Winner of the American Academy for Jewish Research Salo W. Baron Prize (2002)ChaeRan Freeze explores the impact of various forces on marriage and divorce among Jews in 19th-century Russia. Challenging romantic views of the Jewish family in the shtetl; she shows that divorce rates among Russian Jews in the first half of the century were astronomical compared to the non-Jewish population. Even more surprising is her conclusion that these divorce rates tended to drop later in the century; in contrast to the rising pattern among populations undergoing modernization.Freeze also studies the growing involvement of the Tsarist state. This occurred partly at the behest of Jewish women contesting patriarchy and parental power and partly because the government felt that Jewish families were in complete anarchy and in need of order and regulation. Extensive research in newly-declassified collections from twelve archives in Russia; Ukraine; and Lithuania enables Freeze to reconstruct Jewish patterns of marriage and divorce and to analyze the often conflicting interests of Jewish husbands and wives; rabbinic authorities; and the Russian state. Balancing archival resources with memoirs and printed sources in Hebrew; Yiddish; and Russian; she offers a tantalizing glimpse of the desires and travails of Jewish spouses; showing how individual life histories reflect the impact of modernization on Jewish matchmaking; gender relations; the "emancipation" of Jewish women; and the incursion of the Tsarist state into the lives of ordinary Jews.
#836159 in Books Allworth Press 2002-09-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 6.00 x 6.00l; 1.35 #File Name: 1581152582400 pages
Review
22 of 26 people found the following review helpful. A balanced but troubling workBy Scott GrauThe future of Israel will depend to a large extent on how Israelis deal with the tensions and contradictions between the revolutionary ideals and traditions of Zionism and the aspiration to build a democratic and just society; author Bernard Avishai argues in his book; "The Tragedy of Zionism." Avishai defends the achievements of Labor Zionism and rightly insists that in the context of the period in which Labor Zionism emerged and flourished; it was both necessary; justified and successful; with its greatest triumph evident in the establishment of the state of Israel in May 1948. Following the emergence of Zionism in the late 19th century; Avishai traces its evolution; growth; and transformation from a political and ideological movement into the foundation of a state; and from fragile early statehood into local military power. Avishai offers what has been described as a "post-Zionist" perspective on Israeli society and politics; and fears that the institutions and values of traditional Labor Zionism have become anachronistic and in some ways an obstacle to effective and democratic solutions to the problems facing Israel today. At the same time; he is critical of the "New Zionism" which is championed by Ariel Sharon and his Likudnik supporters; but notes the extent to which the rise of this movement has its roots not only in Vladimir Jabotinsky's "Revisionism" of the 1930s; but in the national security statism which emerged in the 1960s; associated with prominent figures like Moshe Dayan. Clearly the 1967 Six-Day War marked a watershed in the development of this movement; while the subsequent 1973 Yom Kippur War to a certain extent seemed to discredit the security policies of the old Labor establishment and; along with important demographic changes in Israel; opened the door to Begin's election in 1977. Avishai rightly rejects the notion of Zionism as some kind of arm of a 20th century European or American colonial or neo-colonial project; and recognizes the legitimate security concerns created by Palestinian rejectionism; Arab hostility; and terrorism. At the same time; he raises serious concerns about the current settler movement; the moral and practical problems and costs raised for Israel by the ongoing occupation of the West Bank and Gaza; and the impact of the militarization of Israeli society on the future for Israeli democracy. Avishai warmly embraces liberal democratic values; and hopes to see these values thrive in Israel. While it is true that Israel is the region's only democracy; he suggests a kind of fragility to this democracy; and worries over how easily terrorists in both the Israeli community(Dr. Baruch Goldstein; for example) and in the Palestinian community (a whole raft of suicide bombers) can subvert efforts by moderates on both sides to find peace. Ultimately; Avishai recognizes that the Israelis and Palestinians are bound to each other; and any effort to achieve a just peace must recognize the legitimate aspirations and rights of both sides. Avishai argues that Israel must address the question of equal rights for Arab Israelis; and defends the notion of a peace process; whatever the limitations of the Oslo effort in the 1990s. Supporters of the Sharon government probably will find much to argue with in this book; but it would be wrong to say that Avishai is insensitive to the security issues for Israel created by Palestinian terror. Obviously; there can be no peace as long as terror bombers carry out their murderous plans. But just as the effort to make peace carries risks; so does the decision to resolve these problems through war (as was demonstrated by the fate of the 1982 invasion of Lebanon). Avishai offers a profound and thoughtful treatment of these issues and connects that debate to the larger history of the Zionist movement. His urgent concern for the future of Israeli democracy deserves the attention of all who care about the future of Israel; whatever they might think about the specifics of the positions that he takes.5 of 7 people found the following review helpful. An important thesis; but not repeated enoughBy Eric MaroneyAvishai has written an important work on the history of Zionism and its implications for the State of Israel as a democratic nation. His essential thesis is that Zionism was a revolutionary movement designed to create a state; but not to govern a state. Revolutionary Zionism should have ended following the founding of the State of Israel. Permanent features of a democratic government; like a written constitution; a bill of rights; separation of religion and state; should have been fixed. But Zionism continued after the founding of the Jewish state; much to the detriment of Israel's vision of itself and its view in the world. This is a good thesis; but Avishai does not repeat it enough; or work out its implications in a general sense. The conclusion spends too much time examining events from 1985; and the afterword; from 2001; does the same. Avishai should have written more generally about the topic near the end; making this work stronger and clearer for the reader.8 of 11 people found the following review helpful. A thoughtful and thought-provoking coverageBy Midwest Book ReviewPolitical Zionism's revolutionary past continues to haunt and effect Israeli democracy and struggles with its neighbors today. Chapters provide a history of Zionism; conflicts; and the underlying concepts which fostered its growth in the 1930s and threaten its continued existence today. The Tragedy Of Zionism; offers a thoughtful and thought-provoking coverage of a sensitive but timely issue bermane to Judaic and American support for the beleaguered Israeli people.
