Politics & Prose continues to create a public space
where emotional topics can be discussed in a robust and civil way. On February
12, we hosted Rabbi Fred Reiner’sStanding at Sinai(Authorhouse,
$18), a collection of his sermons and scholarly writings. These are extraordinarily
provocative essays dealing with hard issues, such as intermarriage,
homosexuality, immigration, and Israel. Audience members raised thoughtful and
emotional questions. Rabbi Reiner answered them forthrightly. The audience
listened attentively. Both the questioners and Rabbi Reiner modeled the serious
and respectful manner in which these matters should be addressed.
As one who strongly believes in Israel as a Jewish homeland
and as a democratically religious and secular pluralist state, which includes
Israel’s Arabs as equal citizens, I have been disturbed by ongoing efforts by
some in America who wish to shut down debate in my religious community. Among
many other reasons, Politics & Prose made Carla and me proud that it was a
safe harbor for robust and civil discussion. That continues under the leadership
of Brad Graham and Lissa Muscatine.
In recent months Politics & Prose has hosted Gershom Gorenberg’s The Unmaking of Israel(Harper, $25.99).Gorenberg is a
practicing Israeli orthodox Jew and an outstanding journalist. Gorenberg
refutes the shrill defense of “Israel - right or wrong” and the equally
strident attacks on the legitimacy of Israel. Israel is an imperfect democracy
(as are all democracies.) Its imperfections do not make it undemocratic when
vigorous voices challenge those imperfections within Israel.
P&P also hosted
Jeremy Ben Ami’s A New Voice for Israel
(Palgrave Macmillan, $26). Ben Ami comes from a family of early Zionists and is
the founder and president of J St. He dismantles the notion that Jews are
single issue voters on Israel and that only hard line policies can win their
support.
In the fall, P&P hosted Gilad Sharon’s loving book about his father, the incapacitated
former Israel Prime Minister and military leader Ariel Sharon. Gilad Sharon
celebrated the publication of his Sharon: The Life of a
Leader (Harper, $29.99) to a full P&P audience.
Last year we also hosted at 6th and I
the courageous Palestinian whose children were killed by an Israeli attack in
Gaza. Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish presented
I Shall Not Hate
(Walker & Company, $15) with strength and courage to a packed and diverse audience.
Carla and Barbara were always proud of the Israel novelists
who visited P&P. They represent a moral voice, who like the prophets of
old, knew how to be loving critics of Israel. In the fall P&P hosted Amos Oz when he read fromScenes from Village
Life(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $22). Lissa recalled his searching
autobiography A Tale of Love and
Darkness(Mariner, $16)and
his novel Fima (Mariner, $18.95),
both of which he presented at P&P.
I also remember David
Grossman’s visits for his profound novels: To the End of the Land and The
Book of Intimate Grammar. Meir
Shalev came for his memoir My
Russian Grandmother and Her American Vacuum Cleaner and his earlier novel A Pigeon and a Boy. Who can forget the
earlier visits of A.B. Yehoshua for
his novels: Mr. Mani and Friendly Fire. I will always remember
the late Batya Gur presiding over
her mysteries: A Saturday Morning Murder
and Murder in the Kibbutz. Each
of these novelists gave us rich portraits of Israeli society. They model what a
loving critic should be.
That quality of discussion will continue at Politics and
Prose.
