The Hope Fulfilled: The Rise of Modern Israel

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Blending an analysis of general political, diplomatic and military trends with a description of how Zionist pioneers coped with ongoing social developments and challenges, Stein recounts the events that would ultimately lead to the formation of the State of Israel in May 1948. The study begins with the wave of Russian pogroms that erupted in 1882 and stimulated an interest in Jewish migration to Palestine. Stein proceeds to the experiences of the first batch of settlers as they established farms, fostered the rejuvenation of Hebrew, and coped with the local Arab population. He examines how Theodore Herzl's worldwide modern Zionist movement gathered momentum and led to a further increase in Jewish settlement in Palestine. This book covers key events such as the pioneering efforts to establish collective farms, the inauguration of Jewish defense organizations, the Balfour Declaration, and the formation of the British Mandate. Stein focuses on the gradual but persistent consolidation of the Jewish community as a self-contained body, looking closely at important institutions such as the Trade Union Federation, as well as the development of political parties. Later chapters chronicle the growing strife with the Arab population and the disintegration of the British Mandate, which would eventually culminate in the declaration of a Jewish state.

Reviews

"Eminently readable, this book presents a balanced, sensible, and accurate rendition of the major events leading up to the formation of the State of Israel. It would appeal to the knowledgeable and non-informed reader alike."-Anita Shapira Tel Aviv University
"I do not think there is any other serious history of this period that is so well written and which makes such good use of the best up-to-date scholarship."-Alan Dowty University of Notre Dame
"Leslie Stein's book, The Rise of Modern Israel, is an excellent and balanced summary of a subject of enormous difficulty. Almost everyone who has written about the creation of Israel amidst repetitive clashes and wars with the Palestinians has been very much a partisan. This summary statement by Leslie Stein is as fair as one can be. For anyone who wants to understand the beginnings of Israel, this new book is a trustworthy introduction."-Arthur Hertzberg New York University
"This is a concise and reliable history of the establishment of the state of Israel from the beginnings in the 19th century to the War of Independence based on wide reading of all the relevant literature, both the classic works and the more recent studies. It is matter of fact, refreshingly free of academic jargon and current fashions such as post-Zionism."-Walter Laquer Center for Strategic and International Studies
"This well-written book provides a comprehensive and lucid account of the rise of modern Israel"-Avigdor Leby Brandeis University
[F]or those who wish a good, solid, overview of the Jewish nationalist resurgence in Israel, this book is valuable for students and general readers alike.-Middle East Studies Association Bulletin
Stein has written a concise and readable book outlining the formation of Israel. Most of the material is drawn from secondary sources in Hebrew and English, but the author crafts an interesting, straightforward account of the Zionist movement from the 1880s to 1948. Stein provides a solid outline of the key people and principal events, making the book a good beginning for readers who want information about Zionism and all of its facets....more neutral than many of the polemical histories of the period and is a constructive addition to the literature on the formation of Israel. Recommended. General and undergraduate collections.-Choice
"For those who wish a good, solid, overview of the Jewish nationalist resurgence in Israel, this book is valuable for students and general readers alike."-Middle East Studies Association Bulletin
"[F]or those who wish a good, solid, overview of the Jewish nationalist resurgence in Israel, this book is valuable for students and general readers alike."-Middle East Studies Association Bulletin
"Stein has written a concise and readable book outlining the formation of Israel. Most of the material is drawn from secondary sources in Hebrew and English, but the author crafts an interesting, straightforward account of the Zionist movement from the 1880s to 1948. Stein provides a solid outline of the key people and principal events, making the book a good beginning for readers who want information about Zionism and all of its facets....more neutral than many of the polemical histories of the period and is a constructive addition to the literature on the formation of Israel. Recommended. General and undergraduate collections."-Choice

Author Bio

Leslie Stein is a Senior Research Fellow at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia.