Jewish History, Jewish Religion
The Weight of Three Thousand Years

New edition of Shahak's controversial critique of Israel.

Israel Shahak was a remarkable man. Born in the Warsaw ghetto and a survivor of Belsen, Shahak arrived in Israel in 1945. Brought up under Jewish Orthodoxy and Hebrew culture, he consistently opposed the expansion of the borders of Israel from 1967. In this extraordinary and highly acclaimed book, Shahak embarks on a provocative study of the extent to which the secular state of Israel has been shaped by religious orthodoxies of an invidious and potentially lethal nature. Drawing on the Talmud and rabbinical laws, Shahak argues that the roots of Jewish chauvinism and religious fanaticism must be understood before it is too late. Written from a humanitarian viewpoint by a Jewish scholar, this is a rare and highly controversial criticism of Israel that will both excite and disturb readers worldwide.

Foreword to the first edition by Gore VidalForeword to the 1997 edition by Edward SaidForeword to the 2002 edition by Norton MezvinskyForeword to the new edition by Ilan Pappe1. The Consequences of Ethnic Cleansing2. The Jewish Religion and its attitude to non-Jews part 13. The Jewish Religion and its attitude to non-Jews part 24. ConclusionsNotesIndex