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Impossible Takes Longer
- 75 Years After Its Creation, Has Israel Fulfilled Its Founders’ Dreams?
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
- Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
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Publisher's summary
WINNER OF THE RABBI SACKS BOOK PRIZE
A nuanced examination of the Israel’s past, present, and future, after reaching its seventy-fifth anniversary and enduring its most challenging year ever, from the two-time National Jewish Book Award–winning author of Israel. Revised and updated throughout for the paperback edition.
In 1948, Israel’s founders sought a “national home for the Jewish people,” where Jewish life would be transformed. The state they ultimately made, says Daniel Gordis, is a place of extraordinary success and maddening disappointment, a story of both unprecedented human triumph and great suffering.
When it marked its seventy-fifth anniversary, Israel was in the throes of a judicial reform crisis, its most dangerous internal rupture ever. Then, with the October 7th War, it was attacked from the outside and plunged into existential uncertainty. In light of those first seventy-five years and the events of 2023 that shook the country to its core, Gordis asks: Has Israel fulfilled the dreams of its founders?
Using Israel’s Declaration of Independence, Gordis measures Israel’s achievements, critiques its failures, and acknowledges its inherent contradictions—ultimately suggesting that, though it has often fallen short, the Jewish state is a success far beyond anything its founders could have imagined.
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Past and present civilizations failed and fail for many reasons, but the number-one predictor of a civilization’s survival is its sense of religion—or lack thereof. So argues David Goldman in How Civilizations Die (and Why Islam Is Dying Too). The strength of a civilization’s religion affects its purpose, its fertility rate, and ultimately, its fate, says Goldman—who then argues that, contrary to popular belief, Islamic countries are in the last throes of death while Christian America is in a position to flourish.
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Pseudointellectual Clickbait
- By Sam on 12-22-20
By: David Goldman
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The Mighty and the Almighty
- Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs
- By: Madeleine Albright
- Narrated by: Madeleine Albright
- Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Does America have a special mission, derived from God, to bring liberty and democracy to the world? How much influence does the Christian right have over U.S. foreign policy? And how should America deal with violent Islamist extremists? Madeleine Albright, the former Secretary of State and best-selling author of Madam Secretary, offers a thoughtful and often surprising look at the role of religion in shaping America's approach to the world.
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The point??
- By Thomas on 11-04-06
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When the Facts Change
- Essays, 1995-2010
- By: Tony Judt
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 14 hrs
- Unabridged
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In When the Facts Change, Tony Judt's widow and fellow historian Jennifer Homans has assembled an essential collection of the most important and influential pieces written in the last 15 years of Judt's life, the years in which he found his voice in the public sphere. Included are seminal essays on the full range of Judt's concerns, including Europe as an idea and in reality, before 1989 and thereafter; Israel, the Holocaust and the Jews; American hyperpower and the world after 9/11.
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Essential
- By Herman Utik on 09-19-16
By: Tony Judt
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Israel
- A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth
- By: Noa Tishby
- Narrated by: Noa Tishby
- Length: 9 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Israel. The small strip of arid land is 5,700 miles away but remains a hot-button issue and a thorny topic of debate. But while everyone seems to have a strong opinion about Israel, how many people actually know the facts? Here to fill in the information gap is Israeli American Noa Tishby.
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I hope this book will help
- By Wayne on 05-08-21
By: Noa Tishby
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Fascism
- A Warning
- By: Madeleine Albright
- Narrated by: Madeleine Albright
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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At the end of the 1980s, when the Cold War ended, many, including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, believed that democracy had triumphed politically once and for all. Yet nearly 30 years later, the direction of history no longer seems certain. A repressive and destructive force has begun to reemerge on the global stage - sweeping across Europe, parts of Asia, and the United States - that to Albright, looks very much like fascism.
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Warning!
- By JAL on 04-19-18
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Israel
- A Concise History of a Nation Reborn
- By: Daniel Gordis
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 16 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Israel is a tiny state, and yet it has captured the world's attention, aroused its imagination, and, lately, been the object of its opprobrium. Why does such a small country speak to so many global concerns? More pressingly: Why does Israel make the decisions it does? And what lies in its future? We cannot answer these questions until we understand Israel's people and the questions and conflicts, the hopes and desires, that have animated their conversations and actions.
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Excellent, mildly but honestly biased, terrible narration
- By Schaq on 04-01-17
By: Daniel Gordis
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Reconciliation
- Islam, Democracy, and the West
- By: Benazir Bhutto
- Narrated by: Rita Wolf
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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In Reconciliation, Bhutto recounts in gripping detail her final months in Pakistan and offers a bold new agenda for how to stem the tide of Islamic radicalism and to rediscover the values of tolerance and justice that lie at the heart of her religion.
