The Jewish March of Folly
In a controversial historical essay, Amotz Asa-El moves between the biblical period and the 21st century, reviewing 12 civil wars that ripped apart Jewish society and threatened its continued existence. He maps out the deep channels gushing beneath the historical scenes and points to a dark, consistent trend throughout the Jewish nation’s history: the temptation of anarchism, a selfdestructive tendency that causes leaders, time after time, to abandon their nation and lead the society entrusted in their hands toward destruction. With literary momentum and sharp political insight, Asa-El traces the roots of this force through the ages and seeks its sources, as he analyzes moments of destructive political folly.
The book also turns a sharp spotlight on the present: in its closing chapters, Asa-El addresses the situation in the State of Israel today, and points out the internal political follies that threaten its very existence.
The Jewish March of Folly was a bestseller in Israel and aroused heated discourse as soon as it was published.
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“Bold, smart, deep, superbly written”
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“A well-written and thought-provoking retelling of Jewish history, which artfully connects past events with present concerns”
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“Unique, refreshingly candid examination of biblical history and its impact on the Jewish State, one that combines scholarship and creativity into a powerful, cautionary tale”