The Manovill Conversations -  Reporting Israel: The Personal, the Political & the Press

The December 2 program with Ari Shavit and David Remnick was arguably the best conversation we’ve presented on our stage.  Catching Ari Shavit at this moment in his life, at this point in the crest, was very special.  While he is a well-known journalist in Israel and Haaretz columnist, My Promised Land is his first book.  My Promised Land both celebrates Israel’s miraculous accomplishments and acknowledges its tragic mistakes vis-à-vis the Palestinians.  Grounded in historic narrative, it calls on Jews to move toward a new paradigm of liberal Zionism that allows for love and criticism of Israel at the same time. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it’s exploding in the media and the American public right now.  The excitement was definitely palpable in Kanbar Hall.  Add to this, David Remnick, Ari Shavit’s good friend, and champion of the book since its inception.  Remnick had a very special way of drawing Shavit out and gently prodding him to explain the nuances and sharpen the points for an American audience.  It made for an extraordinary evening.  

The Manovill Conversations are made possible through the generosity of the Laszlo N. Tauber Family Foundation.