Menachem Begin: The Battle for Israel’s Soul

Gordis’s (Saving Israel) brief biography of the former Irgun leader and Israeli prime minister (Begin held the latter post from 1977–1982) eschews a comprehensive account of Begin’s life to focus on key events in Israeli history. Among these are the execution of two British soldiers by Zionists in 1947, in retribution for the execution of two militant Zionists by the British government; the 1948 Altalena affair; and the bitter, ongoing battle over Israel accepting West German reparations for WWII. Concerning the First Lebanon War in 1982, Gordis shows how a weary Begin allowed himself to be “outmaneuvered by [then–Defense Minister Ariel] Sharon,” so that Israel’s first offensive war was fought on a far broader scale than Begin had planned. Gordis writes well about Begin’s personal qualities, especially his belief in and practice of hadar (Jewish dignity) and his “appreciation for the rhythms and priorities of Jewish life and tradition, which had never yet been represented in the prime minister’s office.” Gordis also notes the ironies of Begin’s life; for instance, he was known as a terrorist for his role in the 1946 bombing of Jerusalem’s King David Hotel bombing, but Begin later signed Israel’s 1979 peace treaty with Egypt. Despite a few questionable assertions—Gordis claims that “Mein Kampf was required reading in Fatah training camps,” according to a secondary source—he captures both Begin’s character and his place in Israeli history. (Mar.)