“Mitchell Bard has a way of taking complex and important topics and explaining them simply. Once again, in Israel Matters he has taken his gift for identifying what is important and making it accessible. If ever there was a time to explain to a wide audience why Israel matters, this is surely that time. This book does so in a compelling way—indeed, in a way that specialists and non-specialists alike will find useful."
Dennis B. Ross
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
“In Israel Matters, Mitchell Bard offers a comprehensive yet handy text that gives students a practical understanding of the State of Israel--its historical importance, and its relevance today. Bard provides a noble service for students who want to connect with and learn about a nation-state that has changed the world.”
Senator Joe Lieberman
United States Senator for Connecticut
"Israel Matters is an excellent introduction for everyone who feels a gnawing connection to Israel but doesn't know why -- as well as for everyone who wants to speak up for Israel but doesn't know how. Instead of the cardboard cutout descriptions of Israel one reads either in the popular media or promotional literature, Mitchell Bard presents a three-dimensional Israel -- full of political debate, cultural clash and the human dilemmas of real people. If you didn't have your Bar Mitzvah at the Western Wall, haven't been on a Birthright trip, and missed more than your share of Sunday school classes -- and even if none of these categories applies to you -- Israel Matters will open your eyes to the wonder, complexity and challenges of the Jewish state."
Robert Satloff
Executive Director, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
"Without ignoring some of the controversial aspects of life in modern Israel, Israel Matters conveys the broad scope of Israeli history and culture in an engaging and accessible manner. The mini-biographies of everyday Israelis and the sections entitled “What Would YOU Do?” are particularly helpful in connecting young readers with the context and moral dilemmas of daily life in the Jewish state. Israel Matters very successfully addresses the long recognized need for a text that presents contemporary Israel to American youth."
Dr. Robert Wexler
President, American Jewish University
"Israel does matter, but how little we really know about its history, current challenges, and how to find our way about it. This extraordinarily readable and valuable book by Mitchell Bard—an outstanding expert on all these topics—is just what is needed.”
Ilan Troen
Director, Schusterman Center for Israel Studies, Brandeis University
“Comprehensive, balanced, rich and appealing.”
Richard Skeen
Birthright Israel NEXT
“Lively, substantive, accessible.”
Dr. Gil Troy
Professor of History, McGill University
