A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth

 

Israeli actress and activist Noa Tishby wrote a book in an effort to explain - in a ´simple guide´ - ´the most misunderstood country on earth´. It couldn´t be a better moment for such a book although I am afraid that most of the people who are vituperating against Israel are doing so as a daily job. In those times of crisis we are living, it´s too risky to get unemployed therefore I am not too optimistic that there will be too many that will change their mind.

However, a good deed is always worth the effort, no matter the result. The book - which I had access to in audio format - is smart and easy and contains a lot of general historical information (a short correction is needed maybe, as Rav Ovadia Yosef, of blessed memory who playsed a tremendous role in the creation of the Mizrahi - oriental Jews - identity was actually born in Iraq, not Egypt, where he was active late in life, as the chief of the religious court, the bet din), but also fragments of family history, as Tishby´s originary from a family which counts among its ranks diplomats - her grandfather was the first Israeli diplomat in Africa - and social activists that left more than an imprint on the country´s history. 

Although I was not very happy with the order of the chapters which outline different arguments and fragmets of history of Israel and Zionism in general - described ´as a verb, a work in process´ -, the book is hilarious, informative and outlines a couple of good arguments which are so simple that sometimes it´s hard to understand how people can ignore them. 

Tishby is an Israeli patriot and a pro-Palestinian voice and it is nothing wrong with this. And as far as I know she is not alone. It´s important that in the recent chaos and media manipulations, voice like hers -the audiobook was narrated by the author therefore I can say that she really has a nice voice - are raised because it makes a huge difference. A difference for being able to display normal people who don´t have to feel guilty or accused for loving their country. Their one and only country they have.

Noa Tishby is not a writer or a historian or a politician. She writes in full honesty having in mind the future. A future where I am sure Palestinians and Jews can live together in a land considered one of the most disputed on the planet. The fact that many good news about co-existence and everyday life in Israel, beyond the black-and-white narrative. For instance, did you know that there is a city build by and for Palestinians in the West Bank, Rawabi? This is a place on my visit list for my text trip to Israel. The multi-cultural aspects of Israel, a country who in a bit over two generation was able to assimilate millions of refugees from all over the world, with different backgrounds and languages, is a lesson for everyone, including through her mistakes and failures. 

For the naives and uninformed supporters and sympathisants of the BDS - Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions - Movement, there are a lot of details to make you think twice before supporting them. As a sidenote, the fierce supporter of boycotting Israel - and its high-ed institutions, Omar Barghouti, is a graduate of Tel Aviv University. Apartheid, indeed. I bet that some of their game is to simply manipulate the non-informed average citizen of a Western country, any country, too far away from the Middle East to really take his or her time to check the facts and figures. Among them, artists that were put under pressure to cancel their concerts in Israel. Thanks Gd that Tishby called Mike (the Jagger) and convinced Rolling Stones to go on with their show. History was written, indeed.  

If it´s one think to learn about Israel from this book is that it´s honest and fair to recognize the mistakes and learn from them how to build a better future. Being able to acknowledge one´s mistake it´s a sign of strength and maturity. 

Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth - indeed, this is exactly the case - is a book for the curious, open minded, the non-Jew and the Jew curious to understand something about a country and its conflicts. 

Rating: 4 stars