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A review by just_fighting_censorship
Comment Comprendre Israël En 60 Jours, Ou Moins by Sarah Glidden
4.0
This was absolutely fascinating, there is a ton of historical and cultural information touched on in this book that is presented in a really interesting and engaging way. Sarah is an American Jew, by heritage more than religious conviction, who takes a birthright trip to Israel. A birthright trip is a free trip to the motherland for non-Israeli Jews allowing them to reconnect with their people and culture.
Aside from being a Jew, Sarah is also a very left liberal, a term she CONSTANTLY labels herself with...yes it was annoying. Before making the trip to Israel, Sarah has researched 'the conflict' extensively (by 'the conflict' I mean the political turmoil of the middle east aka Israel VS Palestine...duh where have you been?!) Anyway, Sarah has some pretty strong Anti-Israel stances because....she's a liberal dammit and that's what liberals do, they hate 'evil Israel' and praise 'poor Palestine'. Throughout the book Sarah meets several non-liberals who are actually well-spoken, intelligent, and *gasp* pretty objective. Although there are several examples of these pro-Israel characters NOT being evil caricatures, Sarah seems awed and surprised each and every time she meets one.
This is the kind of thinking that boggles my mind, Sarah comes to Israel thinking that she knows it all, and throws a fit every time someone, who actually LIVES in Israel, has a different opinion. She becomes incensed with people who are more conservative, judging them before she even knows them.
For example, there is a Republican on the birthright trip that she pretty much avoids at all costs because she heard second hand that he 'doesn't believe in gay people'. When she is forced to talk to him she realizes that he isn't homophobic and his words were taken completely out of context. He's actually a very open minded, self-aware guy. Gee, imagine that!
Sarah came across as incredibly naive, as if she alone was enlighten and had the solution to a conflict that is thousands of years old.
As annoyed as I was with Sarah, I do think that towards the end she kind of realized she was being ignorant, kind of. I mean, she wrote the book and gave a voice to people that she didn't agree with, which tells me she walked away with a little more perspective. Still she is dismissive and patronizing towards the other people on the trip, including her friend. Her snobbish attitude towards things beyond just 'the conflict' often made me wish I had a different narrator, but then she would have a true epiphany or moment of growth, and I found myself somewhat endeared. Regardless of my love/hate relationship with the character, she was well informed and certainly passionate about the topic. I admired both.
Overall, this was a good read. Sarah does a great job of incorporating the history of Israel into the birthright experience. Sarah the character was incredibly biased but Sarah the author was thoughtful, reflective, and objective, even when it came to pointing out her own flaws. Respect!
The author does a fantastic job of explaining a very complex conflict, that has many layers. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the Middle East, Israel, or Palestine. It felt both intimate and expansive. A job well done!
Part of my 2015 Special 50 Book challenge- A Nonfiction Book
Aside from being a Jew, Sarah is also a very left liberal, a term she CONSTANTLY labels herself with...yes it was annoying. Before making the trip to Israel, Sarah has researched 'the conflict' extensively (by 'the conflict' I mean the political turmoil of the middle east aka Israel VS Palestine...duh where have you been?!) Anyway, Sarah has some pretty strong Anti-Israel stances because....she's a liberal dammit and that's what liberals do, they hate 'evil Israel' and praise 'poor Palestine'. Throughout the book Sarah meets several non-liberals who are actually well-spoken, intelligent, and *gasp* pretty objective. Although there are several examples of these pro-Israel characters NOT being evil caricatures, Sarah seems awed and surprised each and every time she meets one.
This is the kind of thinking that boggles my mind, Sarah comes to Israel thinking that she knows it all, and throws a fit every time someone, who actually LIVES in Israel, has a different opinion. She becomes incensed with people who are more conservative, judging them before she even knows them.
For example, there is a Republican on the birthright trip that she pretty much avoids at all costs because she heard second hand that he 'doesn't believe in gay people'. When she is forced to talk to him she realizes that he isn't homophobic and his words were taken completely out of context. He's actually a very open minded, self-aware guy. Gee, imagine that!
Sarah came across as incredibly naive, as if she alone was enlighten and had the solution to a conflict that is thousands of years old.
As annoyed as I was with Sarah, I do think that towards the end she kind of realized she was being ignorant, kind of. I mean, she wrote the book and gave a voice to people that she didn't agree with, which tells me she walked away with a little more perspective. Still she is dismissive and patronizing towards the other people on the trip, including her friend. Her snobbish attitude towards things beyond just 'the conflict' often made me wish I had a different narrator, but then she would have a true epiphany or moment of growth, and I found myself somewhat endeared. Regardless of my love/hate relationship with the character, she was well informed and certainly passionate about the topic. I admired both.
Overall, this was a good read. Sarah does a great job of incorporating the history of Israel into the birthright experience. Sarah the character was incredibly biased but Sarah the author was thoughtful, reflective, and objective, even when it came to pointing out her own flaws. Respect!
The author does a fantastic job of explaining a very complex conflict, that has many layers. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the Middle East, Israel, or Palestine. It felt both intimate and expansive. A job well done!
Part of my 2015 Special 50 Book challenge- A Nonfiction Book