Over the course of four years, Jasmin Habib was a participant observer on tours of Israel organized for diaspora Jews as well as at North American community events focusing on Israel and Israel-diaspora relations. In this book, she argues that much of the existing literature about North American Jews and their relationship to Israel ignores their reactions to official narratives and perpetuates an "official silence" surrounding the destructive aspects of nationalist sentiments.

The second edition of Israel, Diaspora, and the Routes of National Belonging includes a new introduction by the author that builds on her groundbreaking research and reflects on the changes to scholarship since the book’s publication in 2004. Additionally, by exploring the dramatic changes to the region’s politics, Habib ensures that the startlingly honest, theoretically rich, and detailed analysis of her original work continues to be of relevance over a decade later.

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. Zionism, Diaspora, and Israel

2. Touring Israel

3. Celebrating Return: One Nation, One Land

4. Development and Democracy

5. Settling the Nation, Defending the State

6. The Politics of Securing Peace

7. Representing Israel

8. Identifying (with) Israel: Zionism and the State

9. Identifying (with) Israel after Zionism

10. Narrating Relations for Diaspora

11. Longings

12. A Home Away from Home

13. Routes of Belonging

14. Fielding Questions of Identity

15. Diaspora Belonging

Appendix: Interview Questions / Guideline

Notes

Bibliography

Index