New Book by Senior Editor, Ze'ev Rosenkranz: Einstein Before Israel: Zionist Icon or Iconoclast?

Einstein Before Israel: Zionist Icon or Iconoclast? examines Albert Einstein’s association with Jewish nationalism during his European years. Initially skeptical (and even disdainful) of Zionism and the Zionists, Einstein became affiliated with this political movement, which advocated a national homeland for the Jews in their historic homeland, immediately after World War I. But what enticed this most prominent of scientists, who repeatedly avowed his opposition to every form of nationalism, to radically change his attitude toward this controversial political ideology? And did he actually become a fully-fledged member of the movement? Did he convert to Zionism?

This innovative study, based on a plethora of predominantly unpublished sources held in numerous repositories, follows Einstein’s affiliation with Jewish nationalism from his initial involvement in 1919 through to his emigration from Germany in the wake of Hitler’s rise to power in 1933. Along the way, this work considers captivating issues such as:

• How did this outspoken nonconformist handle himself in the company of a highly organized ideological outfit?
• Did the Zionists try to stifle Einstein’s criticism of their movement? What crucial role did he play in the political imbroglio among American Zionists?
• Who was more manipulative – Einstein or the Zionists?
• Which Zionist projects captured Einstein’s imagination?
• What were his impressions of the vibrant Jewish community in the U.S. and the emerging Jewish settlements in Palestine?
• How did he react to the mounting violence in the burgeoning Arab-Jewish conflict?
• What were the reactions of these communities to this most celebrated of physicists?
• And was Einstein a Zionist icon or an iconoclast?

Despite dealing with a highly divisive topic – Zionism - and a most illustrious individual – Albert Einstein – this meticulous and conscientious study steers away from propaganda and presents a reconstruction of this specific case study based on the pertinent historical documents. It utilizes Einstein’s own writings, his voluminous correspondence, contemporary press coverage, and memoirs. A significant contribution to the growing literature on Einstein’s nonscientific endeavors, this book examines the genesis of the intractable Arab-Israeli conflict through the eyes of one of history’s most illustrious celebrities.

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Published by Princeton University Press

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