Israel Books

Grobman's 'Nations United' is concise and to the point, laying out the case against the U.N. logically, persuasively in a short book that's well researched and well documented. Whether or not you support the U.N., it's an engrossing book that's well worth the read.

We all know that there is an organization called the United Nations. But many of us are a little suspicious about it. Is it effective? Is it counterproductive? In this book, Alex Grobman shows how the UN has dealt with a member nation, Israel. And what he shows is scary. I think it demonstrates that there is something intrinsically wrong with the entire concept of the UN.

The point is not that the UN is bad for Israel (although that is manifestly true). The point is that the UN is simply bad for human civilization. In an attempt to build a foundation for a global human society, I think we've created a cornerstone for a wacky global tyranny that threatens scholarship, justice, and prosperity.

This book does a good job of exposing the UN's libels and demonization of Israel. There is a focus on the infamous "Zionism equals racism" resolution of 1975 (which was repealed in 1991). And there is an analysis of how much damage that resolution caused.

Should the UN be reformed? Some people say it ought to be. As the author relates, others are not so sure. And I think that the UN ought to be outlawed. But no matter what your opinion may be, this is an interesting book.

Some people say that the UN is useful just because it brings people together to talk. But I think when it merely gets used to applaud lies, it is being astoundingly destructive. I feel that it is bad that the UN has sided with aggressors so often. But I think this book shows that perhaps the worst problem with the UN is that it acts as a huge megaphone for lies.

The book begins with a short introduction to Zionism and anti-Zionism, showing the international scope and political nature of anti-Zionism. Following that is a discussion of Soviet bloc policies towards Israel. After that is a chapter analyzing the Zionism = Racism resolution. Next we see more on the history UN's attitude towards (and present obsession with) Israel, including that of the non-governmental organizations.

The book then shows some of the rather long-standing antisemitic propaganda (including blood libels) that led to the Zionism = Racism resolution. And there's a discussion of Arab and Jewish responses to that infamous resolution. Following this, there's a chapter on the uses and consequences of holocaust denial.

The final chapter tells us about some recent UN behavior, including the 2001 Durban conference, the UN investigation of the battle at Jenin, and the UN ruling on Israel's security fence.

Perhaps best of all is an excellent bibliography. While the entire book is under 200 pages, over 20 of those pages are used for a bibliography of books and more than 10 additional pages contain a bibliography of articles.

I recommend this book.

As far as I am concerned, any book that exposes the United Nations as an apostate organization bent on the erosion and even destruction of Israel and its western allies is well worth reading. That puts Alex Grobman's book, NATIONS UNITED: HOW THE UNITED NATIONS UNDERMINE ISRAEL AND THE WEST, on my short list of `must reads'. Grobman glaringly illustrates how the U.N. consistently betrays its own charter by failing to support the Jewish state; a nation created in part, by the United Nations.

Dr. Grobman begins his work at the conclusion of WWII, giving a precise analysis of the groundwork surrounding the establishment of Israel. He then takes the reader through the progression of events that have caused support of Israel, by the U.N., to deteriorate to the point of implacable antagonism and opposition. Such events are detailed as the former Soviet Union's disdain for Israel and the mounting dissent of the increasingly more powerful Middle Eastern Muslim countries, whose U.N. membership currently outnumbers Jewish membership by 23 to 1.

You will also glean valuable insight as to how the finances of the U.N. (which comes largely from the west) are being used to promote an anti-Semitic and anti-Western worldwide agenda; how the U.N uses primarily anti-Israel and secondarily anti-Western propaganda to mask the truth of oppression and fanatical leadership of many of the Muslim member states.

Dr. Grobman goes on to illustrate the plethora of ways in which the U.N has aided and abetted atrocious behavior and mishandling of funds by the Palestinians. The reader's attention is also directed to the June, 2006 U.N. Human Rights Council meeting where the primary focus was human rights violations against occupied Arab peoples (Palestinians), but human rights violations in places such as Darfur, Uzbekistan, Mexico and Sri Lanka went completely ignored.

The summary conclusion of Dr. Grobman's brilliant and critical work here is that the United Nations is like a cancer to world society whose time for dissolution is long overdue. The corruption (Oil for Food) and consistent pressing of political agendas has gone on for far too long and it is critical to the future of western civilization that this spurious organization designed to protect human rights be brought to justice for its corruption and terminated from existence for its failure to hold itself to its own charter laws.

This is a must read for anyone who has as much as a minor concern for the future of our world.

Monty Rainey
Junto Society

Written by Jewish historian Alex Grobman, Nations United: How the United Nations Undermines Israel and the West is a stinging indictment of anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, and anti-Israel speech and action, especially as seen in the United Nations in modern history and the present day. Chapters briefly summarize the origins of Zionism, decry the UN's 1975 Z=R resolution that declared Zionism to be "a form of racism and racial discrimination" (this resolution was repealed in 1991, yet Grobman maintains that repercussions remain), discuss the reprehensible usage of Holocaust denial as a weapon and its consequences, describe modern anti-Semitism in the context of Z=R, and much more. The final passage, "Is the UN Worth It?" crystalizes Grobman's doubts about the failings of this international institution. Part history, part ardent defense of Israel and its practices, part political manifesto, and entirely critical of the UN, Nations United is heavily researched with an extensive list of articles and an index, and worth reading for its insights into the conservative Zionist perspective regardless of whether one agrees entirely with its claims.

This well-researched work chronicles the founding of the United Nations, its role in the recognition of Israel in 1948 and the subsequent history of relations between the two. Unfortunately the world body's attitude towards Israel started to deteriorate soon afterward as Grobman's analysis reveals. This change was brought about by the USSR in alliance with Arab states, later joined by the so-called Non-Aligned block of nations. The book explores the origins and development of the transformation in detail.

