	This page was last updated August 3, 2007


	Home The Press


	Subject Categories Archaeology Art History Biography Economics / Banking / Management / Investment Education Geography / Environment History Jewish Studies Latin American Studies Library Studies Literary Criticism & Linguistics Middle East Studies Musicology Philosophy Politics & IR Psychology Psychotherapy Social Anthropology Social Studies Theatre & Drama Theology & Religion Women’s Studies


	All Titles Alpha Press Libraries of Study
	Asian Studies Contemporary Spanish Studies Critical Inventions Demographic Developments First Nations & Colonial Encounter Latin American Studies Peace Politics in the Middle East Religious Beliefs & Practices Spanish History Spirituality in Education

Authors Booksellers Request a Catalogue Contact Us Ordering Advanced Search

You are in: Home > Jewish Studies > Israel in Diaspora and Jewish Identity

Israel, the Diaspora and Jewish Identity

Edited by Danny Ben-Moshe and Zohar Segev

Danny Ben-Moshe is an Associate Professor and Director of the Institute for Community, Ethnicity and Policy Alternatives at Victoria University in Melbourne Australia where he directs a research program into comparative diasporas.

Zohar Segev is Lecturer in Jewish History at Haifa University. He is book review editor of The Journal of Jewish History, and member of the editorial board of the Australian Journal of Jewish Studies.

	Investigates the significance, contribution, and role played by the State of Israel – ideologically and practically – in the identity of Diaspora Jews
	Explores the extent and way Israel features in Diaspora identity through a range of issues including: anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, Jewish continuity and Israel visits, the peace process, pro-Israel lobbying, philanthropy, religious thought and gender
	Examines the place of Israel in the identity of Jewish communities in eight countries and amongst the Israeli Diaspora
	A unique feature of this volume is that each chapter is followed by short and insightful viewpoints by Israeli and Diaspora commentators, with the book reflecting a dialogue between these different voices from across the Jewish world

“The perceptions and reactions to Israel of diaspora Jews have in recent years become troubling. The once – correctly – assumed unflagging support of Israel and its policies by Jews abroad has weakened. Does this reflect the policies themselves, Israel becoming the proverbial thorn in the diasporic side? Or, despite its secular majority, has Israel’s increasingly Orthodox religious character in public and political life distanced many Diaspora Jews, while leading to enhanced bonds between Israel and Orthodox Jews in the Diaspora? Has diasporic Judaism acquired an independent focus, especially as this Judaism becomes less an ethnic and more a social and religious body, with converts, lacking roots and family in Israel, achieving prominence in synagogues and Jewish communities? These questions need answering.” Kenneth Stow, Editor of Jewish History journal

Jews, like everyone else, have multiple identities and Israel is only one aspect of Jewish identity that has to compete and coexist with many other Jewish and non-Jewish factors. This book explores what it is about Israel that resonates or not with Diaspora Jews, leading them to place Israel above, alongside or below competing or complementary considerations in their identity.

Acknowledgments

Introduction World Jewry, Identity and Israel
Danny Ben-Moshe and Zohar Segev

Part I
ISSUES AND THEMES

1 Danny Ben-Moshe The New Anti-Semitism, Jewish Identity
and the Question of Zionism
Israel commentator Neil Lazarus
Diaspora commentator Jean-Yves Camus

2 David Mittelberg Jewish Continuity and Israel Visits
Israel commentator Alan Hoffmann
Diaspora commentator Gabriel Trajtenberg

3 Chaim I. Waxman Israel in Orthodox Identity:
The American Experience
Israel commentator Eliezer Don-Yehiya
Diaspora commentator Françoise Ouzan

4 Daniel Gordis Conservative Judaism, Zionism and Israel:
Commitments and Ambivalences
Israel commentator Reuven Hammer
Diaspora commentator David Starr

5 Michael Livni The Place of Israel in the Identity of Reform Jews:
Examining the Spectrum of Passive Identification
with Israel to Active Jewish–Zionist
Commitment
Israel / Diaspora joint commentators
Lisa Grant and Michael Marmur

6 Philip Mendes The Jewish Left, Jewish Identity, Zionism and
Israel Attitudes to the Palestinian Intifada
Israel commentator Avi Katzman
Diaspora commentator Jonathan Freedland

7 Ofira Seliktar The Changing Identity of American Jews,
Israel and the Peace Process
Israel commentator Avi Beker
Diaspora commentator Scott Lasensky

8 Jonathan Rynhold Israel’s Foreign and Defence Policy and
Diaspora Jewish Identity
Israel commentator Amiram Barkat
Diaspora commentator Dov Waxman

9 Elana Sztokman Gender and Israel in Diaspora Jewish Identity
Israel commentator Alice Shalvi
Diaspora commentator Caryn Aviv

10 Steve J. Gold The Place of Israel in the Identity of Israelis in the
Diaspora: An Ethnographic Exploration
Israel commentator Naama Sabar
Diaspora commentator Rona Hart

Part II
COUNTRIES AND REGIONS

11 David Goldberg Canada

12 Colin Shindler Great Britain

13 Graciela Ben Dror Latin America

14 Erik Cohen France

15 Suzanne D. Rutland Australia

16 Robert Wexler United States of America

17 Richard Mendelsohn and Milton Shain South Africa

18 Larissa Remennick Russia

Conclusion Israel in Diaspora Jewish Identity
A Perspective from Israel Gabriel Sheffer
A Perspective from the Diaspora Steven Bayme

Glossary
Contributors
Index

Publication Details

	ISBN:		978-1-84519-189-4 h/b
			978-1-84519-242-6 p/b
	Page Extent / Format:		320 pp. / 246 x 171 mm
	Release Date:		September 2007
	Illustrated:		No
	Hardback Price:		£55.00 / $75.00
	Paperback Price:		£18.95 / $35.00


	Order Item

	Israel, the Diaspora and Jewish Identity

	h/b £55.00 / $75.00
	p/b £18.95 / $35.00

	Quantity