Dr. Shamir skillfully guides the reader through a myriad of issues that are today at the center of a passionate debate both in Israel itself as well as in the Diaspora, where half of the world's Jews still live. The debate – and hence the main themes of the book – revolves around such questions as:
• Are we a nation or just a religious community?
• How do Israelis and Jews around the world conceptualize their loyalties?
• How acceptable is Jewish fundamentalism and how does Israel deal with the Arab population within its borders?
• How do Diaspora Jews view Israeli identity and how do Israelis define the identity of Diaspora Jews?
• Above all, who is a Jew?
However difficult it may be to accomodate the many complex and continually changing Jewish identities under the single roof of Judaism, Dr. Shamir contends that we have no alternative – neither for Israelis nor for the Jews of the Diaspora. But if that overarching identity is to be preserved, Jews must internalize the core ideas of multiculturalism to create a multifaceted Jewish identity that positively reflects the freedoms of today’s world.