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 The Optimistic Jew Aug 31, 2007
I originally read this book in Hebrew. It exemplifies what I claim in my own book "The Optimistic Jew: a Positive Vision for the Jewish People in the 21st Century" -- that in the 21st century there is little difference between the young university trained Jew from New York, Paris or London and one from Tel Aviv or the Kibbutz. Both are engaged in the search for excellence and the contribution to society through self-actualization. A good book for Diaspora Jews to read in order to get an insight into the thinking of a new generation of young Israeli Jews.
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Bendor's Complaint Apr 24, 2007
Bendor's review seems to be less of a review and more of a jealous ad hominem attack on someone who he feels, justifably so, is more accomplished and better educated than he is and belongs to a political party that he doesn't ascribe to. His review is guilty of his own criticism: it is vaacuous.(If the review board of Amazon removes my comments, then they should also remove Bendors)
Robby Berman
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 Empty phrases of 21st Century Zionism Apr 23, 2007
This book is an insult to the readers' intelligence. To begin with, Ms. Wilf is an aspiring member of the Labor Party of Israel who is trying to get elected as a member of the Israeli parliament. There is nothing wrong with that, of course, but it is misleading not to mention this little point in a book that tries to present a "vision" for Israel's future. I learned about the Labor party membership from the author's website, after I read the book, and I felt misled. I began reading the book curious about what an Israeli person, about ten years younger than myself, has to say about Israel's third generation. After visiting the website mentioned on the cover (I initially went there to express my disappointment), I learned the vacuous book I read, is in fact a party pamphlet for primaries' promotion. Simply put, Wilf "invents" the third generation and then wants to represent it in the Knesset. It is all about self promotion, not Israel's future.
Second, and more important, Wilf displays close to zero understanding or grasp of Israel's social and political problems. The occupation and its horrors, the social gaps, the discrimination against Arabs and Jews of Middle Eastern origins (members of Wilf's generation included), are not mentioned. I learn from the short bio of the author that she is one of most privileged of Israel's youngsters: from the prestigious high-school in Jerusalem, to the elite military unite, to Harvard and to the various other prestigious European schools. I doubt it, if she ever visited Palestinian village, a refugee camp, or for instance the housing project in Southern Jerusalem where I grew up (not very far from her home, I presume). None of this issues in mentioned in the book, and if there hint of that, it is done is passing, as if the author wishes to avoid excrement on the sidewalk. The whole book is empty slogan after slogan. Its author sounds like--how depressing!!-- her patron: Shimon Peres. We have seen the earlier wave of Peres' protégés (men like Novik and Beilin and other "blazers" and "poodles" as Rabin nicknamed them). It is depressing to see that he is trying yet again, to promote another one of those: rich, Ashkenazi, and disconnected from Israeli society. To be ambitious is not enough, and is certainly not a value in and of itself.
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