The UN became a hotbed of Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism; this strategy culminated in the disgusting 1975 resolution equating Zionism with racism. Although the US finally managed to have it revoked in 1991, the sinister forces behind it were not stopped by the end of the Cold War. The hostility towards Israel and the West did not cease and these agendas are more active than ever, with a majority of member states issuing an unending stream of condemnations against Israel while ignoring the murderous acts of terrorist groups and criminal states.

One of its more loathsome "achievements" was the World Conference Against Racism, the unrestrained Anti-Israel hate-fest which took place in Durban in 2001. The author shows that the organization thrives on Antisemitism while remaining willfully blind to atrocities in places like Rwanda, Chechnya and Darfur. It is obsessed with the deligitimization of the Jewish State and continues to disseminate anti-US and anti-Israel propaganda through its plethora of agencies and associated non-governmental organizations.

The book provides answers on why the UN has failed so miserably with almost every single crisis that it was intended to solve or ameliorate. One of the main reasons is projection: the hatred of successful societies deflects attention from the abject failure of the accusers' own miserable countries. Another is that the privileged UN bureaucrats are in it for themselves, forming part of the set of parasites called "transnational progressives." These fat cats pursue their self-serving agendas by using the money of Western taxpayers.

Another illuminating book covering some of the same ground is Tower of Babble by Dore Gold, whilst Global Deception by Joseph Klein and The Beast on the East River by Nathan Tabor show how the UN has become a threat to the security and sovereignty of the USA. Dominated by power-hungry bureaucrats, shady billionaires and special interest groups, Turtle Bay is nothing else but a pestilential swamp of corruption, nepotism and even drug dealing, as revealed in The UN Gang: A Memoir of Incompetence, Corruption, Espionage, Anti-Semitism and Islamic Extremism at the UN Secretariat by Pedro Sanjuan. Finally, the collusion of the mass media and the details of the Oil-for-Food scandal are brilliantly covered in Eric Shawn's The U.N. Exposed.

Nations United provides detailed information on the history of the Middle East conflict and on the nature of the UN. Copious notes at the end of every chapter plus an extensive bibliography provide an impressive collection of sources for further investigation. The book makes a valuable contribution to the literature on this corrupt and criminal organization.

United Abominations

Many presentations of Jesus describe him as a wandering sage, dispensing wisdom (such as egalitarianism) congenial to the contemporary ear. Other presentations focus on Jesus' teaching within the Judaism of his day, but see it as so uneventful that it wouldn't have provoked the Jewish leadership of his time. Scot McKnight argues that any credible picture of Jesus must: (1) explain Jesus in his Jewish context; and (2) explain why Jesus' teaching aroused such opposition that he was crucified.

McKnight discusses Jesus' view of God, the present kingdom, the future kingdom and Jesus' ethics. Some of this material is familiar (such as the review of the present/future kingdom in terms of Schweitzer, Dodd, Manson and the like) but even here the discussion is informative.

McKnight's position is that Jesus was an eschatological prophet of Israel's renewal. Jesus was unhappy about the direction of Israel and he offered national renewal based on table fellowship, forgiveness of sins and a more intimate relationship with the father in which those who followed God would form a reconstituted Israel. His appointing the Twelve to lead a renewed Israel and his occupation of the Temple were obvious claim of authority that challenged the Jewish leadership.

The most interesting portion of the book is McKnight's discussion of the future kingdom. The future kingdom, which was imminent, involved the overthrow of the Romans, the restoration of the twelve tribes, and the coming of God in full glory. Jesus didn't know exactly when this would occur, but he knew that it would occur within a generation. McKnight argues that Jesus "did not see past 70 A.D." and that his predictions were fulfilled in 70 A.D., when the Romans sacked Jerusalem. This view is often called "preterism" and McKnight's presentation of it in this book is the first presentation by a mainstream publisher of which I'm aware.

This position has certain things to commend to it; in particular it resolves claims that Jesus was mistaken about an imminent end of the world by recasting such prophecies as a judgment on Israel. Yet it leads to a few problems:

1. There are certain passages in Jesus' teaching that lead most of McKnight's fellow evangelicals to conclude that some of Jesus' predictions refer to the end of the world. Many verses susceptible to this interpretation are glossed over. For example, Jesus taught that there would be judgment of the nations. McKnight argues that because the Roman Empire constituted most of the known world, Rome's sack of Israel constituted a judgment on the world. Huh? And, if Jesus believed that the kingdom involved the overthrow of the Romans, then it's clear that he was mistaken.

2. The role of the church and the gentiles also becomes problematic. If Jesus' message was directed exclusively towards Israel, then what of the situation that eventually developed: a church, consisting of predominantly of gentiles? McKnight discusses the church and the gentiles on a few occasions (none of which is mentioned in the book's crummy index) but how this fits into Jesus' teaching isn't made clear. McKnight seems to believe that perhaps the most famous statement in the gospels -"you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church" - a creation of the church.

This is one of the more interesting books on Jesus that I've read in a while, and it can be read with profit even by those who don't agree with McKnight's A.D. 70 theory.

Not since J. Stuart Russell's too too often ignored book (at least, in the halls of hallowed "academia") The Parousia, has a scholarly work come along that seeks to make a Biblical and historical case for the first-century fulfillment of Jesus' prophetic claims.

Quoting a vast amount of scholarly resources,(I cannot emphasize that enough, as "preterist" books are frequently authored by laymen or self taught Bible students with little, or no, formal training in ancient languages and Biblical studies) McKnight argues that for Jesus the great event (apart from His resurrection) that must be reckoned with as a turning point in the history of the world was the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

With so much confusion about "what is the church?", Scot McKnight writes about a more important prior question: "Who is Jesus?" McKnight's section on Jesus' table fellowship was one of the best I've read. McKnight anchors Jesus in the dusty roads of Galilee and Jerusalem as a man and prophet of 2nd Temple Judaism. I found the book both immensely helpful as historical scholarship and readily practical as a pastoral resource. Centuries of theological discussions and debates about Jesus have led us away from the rugged and bold historical figure that Jesus was. I highly recommend this book.

