbutz movement by reading this volume. … This book has significant relevance for Israeli society today.” —Moti Gigi, Sapir College, Israel Studies Review Vol. 33, No. 3

— Moti Gigi

Aviva Halamish is Historian at the Open University of Israel, specializing in the history of the Jewish people and of Palestine in the twentieth century, focusing on Jewish immigration, the kibbutz, and historical biography. She has authored or edited over a dozen books. Halamish is a member of Israel's Council for Higher Education.

Introduction

Chapter 1: Reisha

Chapter 2: Vienna

Chapter 3: Bitaniyya Illit

Chapter 4: Founding a Kibbutz Movement

Chapter 5: A Wife and Helpmate

Chapter 6: Ideological Collectivism

Chapter 7: Facing the Catastrophe

Chapter 8: Facing the Forces of Tomorrow

Chapter 9: A Gaping Abyss

Chapter 10: Against the Current

Chapter 11: From Military Glory to Marking Time in the Opposition

Chapter 12: Unrequited Love

Chapter 13: In the Shadow of Big Brother

Chapter 14: The Kibbutz during the Transition from Yishuv to State

Chapter 15: For Zionism, for Socialism, for the Brotherhood of the Nations—and in That Order

Chapter 16: Fractured Beliefs

Chapter 17: The Rebellion of the Sons

Chapter 18: A Dove with Folded Wings

Chapter 19: Twilight

Chapter 20: Epilogue

Bibliography