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Female Muslim insight
- By Craig Bell on 03-07-08
By: Benazir Bhutto
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The War on History
- The Conspiracy to Rewrite America’s Past
- By: Jarrett Stepman
- Narrated by: Chris Abell
- Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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America is hopelessly divided, but more worryingly, the ideas and “mystic chords of memory” that rest at the cornerstone of our civilization and bind the generations are being severed, attacked, and forgotten. The left has set out to shatter these bonds with a war on American history - the fundamental concepts, institutions, and icons that make our country what it is. And we have failed to protect our history, allowing Hollywood, educators, and the media to rewrite the story of America. We have ignored the invaluable lessons of our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.
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Culture war, not history
- By J. Pulton on 03-08-21
By: Jarrett Stepman
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Never Alone
- Prison, Politics, and My People
- By: Natan Sharansky, Gil Troy
- Narrated by: Natan Sharansky, Gil Troy, Peter Lownds
- Length: 22 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1977, Natan Sharansky, a leading activist in the democratic dissident movement in the Soviet Union and the movement for free Jewish emigration, was arrested by the KGB. He spent nine years as a political prisoner, convicted of treason against the state. Never Alone reveals how Sharansky's years in prison, many spent in harsh solitary confinement, prepared him for a very public life after his release. As an Israeli politician and the head of the Jewish Agency, Sharansky brought extraordinary moral clarity and uncompromising, often uncomfortable, honesty.
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Fantastic
- By Danna Azrieli on 02-06-21
By: Natan Sharansky, and others
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A Battle for the Soul of Islam
- An American Muslim Patriot's Fight to Save His Faith
- By: M. Zuhdi Jasser
- Narrated by: Michael Prichard
- Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Among the unsettling social shifts in the wake of 9/11 was the global attention paid to Islam. Here in the United States, we became divided, often sadly along partisan lines, between those who believed every Muslim was a potential threat and those who believed no Muslim could do wrong. For conservative Wisconsin native and former U.S. Navy lieutenant commander Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, these radical times meant facing a new reality as a devout Muslim and a patriot - a certain betrayal within his faith.
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A courageous and clear champion of American Liberty
- By Craigan on 04-07-16
By: M. Zuhdi Jasser
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The Battle for God
- A History of Fundamentalism
- By: Karen Armstrong
- Narrated by: Lisa Armytage, Karen Armstrong
- Length: 22 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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In the late 20th century, fundamentalism has emerged as one of the most powerful forces at work in the world, contesting the dominance of modern secular values and threatening peace and harmony around the globe. Yet it remains incomprehensible to a large number of people. In The Battle for God, Karen Armstrong brilliantly and sympathetically shows us how and why fundamentalist groups came into existence and what they yearn to accomplish.
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The most important book you haven’t read yet
- By D. A. Vail on 12-29-20
By: Karen Armstrong
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Catch-67
- The Left, the Right, and the Legacy of the Six-Day War
- By: Micah Goodman, Eylon Levy - translator
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 5 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Since the Six-Day War, Israelis have been entrenched in a national debate over whether to keep the land they conquered or to return some, if not all, of the territories to Palestinians. In a balanced and insightful analysis, Micah Goodman deftly sheds light on the ideas that have shaped Israelis' thinking on both sides of the debate about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Contrary to opinions that dominate the discussion, he discovers that the paradox of Israeli political discourse is that both sides are right in what they affirm - and wrong in what they deny.
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Very good book!
- By Kindle Customer on 12-11-18
By: Micah Goodman, and others
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Terrific history but with a perplexing gap.
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What listeners say about Impossible Takes Longer
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Anonymous User
- 09-25-24
Important read
This is a great overview of Israel’s challenges, opportunities, and progress amidst immense challenges. Especially important today.
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- Amy S.
- 03-04-24
Nuanced and Thoughtful
Reading this post October 7th raises many more questions than answers, but the analysis overall is thought-provoking and balanced.
Minor performance annoyance: the reader mispronounced Hebrew and Arabic names of people and places more than a few times. Seems like a basic requirement for this recording would have been to verify and help the reader pronounce things correctly...
Would absolutely recommend this to anyone interested in understanding and thinking about Israel and the Jewish people.
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- Eric Jaffee
- 11-16-23
As always, Gordis comes through
One of the great Jewish minds of our time. A must read for anyone interested in Israel
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- Allen Alson
- 12-05-23
In depth analysis of many facets of Israel, Judaism and Zionism.
THIS BOOK FILLED IN MANY OF THE GAPS OF MY KNOWLEDGE. WELL WORTH THE EFFORT TO DISCOVER THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL SOCIETY IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.
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- David Klein
- 06-09-23
Nuanced, well researched, thoughtful
The book follows the aspirations of Israel’s founders for the state as laid out in the Declaration of Independence. It provides rich context on the circumstances that led to the text of the declaration, and then evaluates Israel’s success of achieving those: Jewish security, language and culture, economics, minority rights, relationships with diaspora Jews and with other nations among others. A great read, highly recommend.
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- Jayne
- 12-12-23
Beyond Excellent
I so appreciate, during these troubled times in Israel (11/2023) and the world, to have a balanced account of Israel. I have always had a heart for the JEWS along with respect snd admiration for what they have done with the Israel. Previously I had relied on historical fiction to learn about the Jewish people. Daniel Gordis has filled that gap.