Through this book, Scot McKnight visually details the development of Jesus in a historical context with emphasis on the teachings of God, the kingdom, and ethics of Jesus. An excellent resource for studying who Jesus really was.

McKnight has given us a profound work on Jesus Christ, and his teachings in their historical context, namely first century Judaism. His insights follow closely in the train of Tom Wright and G.B Caird. McKnight's treatment of the Kingdom of God is excellent. His study of Jesus' so-called Olivet discourse is sober and penetrating. Yet few I think would follow McKnight to the conclusion he draws about Jesus' exposition.

This work should be seriously consulted by the student and/or disciple of Christ.

Rick E Aguirre Reader in Biblical Studies Southern California <><

Why Hartov's name isn't right up there in popularity and acclaim with Daniel Silva and other better-known authors of spy thrillers is beyond me. In this fine novel, as in The Heat of Ramadan, his characters are complex and wonderfully drawn and developed - he has a knack for realizing secondary and 'throwaway' characters that is just amazing. Hartov's plotting is smooth, tricky, tight, and plausible. There is both technical expertise and a subtle, pleasurable literary touch to his writing (my half-star off on NHoG would be that the military/paratroop technicalese got just a smidge too thick for me at times). His books sizzle along - that's my one criticism (tongue firmly in cheek): I finish his books too fast because I don't put them down - and then what?! Wait another 4 or 5 years? Tell the man to get back to work.

i don't understand why this author isn't being published more. he's a talented writer, with an obvious first hand knowledge of what he writes about. i think he's a potential clancy,ludlum or forsyth.

While being an insider isn't a prerequisite for being a great writer of intriuge, it doesn't hurt Hartov's novel any. Thankfully he has the skills to flesh out three-dimensional characters. Benni Baum's attempts to reconcile with his daughter, Martina Klump's obsessions and Ruth's feelings for her father and for a NYPD dectective are positive additions to the conflict.

There is just one word which can describe The Nylon Hand of God - excellent. Steven Hartov writes with the expertise of an insider. The language itself is rich, as well as beautifully descriptive. This book is a definite must for anybody who is interrested in good fiction.

As usual with one of Hartov's books this book is action packed
and exciting.The book begins with a suicide bombing at the Israeli embassy in New York. Benni Baum is sent to investigate the bombing. While there he attempts to reconcile with his daughter.After looking at the bombing he and his partner believe
that the situation is being manipulated by Iranian agents.They
also discover that one of Baum's arch enemies Maria Klump from East Germany may also be involved in this plot.There are gun battles all over the place and intense action.This book gives you the feeling of having a front row seat.I wish that we could get more books out of Hartov because he has proven himself to be
an excellent author.

I am a big fan of Israel Regardie and have most of his books. I feel this one is a good addition to the others, in particular, The Middle Pillar, but on it's own would be a little confusing. There is alot of assumed knowledge but I would definitely recommend it along with other writings of his.

I have a few hesitations abt this book: I think some of th relaxation and body awareness exercises can mess you up, all the while that they make you feel good for a time. Exercises where you try to sense all the minute sensations in your body, can be destructive. The body needs to be aware of itself to some extent, yet awakening too much awareness sensitises nerves which in the long run, are best left not too overly sensitised. Messing with the unconscious in this fashion, isnt the safest thing to do. Yet this is till a useful book.

Also, the exercise where one viualises the body, in a relaxed state, as ' full of holes' may, in the long run, create some real physical problems, as far as I can see. Far better to heed Crowley's advice, and regard or visulaize the body as primarily functioning silently with 'perfect frictionless ease,' each indidividual organ doing its respective task in unison with all the others.

Heed the works of Emma Curtis Hopkins, if you would to learn more on this. Dont be put off by her pollyannish style: the proper spiritualising of the body can do wonders for some people.

In a nutshell: the simple breathing and relaxation exercises set forth in this book are wprth the price of the book alone. and are as good as many such exercises you may find elsewhere.

This little volume is, quite simply, one of the best brief health books one could possibly own.

Embraced within Regardie's intelligent perspective, are a few chapters on breathing, relaxation, and body 'awareness'(you'll have to read the book to find out how useful this is, and how its done,) that are the best little, astute guides to health practices outside of diet, exercise, and advice from a regular, reputable physician.

The care and precision with which Regardie pursues his ideas, contribute to the overall personal sense of intelligent caution that readers should have towards their own health matters in general. Regardie conveys this necessary attitude admirably to the reader.

To top it all off, Regardie includes an excellent, concise version and guide to the basic meditation he utilizes in his highly useful book, "The Art of True Healing," currently available in an inexpensive edition, but little modified from its original form, by Marc Allen. I won't even bother to go into how supremely useful this little essay is: just go read the Amazon.com reviews yourself, and you'll see.

Anyone looking to do well with Regardie's "Art of True Healing" would be wise also, to procure his "One-Year Manual." The tips in it on breathing, relaxation, etc., should greatly augment and enhance the "True Healing" meditation technique for many.

Add Ramacharaka's "Science of Breath," and Rama Prasads' " Nature's Finer Forces," and you will be adding even more of Regardie's fave resources to gain perspective from.

(New Falcon Press also markets useful recordings - of Regardie himself ! - that assist in the performance of the breathing, 'middle pillar,' body awareness, and relaxation exercises that he pursues in "The One Year Manual."

Regardie was a chiropractic by profession, and no doubt utilized many of the simple techniques ofered up in the "The One Year Manual" with his clients. He also gave lectures and such on relaxation.

