I have just finished reading one of the most interesting, wonderful, amusing, and enlightening books about Israel that is currently on the market. It is Ishmael Khaldi’s A Shepherd’s Journey.
Ishmael Khaldi, born into a traditional Bedouin family in the Galillee, went from tending goats to become Israel’s first Bedouin diplomat and one of the country’s most effective spokespersons. As a Muslim and a Bedouin, Khaldi passionately defends the Jewish state from its detractors on American campuses, giving the true picture of a young nation struggling to allow its minorities freedom and opportunities unavailable to them in any other Muslim country in the Middle East.
The story of Ishmael’s first exciting foray into the American dream in a wild and not very well prepared trip to New York City — where he winds up being rescued by Hassidim in Boro Park!– is alone worth the price of the book.
Khaldi, who served in the Israeli Army along with his brothers, considers his work on the diplomatic front just a continuation of his army service in defending his country. I truly love this guy.
For those of us who love Israel and are trying to combat the relentless propaganda against her, this amazing, honest tale of a young Israeli Bedouin’s rise is inspiring and eye-opening. Israel’s true answer to when peace will come is when the Ishmael Khaldis take over the education of Muslims here and abroad. Please buy this book and recommend it to all.
According to the website, “Born into a poor, traditional Bedouin village in northern Israel, Ishmael Khaldi grew to become Israel’s first Bedouin diplomat. In this short book, he tells a remarkable story of transformation, from his modest village roots to his triumph as a diplomat and voice of reason in the Middle East. His road has not been an easy one. From his early days as a sheep herder, to his schoolboy ‘fights’ with Arab kids [fellahin= farmers], his terrifying first forays into the mysterious New York subway system, and his later remarkable friendships with secular and religious Jews and Muslims on two continents, Ishmael’s life has been full of adventure and pathos, humor and love. This is a story that will inspire, educate, and charm, told with authenticity and passion, as only a Bedouin can tell it!”
According to Alan Dershowitz, author of The Case for Israel, “…Anyone who doubts that Israel is a diverse and vibrant democracy should read Ishmael Khaldi’s story. Where else but in Israel could a young Bedouin man go from sheepherder, sleeping under the stars, to a diplomat, representing his country abroad? This is the story of one remarkable young man, and one remarkable young country.”
For more information and to order, go to http://www.ishmaelkhaldi.com.