Yossi Klein Halevi’s Like Dreamers, the 2013 recipient of the National Jewish Book Award, is widely considered one of the most significant works on modern Israeli history. Its majesty is in the nuance that, while often overlooked, lies at the heart of Israel’s national identity and discourse. The discussion that Halevi chronicles took decades, and reflects progression from unity to division and then from radical acrimony to current perceptions of tolerated diversity and an overall acceptance of more moderate views among the leaders of both the Israeli right and left. Halevi shows us that deep down in the ideological divide lives a true and unshakable love among the men of the 55th that ultimately enabled them to travel the divergent paths that would eventually lead to national progress.
We are left with a narrative of immense significance, both as we look back and consider the schisms of old, and, even more importantly, as we consider our approaches to the new divisions that have emerged – divisions that will continue to emerge within the immensely diverse polity that comprises the Jewish state.