The title is really a reference to the fact, that any unified technique or set of techniques designed to improve health and life, generally take about a year to fully master.

The only area this volume falls short, perhaps, is in the value of psychotherapy for both physical, as well as mental health. Regardie elswewhere is a great believer in such, for the beginning occultist, facing the stress of 'alternative' practices.

(I would go further, and add that anyone serious about their physical health, would do well to invest time and resources in some suitable counseling/therapy, as well as pursue physical practices, nutrition, exercise, and meditation.)

I won't even go into how excellently Regardie's methods have come to make me feel, or how they have improved my entire life. I will leave it to you to imagine ...

Regardie's intelligent perspective? Yes - twenty-plus years experience with Regardie's techniques, have shown me that Regardie was even smarter than I thought he was.

There are other Regardie books ("Lazy Mans Guide to Relaxation," "(Healing) Energy Prayer and Relaxation," ) by Aquarian Press and New Falcon, that are also useful for health/meditation purposes. However, they are currently out of print. No doubt they will be re-released soon.

Even the Golden Dawn large volume, by Llewellyn or Falcon Press, has some breathing/relaxation exercises that those in good health, and cautious, could use to some advantage.

It is my understanding that Weiser/Red Wheel will be re-releasing the "One-Year Manual" for its current catalog.

I have only read the first two chapters of this book, but I wanted to put some feedback where there is none. The book is written for you to read one chapter with its specific exercize per month. Isreal Regardie is usually very WORDY as was typical for the time period and being a serious occult writer, BUT this book is not wordy at all. This book is a small quick and from what I can tell excellent place to start actually practicing the occult. For instance the first chapter and exercise is to just sit/lay and work on being sensitive with what your feeling. The second exercize is on breathing. The rest of the book seems to be very practical and from what I can tell I would recommend to any student on spiritual practices. This book is written not to exclude anyone with any particular religious belief but only to start a practical approach to spiritual practice.

...but it's important enough to me to reiterate a point, that I'm willing to repeat words previously stated. If you are a "student" of magic/k, the occult, esoterica, the Western Mystery Tradition or whatever other term you may care to you, and you would like to make the transition into be a PRACTITIONER of the arts, this is the book for you! This book is exactly what the title claims it to be: a manual. Devoid of a lot of theoretical considerations, it moves directly into what to DO over the course of a year to get a firm footing into higher practices. Regardie's "The One Year Manual" was recommended to me by my guide, and I feel just as comfortable making this commendation.

a nifty and powerful little work that will assist you in increasing your powers of imagination and visualization. Great to load up in the backpack for a hike.

Whether you are a Bible scholar, a history buff, or just curious about the world around you and where you fit in; this book will open your eyes to truth that has been hidden for millenniums. It shows where we have been, where we are, and where we are going. It shows what is about to happen to our nation and to the world. Most important of all, it shows what YOU can do to avoid the calamity that is about to fall upon the world. Next to the Bible, this is the most important book you can possibly read. Don't let this opportunity pass you by.

The contents of this amazing book are much more expansive than the title gives it credit. It gives a concise re-telling of so many miraculous Old Testament stories, such that you can follow the descendants of Abraham through ancient history. It also discusses the much disputed subject of Jesus' life between the age of 12 and 30, and does so with abundant, practically indisputable evidence/support. It traces the beginnings of the now modern nations of Spain, Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, England, America, and more. It connects the world of the Bible to the world of today with tangible proof such as the Pillar of David (from resting under David's head to resting under Queen Elizabeth's seat). It even manages to delve into Biblical prophecy concerning the future of our country and of the world that, although so relevant and exciting, is almost unheard of by the vast majority of people that it concerns. This book answers more questions than I have thought to ask, and leaves you both with a new found feeling of importance and connection to the Bible (your "lost national identity"), as well as the desire to take a long look at yourself to see if you believe you are doing all that you should with that knowledge of the past, your part in the present, and to prepare for the future that is coming. If you haven't yet - start reading!

A very interesting & researched book. I never knew who was here in america before the indians untill reading this book.Although the last chapters paint a very bleak picture for the united states it shows our futures are very, very bright.

Book shows the history of our nation and the direction we are going (per the Old and New Testaments). Reequired reading for those who believe and also for those who are skeptical--

This is by far the best book besides the Bible I've ever read. If You want to know some real truth. Then this is seriously where to find it.

This is the finest book written in regards to the Philistines. I cannot even begin to describe how significant the book brought in cultural information to me. The Philistines are by far an advanced, cultured, ambigious, powerful, phantom, harrassing race of highly cultured people.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Philistines were fleeing Minoans and greeks from Crete. In my personal opinion, there is no absolute origion other then this in which i have just described that fits in the record. The Philistine language is so advanced and difficult to decypher that even the most well professed archaeologists, historians and all to her authorities on the Philistines have not been able to determine its exact content together.

I never received the book. You farmed out my request to some other organization, but the book never reached me and my account was credited back. So if you can find it, I'm still interested. After 3/14 my address will be 1250 Humboldt St., Apt. 805, Denver CO 80218. I don't know what my e-mail address will be.

Sanford Watzman

It is part of our culture to call those we consider to be lacking in culture a 'Philistine'. This, of course, is a derivative of a biblical reference, and for the past 4000 years of so, the Philistines have been a mysterious people about whom not much was known, save that they were supposedly uncultured.

This, however, is a very distorted view, primarily due to the fact that the Philistines, being in close competition with the tribes of Israel for the same piece of real estate, were viewed as foreign, alien, and the enemy. Eventually the united tribes of Israel won out over the Philistines, and wrote the primary historical references we have about their foe, and thus, we get the victor's view--and in Biblical times, it was quite traditional that any enemy be seen as devoid of redeeming features.

