Stories From the Land of Israel

About this book

"A must-read for all interested in Jewish spirituality and its significance for life in contemporary Israel." -Prof. Mel Alexenberg It was 1913, in the town of Rehovot. A group of rabbis had gathered to discuss the sorry state of religious life in the Land of Israel, especially in the young farming communities in the north. But Lipkovitz had little patience for the rabbis' endless discussions. "You speak of desecration of Torah and mitzvot?" he exploded. "Rabbis are firefighters! Go put out the fires! What are you doing sitting around here?" For several years, Rabbi Kook had toyed with the idea of a tour of the northern communities. But how to reach out to these non-religious settlers? How to bridge the rift between the traditional world of Jewish observance and this new world of young Zionist pioneers? "Stories from the Land of Israel" weaves a series of inspiring events in the lives of two saintly and beloved scholars - Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook and his son, Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah Kook. These biographical stories are set against the backdrop of the historic upheavals and triumphs of the Jewish people in the past century, as they returned to their homeland and established an independent state. We gain insight into the rabbi's rare qualities of spirit, their overflowing love for the Jewish people and the land of Israel, and their rare ability to bridge the religious-secular divide. These inspirational accounts reveal a spiritual dimension in the recent history of Israel and the Jewish people. "This account reveals vital dimensions of Rav Kook's personality and shows how the force of his personality, just as much as the power and profundity of his writings, account for his enduring influence." --Rabbi Yedidya Sinclair "These tales about Rav Kook inspire us to live with purpose, to serve from the heart, and to lead from the soul." -- Rabbi S. Yanklowitz "I loved it! I couldn't stop reading..." --Rabbi Shmuel Jablon