Praise for Israel’s Declaration of Independence

“Defining the State of Israel’s identity – and doing so properly – is the great challenge of our generation. A return to the framing and composition of Israel’s Declaration of Independence is the right way to begin to meet it. This book sets the historical and theoretical backdrop for what ought to be a pathbreaking journey in the history of the State of Israel.”

—Ruth Calderon

“Neil Rogachevsky and Dov Zigler have given us a rare and invaluable book: both a fascinating history of Israel’s founding and a profound study in political thought. Historians, philosophers, political theorists, and all students of the story of Israel will learn an immense amount from this wise work.”

— Meir Soloveichik

“An authoritative tribute to the Declaration, because of its meticulous and exhaustive research, the book is a powerful retelling not only of how Israelis think about their history but also, and more importantly, how they think about themselves.”

— Donna Robinson Divine

“What should the Jewish state stand for? What were its founding principles and guiding ideas? And what do they mean to us now? This book answers those questions in a way that no other work does. Deftly combining political philosophy, history, and an acute sense for practical politics, it makes a pathbreaking contribution to the study of Israel’s birth – and shows the importance of Israel’s founding for all those interested in what Israel stands for today.”

– Eliot A. Cohen

“This is a genuinely important book about a genuinely important document. The Israeli Declaration of Independence is one of the glories of modernity – a model of the enlightened nationalism that is now under attack in so many places around the world. Neil Rogachevsky and Dov Zigler have produced a learned and lucid analysis, with newly discovered materials, an authoritative history of both politics and philosophy. As we negotiate our perilous way between the universal and the particular, we can learn a great deal from this fascinating story. I certainly did.”

—Leon Wieseltier

“Neil Rogachevsky and Dov Zigler perform a great service by clarifying the political significance of Israel’s founding principles.”

— Peter Berkowitz

“A breath of fresh air….More than the history of a document, Israel’s Declaration of Independence captures the spirit of a founding for the ages.”

—Elliot Kaufman

“Important and timely….Historical story telling at its best.”

—Ambassador Vivian Bercovici

“Compelling.”

—The Wall Street Journal

“Essential for anyone interested in the mechanisms of establishing the State of Israel, and why its politics are still such a mess today.”

—Algemeiner

“Fascinating….offers some insights into why, 75 years after its founding, Israel still has no written constitution. Israel’s Declaration of Independence offers readers a ringside seat.”

—Commentary

“Could Hardly be Timelier.”

—National Review

“A narrative that is both nuanced and easy to follow.”

— Jewish Book Council

“Published just in time to inform the discussion….They present a strong analysis of the political theory behind the writing of the Declaration of Independence [and] useful analyses of important questions.”

— Martin Lockshin, Jerusalem Post

“A fascinating and marvelously gripping book. Neil Rogachevsky and Dov Zigler do much more than take us through the history and drafts of the Declaration, but illustrate how each of the drafts is actually an expression of an entire worldview. To whom was the Declaration speaking? What kind of state would Israel be? Was Israel formed from consensus, or in the fog of disagreement?”

— Daniel Gordis

"Zigler and Rogachevsky’s book is a reminder of the rich history of the common meaning of Israel, and the warrior nation’s scrappy ability to prevail through even the most fraught of circumstances.””

— Joanna Baron, The Hub (Canada)