In fact, there are still no examples of Philistine writing that have been found--rather curious, considering the large settlements (cities, in fact) that have been discovered that would be of Philistine origin or population. Could it be that this group was, as a people, illiterate? This is very remote possibility, but still has to be considered.

There is a problem with determining the origin of the Philistines, too. There are two different origins ascribed to them. In the biblical record, the Philistines are included among 'the sons of Egypt' (Gen. 10:14) as well as in Ezekiel, the are linked to an obscure tribe called the Cherethites (Ez 25:16), which is related to the inhabitants of the isle of Caphtor (Jeremiah 47:4), which is unknown. Of course, it makes sense that the Israelites first encounter with the Philistines would have been in Egypt, for the Sea Peoples settled in various spots along the south-eastern Mediterranean, and there are references on Egyptian stelae and battle-monuments to Sea Peoples most likely kin to, if not in fact, the Philistines.

Of course, the Semitic root of the word Philistine (p-l-sh) also is the root of the words 'to wander' and 'to invade'. Pottery evidence shows similarities to technique and design for pottery making to that of other late Mycenaean peoples, pointing once again to a sea-origin for the Philistines. It is likely that the Philistines were invaders and marauders (similar to the Danes and Vikings of early English history) who eventually settled in relatively safe coastal lands (having been fairly definitively defeated in their attempts to enter Egypt by Ramesses II).

Interestingly, while most biblically-referenced Philistine cities have been located, not all have; likewise, Philistine settlements and even one city with no biblical references have been found. Trude and Moshe Dothan, both archaeologists of note with particular interest in the Philistines, put together this wonderful book based on their own researches and field work. High praise goes to archaeologists who take the time to publish their findings; it is a great scandal of the profession today that so much research goes unpublished, awaiting an archaeology of a different sort by future generations who try to resurrect the work using libraries rather than sand brushes.

The Dothans explore the tomb evidence, the ruins of settlements and cities, the pottery fragments, as well as reported histories and possible references from sources both biblical and extra-biblical. From these, we discern a culture quite different from the typical biblical diatribe.

+ The Philistines had a refined sense of art, that combined Greek, Minoan, and Egyptian styles with innovations of their own, in architecture, religious icons, pottery, and burial practices.

+ The artistic designs of the Philistines were actually quite beautiful by any standards.

+ As a city people, the Philistines were concerned for and maintained good economic relationship along trade routes (a common concern this part of the world) as well as among the people in the countryside, with whom they largely lived in peaceful cooperation.

+ Social stability remained high among the Philistines, and declined more or less with the general Mycenaean decline.

+ The Philistines were not a homogeneous group, but were used to diversity of ethnicities in their cities.

+ Most likely the Philistines were not finished off by the tribes of Israel, but rather the same rise of Assyria and Babylon which destroyed Israel and Judah sounded the death knell for the Philistines as well.

This fascinating book will cause the reader to re-evaluate all previous notions of who the Philistines were. Rich with detailed drawings, maps, and archaeological/architectural renderings, including plates of photographs (including my personal favourites, the bichrome pottery ware with typical bird motif from Ashdod), this book is a fun and educational tour of a largely ignored people who have more significance than would appear at first glance.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it did a lot to improve my understanding: both of Palestine's early history and of the hurdles that archaeologists must overcome to do their work effectively.

This small work is monumental in its implications. Trude and her husband Moshe (now deceased) summarize their work in excavating Ashdod in modern Israel. They draw upon their many years of hands-on, field work as well as the efforts of others.
Ashdod was one of the five cities of the Philistine "pentapolis" so-called.

Students of the huge turmoil in the Mediterranean of the 1300-1100 BCE period will find this a must read. The Dothan's work along with the work of others clearly suggest that this period in human history may have been the most significant in human time for Egypt, the Levant, Crete, Cyprus and all of the Aegean islands and the associated peoples. The Greeks, Hittites, Mycenaeans, Phonecians, Hebrews, Assyrians, Egyptians and not the least, the Philistines, were all dramatically effected. The impact of these enormous movements and cultural shifts is with us today.

The Dothans conclude that the Philistines, as one of the "sea peoples," --one that is not necessarily ethnically homogeneous-- settled peaceably in some parts of Palestine and farmed and produced crafts, both similar to and different from, those they brought with them; their locally produced pottery incorporated motifs from the entire region. Their entry was not a matter of brutal conquest and destruction of all the settled inhabitants they encountered. Philistine influence is clearly shown to have reached well beyond the immediate environs of the "five cities."

A special bonus incorporated into "People of the Sea" is the discussion of Yigael Yadin's ideas about a group of people from the sea that became one of the "tribes" of Israel or almost so. Most readers will find this discussion fascinating.

This is a highly readable account of the Dothan's research. Few can quarrel with the thoroughness of the work on which the findings are based. One might quarrel with what is surely one if not the most important conclusions only because it is too subtly stated! The Philistines were deliberately characterized by their neighbors as other than what they truly were. The Bible projects infamy, the facts otherwise.

The Philistines were both accomplished and sophisticated contributors to the cultures of the Levant. This reviewer suspects the work of the Dothans will stand for a long time. Their goal was surely not to expose the Judean writers and editors of the Old Testament as political propagandists. But there it is.

7-21-2002 psb

An interesting read that entertains while it teaches, this environmental history of Israel is worthwhile for political junkies, environmental advocates as well as those interested in Israel and the Mideast.

I recently completed a university research paper on air pollution in Israel and found this book to be an important source. The closest copy of this book was hundreds of miles away. The book was purchased and used for the paperand then donated to the university library. I found this book to be the ultimate source for information on the topic.

Pollution in a Promised Land is a masterpiece of research and compilation written by the one Israeli who probably is as responsible as anyone in the country for moving the nascent Israeli environmental movement into the 21st century. If it is not already Pollution in a Promised Land is surely bound to become the text of choice for anyone interested in the development of the Israeli environmental movement in response to the environmental challenges faced by Israelis. Alon Tal has captured it all and told a very interesting story.

