WHAT DOES OF THE STATE OF OF JEWISH HISTORY?

INTERVIEWS BY

Diane M. Bolz

Suzanne Borden

Sarah Breger

Nadine Epstein

Noah Phillips

Eetta Prince-Gibson

Amy E. Schwartz

Francie Weinman Schwartz

Meir Buzaglo

Daniel Fainstein

Konstanty Gebert

Yitz Greenberg

Rokhl Kafrissen

Yossi Klein Halevi

Aviya Kushner

Taya Mâ Shere

Nadia Matar

Yehudah Mirsky

Susan Neiman

Fania Oz-Salzberger

Judea Pearl

Dina Porat

Simon Schama

James S. Snyder

For some this new state was a haven after the horrors of the Shoah, for others it was the birth of a new, muscular Jew after centuries of stereotype, and for yet others it was reishit tzemihat geulateinu (the beginning of the flowering of our redemption). Of course, there was not much time to ponder Israel’s place in Jewish history—within hours of Ben-Gurion’s speech, five Arab nations invaded the new state. But Israel survived, and even its critics would have to say it has thrived in its 75 years of existence. Almost half of world Jewry currently lives there, and the nation typically ranks among the 30 countries with the highest GDP per capita. It is hard not to view it as a success.

But what do these past 75 years, a mere blink of the eye, mean in the context of three millennia of Jewish history? Has Israel’s presence signaled a rebirth or the start of a new covenant? Do we err in allowing it to overshadow the diaspora? Is it the most significant milestone in Jewish history or one of many? We asked a selection of historians, religious leaders and other insightful observers to weigh in. That Israel’s existence is miraculous is clear—as every respondent made sure to let us know—but the rest, like everything in Judaism, is up for debate.