By
– October 31, 2011
Over the course of many Friday mornings in 2009 and 2010, Shimon Peres sat down with journalist David Landau to talk about David Ben-Gurion, and their discussions formed the basis of this remarkable political biography from Nextbook Press’s Jewish Encounters Series. The book itself follows a rough chronological order, briefly reviewing Ben- Gurion’s early Polish shtetl life and his decision to leave for Palestine, before focusing in depth on the issues surrounding Partition, wars, and statehood. What could have been a bewildering narrative of Israeli politics and personalities is saved by strategic footnotes and an appendix reviewing Israeli history for the uninitiated. Personal anecdotes spice the narrative; feisty dialogues between Peres and Landau close most chapters, preventing the account from veering into hagiography. While attention is paid to key debates of Ben-Gurion’s career — his approach to the Holocaust, his position on a two-state solution, his pursuit of the Lavon affair — the focus remains on Ben-Gurion’s political and moral philosophy. An omnivorous reader, Ben-Gurion educated himself in world military history, Biblical studies — anything he felt would broaden his insight into the world his people would need to navigate. Both a pragmatist and an idealist, he understood that compromise is necessary when no other options remain. A deeply moral man, he tolerated mistakes, but not lies. While many readers may disagree with Peres’s assessments of Ben-Gurion’s positions, few can argue with the political courage and leadership this man offered the Jewish people. Appendix summarizing Israeli history, chronology, source notes.
Bettina Berch, author of the recent biography, From Hester Street to Hollywood: The Life and Work of Anzia Yezierska, teaches part-time at the Borough of Manhattan Community College.