This is an engaging book describing the economic and institutional development of the Holy Land from the time of the Turks, through the British Mandate period, to the present day. Despite the heft of this volume, the book is a very enjoyable read, and provides a fascinating perspective on the development of the institutions of the State of Israel, the priorities of the naescent state that led to environmental degredation, and the individuals, public interest groups, and government institutions that have tried and often succeeded to stem the tide.
The author, as a founding member of Israel's premier environmental legal advocacy group, has a unique, often first hand view of many of the recent events.

It's really refreshing to read something about Israel that isn't focused, yet again, on the Arab-Israel conflict, but on an entirely different universe of challenges. If you like history that relies on interesting anecdotes then you'll really like this book.

Oren Rosenthal
Newton, MA

There are two main ideas in this book, argued in an academic style suitable for serious theological inquiry: (1) that Jewish followers of Jesus have a covenantal obligation to Torah and Jewish community and (2) that Jewish tradition (a.k.a. the rabbis) are an authoritative voice for Messianic Jewish practice (though not an infallible one).

Post-missionary does not mean we Messianic Jews have no message for our Jewish people. It is a term urging the Christian community to take a different stance toward the Jewish people. Instead of "we're right-you're wrong-so listen to what we have to say," Kinzer argues that Christian should support a Messianic Jewish model of promoting Jesus from within Judaism rather than from the outside. (A practical example might be a Christian introducing their Jewish friend to a Messianic Jewish community rather than presenting Jesus as calling for conversion away from Judaism and assimilation into Christianity).

The premise of the book sounds radical to those unfamiliar with Judaism, to Christians who assume Judaism is a false religion, and to many Messianic Jews who reject Jewish tradition. Kinzer's argument is very tight. This book may change your paradigm.

To see more about this book, you may wish to read an article from my blog called, "Post-Missionary Messianic Judaism, 3 Yrs Later," [...]

This is the most comprehensive, one volume book out there on the subject matter. As a history buff, I love this book on so many levels. If I say more, I may ruin the academic surprises that are so well presented for the reader. I would go so far as to say the this book should be required reading in colleges, churches, synogogues, bible studies, etc. etc.

Argues convincingly that Yeshua-following Jews are called to be Jewish because God commanded them to be and not for any missionary motivation. One of the best books around for digging into the sociological and theological setting of the intra-Jewish and Gentile issues of the first century, and their implications for the Church. While this book is very important for the Church, it needs further clarification and so we wait for more from Kinzer and/or from others in dialog with him.

Dr. Mark Kinzer's well-thought, carefully argued presentation of what he has coined "Postmissionary Messianic Judaism," is a must read for all theologians and pastors. Relying not only on his own biblical scholarship and exegesis, but on that of many other scholars as well, Dr. Kinzer presents the reader with a form of Messianic Judaism that retains faithfulness both to the traditions and teachings of Judaism, and to New Testament theology.
The author argues that a careful study of the New Testament reveals that both Jesus (Yeshua) and his disciples not only followed the commandments (mitzvot) of the Torah (Old Testament), but taught that all Jewish followers of Jesus were obligated to observe the commandments, also. The early community of Jewish believers in Jerusalem made it clear that Gentile followers of Yeshua were not required to observe the commandments that had been especially reserved for the Jewish people. Dr. Kinzer further explains that by the beginning of the 2nd century CE, the largely Gentile Christian church began to teach that it had superseded Israel as the new people of God, and that observing the Torah was contrary to New Testament teaching -- even for Jewish believers in Yeshua.
Dr. Kinzer argues that a proper understanding of New Testament teaching would correctly view the Jewish people as still being the people of God, and that through Yeshua the covenants first made with Israel have been expanded to include Gentile Christians. But in order to understand their proper relationship to the Jewish people, there must also exist a bridge between the two, which is made up of Jewish believers in Yeshua who retain their ties to the rest of the Jewish community by remaining Torah observant, and tied to the Gentile Christian community by their faith in Yeshua.
Dr. Kinzer's book provides a way for both a fresh and timely way of bridging the schism that remains between Judaism and Christianity.

Dr. Mark Kinzer has written a groundbreaking book that cannot be simply overlooked. His conclusions of Messianic Judaism, and its reprocussions on Christianity and Judaism are innovative and based on solid scholarship. Many well known scholars have already begun to take notice.

Radu Ioanid and his mother were among the Jews ransomed by Israel from Ceaucescu's Romania, and in The Ransom Of The Jews: The Story Of Extraordinary Secret Bargain Between Romania And Israel, he sets to rest the various myths and rumors about a policy which strangely enough resulted in the author's freedom. The author's investigation into the mysteries surrounding the ransom produces an extraordinary story which is a welcome contribution to the growing library of 20th Century Judaic History.

Like so many Jews "bought" out of Romania, it was a chilling revelation to understand how lucky were we, and what a tremendous debt of gratitude we all owe Israel. And everything mentioned in the book (and in some cases even more) as far as the Romanian authorities' shenanigans played on the already traumatized emigrees ("traitors") are absolutely true! Many, many thanks to Radu Ioanid and everyone that made this part of history of the Romanian Jewish Community available to the people that lived it but were kept in the dark.

Mr Ioanid's mind boggling historical-political book reads as a story. Although a most disturbing and frightening one, it gives a very painful insight into the pristine hell that communist leaders offered not only to Jews but the whole people, as a matter of fact. Jews, as it unfolds from innumerable documents, were their choice bargaining chip for hard currency. For the sake of dollars, we the people were prize slaves, clearly branded and tagged with the relevant value and price.If only half of Mr Ioanid's story were true, it would be enough to spook the life out of any humble human being on the surface of planet Earth. A must read for anyone decent in this life !

