A Little Too Close to God: The Thrills and Panic of a Life in Israel

Mr. Horovitz has succeeded in opening a window into life in Israel which only one sharing his hope for the dream of Jewish normalcy can fully appreciate. Living in Jerusalem for over ten years, as a Canadian immigrant, I too have been and continue to be challenged by the enormity of the task of Zionism. Mr. Horovitz has graciously invited us into his family to help us understand the dilemmas that Israel faces as it enters its second half-century of existence. Without a doubt, he has succeeded in elucidating the issues that make living in Jerusalem so challenging. Many of us who share his idealism also are becoming concerned with the deepening clefts in our society. For those who are actively participating in the Zionist dream, Mr. Horovitz has emerged as a powerful voice helping to express our concern with society's polarization, while at the same time continuing to hope that our dream will be fulfilled. Now that Israel's future existence is guaranteed by it's military and economic strength, and is de facto, if not fully de jure, recognized by its neighbors, our future challenge will be to define the nature of our internal society. Mr. Horovitz brings important insight into the challenges we face in defining our identity as a "normal" state. Serious reading for those concerned with the future of the Jewish state in these difficult times. A must for those concerned with the depth of the issues presented in world media.

My two young children are wondering where mom has been for the past three days as I couldn't put down this Horovitz book! As a person who has had the opportunity to visit Israel many times, including a year in Jerusalem at the age of 20, and married an Israeli (he now is entranced by the book), reading this book brought back memories both happy and sad. Horovitz' personal style brings the reader into his home and onto the streets of Israel and surrounding countries. His stories had me at times laughing aloud as well as shedding tears. Through his explanations of the political and social situation of Israel, based on his front row seat as a senior journalist, he was able to bring the debate of left and right and concept of peace to life.Through out the book he also shares the views of close relatives with often differing and personal opinions. This honest account of Israel from the people who are there is a must read.

This is the most refreshingly honest and therefore hard hitting books to come out of the complexities of the Middle East that I have seen. Tha author appears to be well placed and well skilled to make the observations in that he is a senior journalist with all of the advantages that this brings in terms of access to policy and opinion makers but who, along with his wife was raised in another country. Throw into the mix their three under ten year olds and we have a story worth listening to.The funny episodes are brilliantly written and the cases for all sides in this divided country given the opportunity of expression. The insight into the various idealogical and political struggles from Jew vs Arab to Sephardi vs Ashkenasi to Religous vs Secular are uniquly well written and observed. I enjoyed it immensely and cannot commend it highly enough. You really will not know how you feel about the place when you are finished - but you will sure understand it a whole lot better.

As someone who has visited Israel many times over the years, and studied there for a year at college, I am always interested in new books on Israel. This one brought back lots of memories--of experiences good and bad. And having read it, I understand even better the struggles and attractions my friends who live there have to deal with. It's not a whitewash of Israel, nor is it an attack on Israel. It's the reality--the warmth, the tension, the things mothers worry about and dads fight for. I read it in a single weekend.

Count this latest entry in the "Living-In-Israel" literary sweepstakes as one of the best. Horowitz is honest and funny as he deals with some of the most compicated issues of modern life in the "Holy Land." You get the feeling that his views, while admittedly personal, reflect on the thoughts and motives of thousands of immigrants like himself, not to mention millions of natural-born Israelis. His handling of the various sides of numerous conflicts in Israel today is refreshingly opinionated but admirably even-handed. Impressivelly, for a journalist, Horowitz uses his considerable experience and access to further his narrative, rather than to impress his readers. This is a must read for anyone with a modicum of interest in the political and social fabric of modern-day Israel and its citizenry.