A Little Too Close to God

May 1, 2000
The editor of the Jerusalem Report (an English-language news magazine published in Israel), Horovitz is at his best when describing his mixed feelings about raising his family in the Israeli cauldron. Indeed, one of the most moving parts of this book is the introductory chapter, as Horovitz--who immigrated to Israel from Britain in the early 1980s, soon after high school--describes his reaction to hearing that terrorists had bombed one of his favorite lunch spots a day after he ate there with friends. He is in touch with the strong sense of community--what he calls the "cocoon"--that keeps his family from leaving the country. With the help of his keen journalistic eye and a witty writing style, he concentrates on the pressures that persistently pervade the cocoon. These pressures affect day-to-day decisions, sometimes in seemingly absurd ways: Horovitz describes how he and his wife have told their children how to respond in case terrorism occurs near them. Horovitz devotes much of the book to the difficulties of the stumbling peace process--which he and his wife strongly support--and on the increasing fragmentation of Israeli society as epitomized by the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin in 1995. As the book's title implies, Horovitz, a liberal, secular Jew, has little stomach for the views of Israel's hard-liners, who oppose territorial compromise with its Arab neighbors. But while partisan, the book is no polemic. With the help of an Orthodox cousin and a brother-in-law who lives in the West Bank, Horovitz lays out the arguments for and against reconciliation with the Arab world. He's managed to write an engaging book that introduces the reader to the personal struggles emanating from the conflict in the Middle East.

Starred review from April 15, 2000
Besides its terrific title, this book has a lot going for it, though it is hardly a book for the average tourist. It is written by a journalist who has lived and worked in Jerusalem since 1983 and has the uncanny skill of presenting the best his country has to offer while simultaneously being highly critical of it. Horowitz's affection for Israel is present in every well-chosen phrase and every reverent adjective. Yet he affirms that in recent years the conservative Netanyahu government and the continued influence of extreme Orthodox Jews have done little except complicate daily life in Israel and prevent serious peace negotiations from taking place. He presents a highly informative history and current-events narrative in a manner that makes it personal and relevant to Jews and non-Jews alike. As such, this book will introduce readers to an Israel free of the biblical mysticism and romanticism that draws millions of visitors to it each year, providing them with a healthy dose of reality. Recommended for all public libraries, especially those with predominantly Jewish patrons.--Joseph L. Carlson, Lompoc, CA

Copyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2000
Horovitz, editor of the "Jerusalem Report," immigrated to Israel from England in 1983. His account of the last 20 years in his adopted country offers a revealing human perspective on daily life behind the headlines. In Israel, though, politics is never far from daily life, and Horovitz makes his political position perfectly clear: he is a liberal, a supporter of peace with the Palestinians, and he believes that, in the years since the Six-Day War, Israel has gradually descended from the moral high ground, hitting rock bottom with the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Horovitz defends his political views vigorously and persuasively but without losing his story in a wave of partisan rhetoric. Perhaps the most memorable parts of this book are the family anecdotes, Horovitz reflecting on the challenges of raising children in a country constantly torn by the threat of violence. Despite ongoing tension between Jew and Arab and between Orthodox Jews and secular Jews, Horovitz has found a home in Jerusalem--a home that alternately sustains and repels him. His view of life between those poles is as moving as it is controversial. ((Reviewed May 15, 2000))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)