I don't think the core issue of this book - the fact that Romania demanded payments from Israel and West Germany for allowing emigration during its Communist regime(s) - will really surprise or shock anyone today. Indignation too seems somewhat idle. Those were aberrant times, but does history ever really stop being aberrant?
Thankfully, the author - a historian - understands this well. This is a good book because it never rests in contemplation of its discoveries, never tells us what it thinks of them.
In contrast, Ion Mihai Pacepa, the famous defecting general, pathetically abandons himself to lament in the awful afterword he was allowed to write. Not once does he refer to the deals of his former supervisors (Gheorghiu Dej and Ceausescu) without frantically seeking for the most damning adjectives: despicable, hideous... Let's be straight: General Pacepa is an invaluable resource for this book but at the same time he is one of its aberrant characters.
He waits for the therapeutic mud to crack on Ceausescu's naked body while strolling with him 'along the restricted presidential shore of Lake Techirgiol', and six days later is 'magnanimously granted political asylum by the United States government' - whereupon Ceausescu tears his shirt screaming hysterically that he cannot even trust the shirt he's wearing (how could he, he was naked with his traitor less than a week ago).
Of much less anecdotical value is Pacepa's condemnation of the 'hideous sale of Jews'. We see him return to Romania, 20 years after giving Ceausescu the last monthly debrief of their transactions ('one hundred twenty two thousand dollars in cash', a dissapointing month) to claim back his 'properties' without even realizing that by now, the very same book he is so eager to praise has already revealed just how these 'properties' were acquired.)
I don't know what the author's real intentions were in allowing the retired General his self-serving epilogue. It may be ironical, it may come from a genuine fascination with the veteran officer, it may even be from gratitude (Pacepa claims to have been around when the idea for this book was 'born'). In any case, his voice at the end of the book adds something truly chilling (like a horror movie that doesn't allow itself to end without giving us a last glimpse of the undead malice that fed the story).
But these are all digressions of a satisfied reader. Read this book for the stories: there is one on every page. I haven't seen Steven Spielberg's 'Munich' yet but does he tell us that Abu Daud, the person who planned the attack on the Israeli Olympic team was photographed, fingerprinted, 'and lavishly fed' in Bucharest several weeks before Munich? Read the book to find out why he was there.
The book also provides a tremedously vivid portrait of Nicolae Ceausescu (although this is never its main intention). I was 16, spending Christmas with friends in a Moldavian village, when Ceausescu was executed. Nobody liked him, nobody believed him, nobody cared to know him better, nobody was sorry for him. I am wondering now, shouldn't we all have had the patience to sit through a proper trial and hear these stories. Would it really have been too risky giving us this chance after 25 years of aberrant life in an aberrant country? Because history doesn't just stop and start anew. The aberrant characters always find a way to continue their aberrant work until somebody tells the story and demystifies it.
So I must say that despite the great pleasure I took in reading this book, sometimes the stories left me wanting. The book gives a very generous account of the author's exhaustive investigation but it also 'loses' some stories when it was just about to get them. Do not expect justice to prevail and evil to be defeated at the end of the book. Some villans do go away with the money. Most of the corruption can only be glimpsed at for a moment before it slips away, still vigorously alive, unstartled by the momentary spotlight.
How can we possibly believe then the wised-up general's hope, dramatically expressed at the very end of the book, that the story we have just read should 'prevent that aberration from ever recurring'.
'That' aberration, maybe, but watch out for the next one. The players are still at the table. They've just been dealt a fresh hand.
There is much more in this book than stories about Romania: there are hints at the extraordinary passion and 'hunger' that led to the creation of the state of Israel. There are hints into the mixture of finance and ideology that drive terrorist organizations. And most interestingly, there are hints at how 'exciting' these negotiations, transactions, and betrayals are, how seductive, how irresistible. How different the motives, how nuanced, how terrible.

Between 1948 until 1989, the State of Israel had clandestinely engaged in one of the longest and most expensive ransom pacts in history, wherein Romania permitted most its 370,000 Jews, who had survived the Holocaust, to immigrate to Israel in exchange for hard currency and various other considerations.

Born and educated in Romania, and director of International archival programs at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., author Radu Ioanid, exposes in The Ransom of the Jews: The Story of the Extraordinary Secret Bargain Between Romania and Israel, a hideous chapter in Romanian history, that little was known until recently.

Although, officials in Washington may have been vaguely aware of this secret pact, they had no concrete evidence-until the defection to the USA in 1978 of one of the Cold War's most important defectors, Lieutenant General Ion Mihai Pacepa.
Pacepa was at the time of his defection a close confidant of Romania's head of state, Nicolai Ceaucescu, and he had been the country's chief spy.

As mentioned in the Afterword of the book contributed by Pacepa, the roots of The Ransom of the Jews go back to 1993, when the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum was opened. It was there that Pacepa had met with Radu Ioanid leading eventually to a long ensuing relationship. During this time, the author was informed of the many super-secret documents that existed in the still- classified archives of the Romanian espionage services.
Due to the relentless and determined doggedness of the author, much of the information contained in this book has now come to light.

Ioanid points out, that contrary to the glowing propaganda that had emanated from Romania pertaining to its treatment of Jews, they were nonetheless subjected to blatant anti-Semitism with all of its trappings that had been practiced in many of the Communist countries, such as loss of government jobs, paying for otherwise free education, badgering by governmental officials, and other abuses.
As a result, there had been an intense effort on the part of the Israelis to bring out as many individuals as possible, even if it meant signing a secret pact with the devil. And that is exactly what had transpired.

This is a remarkable and engrossing read providing a window as to what exactly transpired between Romania and Israel, and how the latter had been exploited by the former in order to gain needed hard currency as well as receiving most favored nation status by the USA.
The author's revelations, the product of many years of research, exude frankness and thoroughness that will give readers an excellent perspective of this surreptitious relationship that otherwise would be difficult to glean elsewhere.

Written with an open mind, this book will prove to be an important book in gaining a more clear perspective of how one Communist State professing to be somewhat independent of the USSR and even more democratic, was no better in its relations with treatment of its Jewish community.

Norm Goldman, Editor of Bookpleasures.com

As a school librarian who works with young adults, I read Real Time with great interest. It deals with current issues in a way that today's teens can relate to both on a personal level and as a window into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ms. Kass has drawn together a diverse cast of characters, each with his/her own agenda and emotional baggage, intertwining their lives against the background of historical tragedy and present-day issues. The protaganist, Thomas Wanniger, is coming to Israel to try to unravel the mystery of his grandfather's disappearance while serving in the German army during World War II. His decision to participate as a volunteer on a kibbutz near Jerusalem draws several other characters into the plot, which is laid out, chapter by chapter, on a digitally measured time-line. Sameh Lahem, a Palestinian who sneaks across the border every day to work as a dishwasher in a popular diner, expresses the frustration and religious zeal of the Palestinian youth ready to give up their own lives to kill Israelis. The tension grows as the inevitable crossing of their paths ends explosively. Real Time succeeds in balancing many points of view in the context of everyday reality in Israel. My own enthusiasm for Real Time is apparently shared by many others as it was recently awarded the prestigious Sydney Taylor Award. I plan to recommend it most highly to high school students and adults.

REAL TIME is set in contemporary Israel, telling a story in real time, in which the lives of so many people come together, minute by minute. The narration switches back and forth between several different characters, telling one story but also many stories.

These characters include Thomas, a German boy who has come to Israel looking for answers about his family. Baruch, a Holocaust survivor who now works on a kibbutz. Vera, another kibbutz worker who is finding her Jewish roots and escaping her tragic past in Odessa. Sameh, a Palestinian working illegally at a diner. Saheh's friend Omar, a reporter, and many, many others. All of these people are different, looking for different things, but there is a moment when all of their lives come together, and it is a tragedy.

So much sadness, so much despair, is evident. Can there be healing and hope for those who survive this tragedy? Only time will tell.

This novel is a breathtaking story, but it's more than that. For one thing, it's a behind-the-scenes look at what is usually seen only on television. And yet it's more than behind-the-scenes; it's the secrets, thoughts, hopes, and dreams of every person involved. The way this story is told, in (as the title suggests) real time, switching back and forth between several narrators, is a part of what makes it amazing. If just one character told the story, so many aspects of it would not be seen. Pnina Kass Moed is a brilliant writer, and the story she tells in REAL TIME is equally brilliant.

Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce

Although the reader of Real Time begins this journey cognizant of the impending and catastrophic explosion that connects the lives of its diverse characters, there is nothing predictable about this book. It is a powerful and gripping story, and hooks the reader from the start. Each character is depicted with complexity, from the guilt-ridden adolescent grandson of a German soldier, compelled to discover the truth about his grandfather's past, to the Holocaust survivor trying to create order and beauty on an Israeli kibbutz. These are but two of the lives that are fatefully woven together, and the reader is quickly drawn into their worlds, both external and political, and internal and private. Ms. Kass artfully renders palpable the wide range of often contradictory--and therefore real--emotions that haunt each of the characters, and succeeds in the extremely difficult task of translating the wordless horror of trauma into language. There are no happy endings in this book, at least not in the familiar sense; however, amidst the interminable suffering, Ms. Kass' depiction of deep and enduring love offers relief, and serves to sustain us and give us hope.

I was apprehensive about reading this book because I wasn't sure whether it would be from a balanced perspective or whether it would take sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Having read it, I wouldn't classify it in either category; I'd just have to say that it's realistic. The book revolves around a homicide bombing of a bus in Israel. It is told through the perspectives of various characters, including a German teenager who's come to Israel to find out about his grandfather who may have been a Nazi, an Israeli soldier, an Israeli immigrant, the 16 year old Palestinian boy recruited as a "Shaheed," the Israeli who imploys this boy illegally, a Palestinian doctor treating the bomb victims in an Israeli hospital, and others.

The author presents a startlingly realistic portrait of what living and being in Israel is like for all of these people. She communicates the emotions and tensions that come with living under such tense circumstances and brings readers into this challenging world, allowing them to see what it's like for themselves.

I highly recommend this book and challenge audiences to try to step out of their secure worlds for a few hours and into the lives of the people in this book. I think it will be an enlightening experience.

This book is the 2004 winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award in the Older Readers category. The award is given each year for the best in Jewish children's literature.

Real Time follows a number of characters hour by hour to the moment when their lives intersect at a bus bombing in Israel, and through the aftermath of the event. We hear the voices of kibbutzniks, an earnest German youth, and even the Palestinian boy who has been persuaded to
carry the bomb. Some characters are followed through the entire book, while others make only brief appearances. The format takes some time to adjust to, but once you become immersed in the story, it is extremely readable.

The book is sophisticated in its construction, in its characterization, and in its realism. Intricate timing allows us to see simultaneous events and to understand how they are likely to become connected. Every character is realistically portrayed as a mixture of good and bad, guilt and hope, victim and oppressor, each dealing with their own unbearable situation. Each person speaks for him or herself, without interpretation by a narrator, effectively and economically revealing the relevant thoughts and emotions. While the events of the story are the stuff of today's headlines, the book's format shows how political situations are really composed of many, many overlapping personal situations. The whole concept of the book is summed up by the character Baruch, when he says "I am part of the story, and Dan, and Lidia, and also the Palestinian boy, the suicide bomber. Like tangled string when you pull it, it gets tighter."