The Lions are Out!

To illuminate the Torah and defend Israel

The IDF may just have concluded Operation Rising Lion, but some other lions are also rising up on behalf of Israel. My new book The Lions of Zion: Biblical Natural History and the Significance of Israel just came off the press!

It’s all about the animals and plants of the Bible and Jewish tradition (along with minerals and other aspects of nature), and how they demonstrate the connection of the Jewish People to the Land of Israel. The second part of the book delves into history and politics, showing how the contemporary academic paradigm of Israel being an illegitimate European settler-colonial enterprise that stole the land from the indigenous Palestinians is a fundamental distortion of reality - as demonstrated by the plants and animals that represent both Jewish and Palestinian culture.

Of all the books I’ve written, this is by far the most readable (and it features wonderful full-color photos and illustrations), and it’s also suitable for a non-Jewish audience. Christians should find it especially valuable, but so will everyone with an interest in history, culture and politics. I’m very much hoping that it will reach those who are not yet convinced of the justice of Israel’s case, or who would benefit from a more thorough understanding of this. Discounts are available for those who wish to make bulk purchases - in the past schools have ordered my book The Challenge Of Creation as graduation gifts to prepare students for college, but given the current political situation, this book is by far more important.

The days of my getting formal haskamos (rabbinic approbations) for my books are long gone. But rest assured that there’s nothing “heretical” in this book, unless you consider it problematic to advocate on behalf of the importance of the Jewish State. (Which is apparently the position of much of modern charedi Judaism; Rav Dov Landau, leader of the Lithuanian stream, recently stated that it would have been better had Israel never come into existence, while anti-Zionism is rising in popularity in the American yeshivish community.)

Meanwhile, here’s some praise that the book has received so far:

"The Lions of Zion will add another fascinating layer to the existing discourse on the intersection of Jewish cultural heritage and the natural world. This important subject holds the potential not only to deepen attachment to the natural world for the many who hold the Land of Israel in great love, but also to broaden recognition of this dimension of the historic relationship between the Jewish People and the Land of Israel." - Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel

"...Fascinating and enjoyable... it shows how the animals and plants with whom our ancestors lived shaped the way we used language and Biblical imagery throughout our millennia of exile, turning our culture into a living map of connections with our lost native land..." - Natan Sharansky, Human Rights Activist and former Minister of Interior for Israel

“...offers a fresh perspective on the Jewish connection to the Land of Israel... In an era where Israel and the Jewish connection to the Land of Israel face numerous challenges, this scholarly yet highly readable book serves as an invaluable source of inspiration.” - Dr. Simon Nemtzov, Head of International Relations, Israel Nature & Parks Authority

“The Lions of Zion is engaging, accessible, and upbeat. It is a page-turner for anyone with a love of our Land. Still, once the author has the reader hooked and smiling, he shows how knowledge of the Land can be a serious tool in fighting on a new front that has opened up in the war to delegitimize the Jewish State.” - Rabbi Yitzchak Adlerstein, Director of Interfaith Affairs, The Simon Wiesenthal Center

If you’re in Israel, you can either order the book on the website of the Biblical Museum of Natural History on this page, or pick it up at the museum (or from my home!) for the discounted price of just 100 NIS. If you’re in the US, you can pre-order the book on this page, and it will be mailed to you when the shipment arrives in the US (somewhere between one and two months from now). If you’re in the UK or Canada or South Africa or Australia, make aliyah.

All patrons of the Biblical Museum of Natural History will be receiving a complimentary copy. I will also be bringing some copies with me when I fly to LA tonight for the Feast of Exotic Curiosities in Los Angeles next week. (This Shabbos I am speaking at Beth Jacob of Beverly Hills, Young Israel of Century City and Bnei David-Judea.)

If you are a book reviewer and you’d like to receive a copy to review, please write to office@BiblicalNaturalHistory.org. I will be arranging various book launch events in Israel, the UK, and the US later this year - please reach out to Ellen at advancement@BiblicalNaturalHistory.org if you’d like to arrange an event. A Hebrew translation is also currently underway. I’ll leave you with the Table of Contents, to give a better idea of the topics that the book encompasses:

PART ONE: BIBLICAL NATURAL HISTORY

Chapter 1: Biblical and Cultural Natural History

Chapter 2: The Lions of Zion

Chapter 3: Four Lessons from the Wild

Chapter 4: Benjamin Wolf and Dov Bear

Chapter 5: Hilly Goats and Rocky Rabbits

Chapter 6: Shofars and their Origins

Chapter 7: Olives and Matza

Chapter 8: Whales, Quails and Snails

Chapter 9: Locusts: Disgusting or Delicious

Chapter 10: Palm Fronds and Citrons

Chapter 11: The Earth and the Heavens

Chapter 12: Rodents and Reptiles

PART TWO: ISRAEL, NATURE AND POLITICS

Chapter 13: Ostriches and Zionism

Chapter 14: Extinction, Conservation & Reintroduction

Chapter 15: Jackals, Hyenas, and Other Villains

Chapter 16: Settler Colonialism and Indigenous Animals

Chapter 17: Deserts and Trees

Chapter 18: Sabras and Sunbirds

Chapter 19: Poppies and Maccabees

Chapter 20: Weaponized Crocodiles

Chapter 21: Attacking Animal Welfare

Chapter 22: Zooish Conspiracy Theorists

Chapter 23: Za’atar and Zionists

Chapter 24: Conclusion

I hope that you all enjoy it!