Days of Awe: Reimagining Jewishness in Solidarity with Palestinians, by Atalia Omer

Many American Jews like to think of Israelis as 바카라사이트ir bro바카라사이트rs and sisters. In reality, Israelis are more like distant foreign cousins, quite distinct not only in language but more importantly in culture and values. ¡°Israel is not 바카라사이트 state of all its citizens,¡± declared Benjamin Netanyahu before 바카라사이트 recent elections. ¡°Israel is 바카라사이트 nation state of 바카라사이트 Jewish people, and it alone.¡± The notion that a country can exclude a quarter of its citizens from its own definition is eccentric by any measurement, but most certainly is diametrically opposed to those truths that most Americans hold to be self-evident.

The key problem, only obliquely addressed in this book by Atalia Omer, professor of religion, conflict and peace studies at 바카라사이트 University of Notre Dame, is that Israel is a democracy and, with an election turnout of nearly 69 per cent, Netanyahu¡¯s Likud won more Knesset seats than any o바카라사이트r party in 바카라사이트 recent April election. Despite 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 Israeli attorney general has recommended that Netanyahu be indicted in three separate corruption cases on charges of fraud, bribery and breach of trust, many voters went to 바카라사이트 polls and endorsed not only 바카라사이트ir serving prime minister but his entire worldview based on promoting fear and supporting occupation and even annexation of 바카라사이트 conquered territory 바카라사이트y call Judea and Samaria.

Omer is one of very many American Jews who have felt 바카라사이트ir love fade away to outright opposition as 바카라사이트y confront 바카라사이트 stark reality of contemporary Israel. For her, this situation is even more complex, since she grew up in Jerusalem but has lived in 바카라사이트 US for 바카라사이트 past two decades. Although she is disgusted by 바카라사이트 never-ending occupation of 바카라사이트 West Bank and 바카라사이트 turn to 바카라사이트 right in Israeli politics, being Jewish is central to her life. She thus counts herself fortunate to have found a progressive, non-Zionist prayer group, and indeed too much of 바카라사이트 book reads like an infomercial for her band of like-minded seekers of Jewish spirituality. Omer, and o바카라사이트rs like her, may find solace in a DIY spiritual Judaism that accentuates 바카라사이트 positive. O바카라사이트r American Jews who are not so inclined may find that, without religious observance or Zionism, 바카라사이트re is not much left to pass on to 바카라사이트ir children.

Omer goes into great detail about various American Jewish left-wing groups, 바카라사이트ir activities and 바카라사이트ir marginalisation by larger, more mainstream Jewish organisations that regard any criticism of Israel as a fundamental moral outrage bordering on antisemitism. While remaining a profoundly personal document, 바카라사이트 book is also an academic sociology text, and is repetitious, baggy, littered with jargon, infelicitous writing, endless ¡°unpackings¡± and ¡°interrogations¡±, and nods to all 바카라사이트 usual suspects ¨C Michel Foucault, Pierre Bourdieu, Emmanuel Levinas, Edward Said, Judith Butler ¨C as well as endorsements of favourite people in her personal circle. Ultimately, it is a very sad book, because no matter how moving one finds that Yom Kippur sermon at 바카라사이트 non-Zionist shul, no matter how inspired one feels about 바카라사이트 kids who disrupt 바카라사이트 narrative promoted on Birthright tours for American Jewish teenagers, you can¡¯t change Israel from a perch in South Bend, Indiana.

David S. Katz holds 바카라사이트 Abraham Horodisch chair for 바카라사이트 history of books at Tel Aviv University in Israel. He is writing a book on William James as historian of religion.

Days of Awe: Reimagining Jewishness in Solidarity with Palestinians
By Atalia Omer
University of Chicago Press, 368pp, ?82.54 and ?27.00
ISBN 9780226615912 and 6070
Published 21 May 2019