The Chosen Peoples: America, Israel, and the Ordeals of Divine Election (review)

Abstract

Chosen Peoples: America, Israel, and Ordeals of Divine Election, by Todd Gitlin and Liel Leibovitz. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2010. 250 pp. $26.00. In book, Chosen Peoples, Todd Gitlin and Liel Leibovitz have provided an insightful and interesting account of by analyses of ways in which belief in divine election has impacted both Israel and America. authors argue that throughout history, only these nations stand out for fundamental, continuous, and enduring quality of convictions and intense seriousness (p. xiv) of belief in divine election. Their interesting book begins with question of meaning and development of among ancient Jews which, according to authors, a story of covenants with God that made them simultaneously a people, a nation, and a (p. 2). result of this complication has been that Jews have ever since had to deal with meaning of chosenness and which, or all, of foci on peoplehood, nationhood, or religion to emphasize. Throughout Jewish history, each of these alternatives has, at one time or another, been propounded. Moreover, Zionism, as a significant element in modern Judaism, added dimension of importance of return to land which, for many, eventuated in a messianic commitment. Gitlin/Leibowitz analysis of Israel's ancient covenants is thoughtful and interesting, as reader is shown how development of idea of grew and evolved. ultimate result not a magical moment of redemption but a process dependent on people's ability to live up to potential (p. 23). In Judaism, Messiah does not redeem people, for only when people are fulfilling their potential will Messiah come. The emphasis is on human responsibility and obedience to laws of Torah (p. 23). Only a society based on decency and justice would bring Messiah, and so Jews are obliged to wait, obey, and serve. Theirs was a commit ment to a just society, and obligation to create a just society transcended physical location. Neither Diaspora nor persecution set aside obligation to create a just society. Throughout many years of longing for return to Jerusalem, Jews were required to undergo a process of perfectibility, for hope of next year in Jerusalem was hope for completion of a spiritual process. In modern world, Jews were confronted with a new orientation: Zionism. A Jewish homeland would offer security from antisemitism, but it would also bring with it Jewish nationhood, along with opportunity for a commitment to social justice (p. 33). secularism of many Zionists generated much hostility during early history of movement. Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook and other religious leaders had great difficulty in reconciling nationhood of Zionism with idea of holiness that lay at heart of traditional view of chosenness. With founding of Israel, Kook's son, Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook, added belief in sanctity of land to idea of Zionism. For younger Kook, Zionism involved the holy trinity of land, people, and faith, and unification of these ideas became basis, following 1967 War, of Orthodox insistence on settlement of West Bank (p. 39). For Gitlin and Leibovitz there have emerged two contrasting and conflicting Jewish views of chosenness: (1) belief in human holiness and effort to establish a society based on social justice and (2) belief in sacredness of land as environment in which holiness may be practiced. Both views reflect ideas of election or and messianism that inheres in Judaism. Jews in Israel and in Diaspora remain divided on these differing views of election and on efforts at settlement of conflict with Palestinian Arabs over West Bank. In words of authors, These are afflictions of chosenness; we bear them still (p. …