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- Nico Vela
- 09-22-23
Has Israel fulfilled its dream?
As usual, Daniel Gordis writes in a way that is inviting yet biting at times.
The principle of this book is that Israel's Declaration of Independence is the basis for which we will look at the question "Has Israel fulfilled its Founders' Dreams?" And in typical fashion, Daniel Gordis answers the question not one way or the other, but showing that, like history is apt to show, there is no black-and-white answer. While Israel has fulfilled the dreams of its founders in some ways, it has, in other ways, failed immensely.
A great book.
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- Amazon Customer
- 08-25-23
What an Analysis - An Incredible Book
Thought provoking, insightful, and introspective. So many ways to dissect so many issues. Very balanced. Fantastic reader.
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- Hayekian
- 06-07-23
Great book to understand the liberal Zionist view.
This was a great book that helped me not just gain a few tidbits of history here and there but also get a deeper feel for the modern liberal Zionist perspective which Mr. Gordis seems to be a great and popular representative of.
I have to preface my brief remarks by mentioning that I am what you may call an Anti-Zionist. I simply believe that the idea of Zionism, and especially its numerous calamities leading to the creation of Israel and ongoing polarizations, were and remain an intellectual error. It is important to recall that during the early days of Zionism the ideas was strongly rejected by most Jews. The rabbinical establishment, reflecting views shared by most Jews in Munich, Germany, where Herzl wanted to hold the First Zionist Congress, strongly rejected the idea so the meeting was moved to Basle Switzerland(29-31st/8/1897). They told him :
“…how can one speak with people who on the one hand are fanatics regarding Jewish nationhood and, on the other hand, complain that the Austrian government required a baptismal certificate from the candidate for the position of secretary of Bukowina. If the Austrian Jews support the efforts of the Zionists, then they should not complain that they are treated by the government like foreigners and are barred from public office. *We, however, can say to our fellow countrymen with complete conviction that we comprise a separate community solely with respect to religion. Regarding nationality, we feel totally at one with our fellow Germans and therefore strive towards the realization of the spiritual and moral goals of our dear fatherland with an enthusiasm equaling theirs…*.Eighteen hundred years ago, history made its decision regarding Jewish nationhood through the dissolution of the Jewish State and the destruction of the Temple”
This makes perfect sense. German, Polish, Russian, Spanish Jews spoke German, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and for centuries their identities had evolved in those locations where their Synagogues had been built and they made real tangible contributions to the evolution of Western Civilization. Until the last couple of centuries most people had never even seen a map and their "identities" were tied, not to a nation, but to a local town or village. The cultural concept of a 'Nation' as we currently treat it, did not generally arise until maps, better communication, faster transportation, etc. allowed our more local-tribal 'identities' to be expanded to now include much larger groups. This of course has led to bigger and bigger tribalistic National and then World Wars.
If you just look at the title of the book, it wonderfully captures the naive liberal Zionist perspective.
"Impossible Takes Longer: 75 Years After Its Creation, Has Israel Fulfilled Its Founders’ Dreams?"
Right, a monumental error, which to many seemed 'impossible', and understandably continues to polarize the entire planet into us vs. them, good vs. evil views, with unimaginable suffering in countries devastated by American and Israeli popularized military interventions like Iraq. All of this suffering and the little recognized destruction of the American economy via 1.2+trillion yearly military spending and more.... All of this suffering is just glossed over, as some people just pursue their "dream".
Mr Gordis rightly criticizes the current Israeli state and wants to see certain changes. In reality, I have a feeling that Mr. Gordis is ultimately an Anti-Zionist, because if Israel changes its Jew-only character by having multiple national anthems and-or flags as Gordis suggests, and eventually makes other changes where all citizens are really treated equally regardless of religion, then Zionism is in many ways ended. Is Mr. Gordis secretly working for Khamenei?
Again, excellent book, as well as Gordis' "We Stand Divided: The Rift Between American Jews and Israel"... Which also shows how many Jews are increasingly realizing how Zionism was a monumental error. As with Communism, often times bright and caring people fool themselves into monumental errors and any astute observer can see that liberal non-religious Jews are starting to see Zionism as an error that really needs massive changes. We really have two ways to undo this error. The angry sorta antisemitic way which sees Zionism as the result of bad Jews, or the compassionate wise way, which simply sees it as an understandable error. I'm glad to see that the latter correct approach is slowly gaining ground. We desperately need a Zionist Gorbachev before it is too late. The Neocons are going to destroy civilization otherwise.
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- AlexS
- 12-11-23
Leftist agenda all over the place
Beginning of the book is interesting and factual. However at later stages of the book leftist propaganda is so obvous it's disgusting. Book was released before October 7th massacre. After October 7th this book with it's leftist push sounds like a very naive and childish to put it nicely. Not recommend.
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