Through a qualitative analysis and broad historical contextualization of personal interviews, The New Zionists shows how American Jewish “Millennials” who are not religiously orthodox approach Israel and Zionism as galvanizing solutions to the thinning of American Jewish identity, and (re)root themselves through “Israeliness”—an unselfconscious and largely secular expression of national kinship and solidarity, as well as of personal and communal purpose, that American Judaism scarcely provides.
"
The New Zionists is a dense and rewarding read. It is a pioneering work that will have an extensive follow-up, first bu academics like Graizbord and then by educators and leaders in the field. This book is recommended reading for anyone with professional responsibilities in or concerning the American Jewish community, or simply for those interested in an example of excellent listening, reporting and analysis.
" - Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs
"
The breadth of Graizbord’s findings, it must be mentioned in closing, is far more extensive than captured by this brief review. And his description and analysis of those findings, of course, is far more nuanced than captured by the review. Suffice it to say here that Graizbord’s study of the attitudes of non-Orthodox Jewish millennials towards Zionism and Israel is sure to become a core work on this subject. It should be eagerly consulted by anyone who is concerned about the relationship between the American Jewish community and the Jewish state.
" - Israel Affairs