{"product_id":"ancient-zionism-the-biblical-origins-of-the-national-idea-9780029023525","title":"Ancient Zionism: The Biblical Origins of the National Idea","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe ancient Hebrews  Erlich argues  invented a unique basis for social unity by forging an imaginative link between religion (or law)  literary culture  and the specific land of Israel. In this conception  the land  the law  and the people of Israel are one  a living metaphor expressed in the idea of Zion. The unity of land  law  and literature created by the Hebrews has been one of the most potent historical metaphors ever devised  strong enough to maintain a sense of national identity among Jews for over two thousand years. Without this Jewish literary culture  Erlich argues  there could have been no state of Israel  no matter what efforts were made by modern Zionist ideologues. This book reads the ancient text with ancient eyes that make it startling and fresh for those conditioned to the \"modern\" view of national identity as based on either race or ideology. Modern Zionism  like modern nationalism generally  is a drastically impoverished descendant of this original Jewish nationalism  and Erlich concludes that many problems not only of Israel but of all modern nations struggling to define themselves in a changing world really stem from the loss of this vigorous ancient alternative.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45647566110773,"sku":"ByrdShop_0029023521","price":36.01,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780029023525.jpg?v=1781693159","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/ancient-zionism-the-biblical-origins-of-the-national-idea-9780029023525","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}