Heroes and Hustlers, Hard Hats and Holy Men: Inside the New Israel

by Ze'ev Chafets

Offers profiles of Israeli politicians, rock and roll stars, prostitutes, concentration camp survivors, soldiers, war heroes, and businessmen

Genres: Nonfiction, Israel, Middle East, Jewish

249 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1986

Reviews

[Harold Citron · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the book is 30 years old, the author manages to craft a very readable history book about the foundation of Israel. Unlike other history or political books, this story takes you down to the ground floor and offers up the grit of life in Israel as seen by its own people. While some of the content deals with Israeli political leaders, the stories you read here are not the ones you will find in the headlines of the newspapers, but their personal ticks and what made them tick.

Even better, is the discussions of everyday Israelis and their lives, but the good, the bad, and the ugly - with a generous helping of humor and love mixed in.

Both witty and insightful, Chafets’ insights are still critical and relevant today. Just as relevant is the dialogue about the catch-22 situation between Israel and its Arab neighbors, including the Palestinians.