Breakthrough: Transforming Fear Into Compassion - A New Perspective on the Israel-Palestine Conflict
Richard Forer
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Breakthrough: Transforming Fear Into Compassion - A New Perspective on the Israel-Palestine Conflict Paperback – 9 November 2010
by Richard Forer (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars (11)
After more than sixty years, the Israel-Palestinian issue is as intractable as ever. Groups and individuals on either side reflexively point to the other as the cause of conflict. Blame and intense emotion permeate virtually any discussion of the subject. In this book, Richard Forer explains that no action occurs in a vacuum, that we all play roles in the suffering of others and that only an honest intention to discover the history for ourselves can alleviate the suffering. Through meticulous research Forer examines and reframes the most common and misunderstood arguments on both sides of the conflict. He shows that the real enemy is the unexamined mind that projects its suffering onto the other. Though not a religious Jew, Forer had been a loyal defender of Israeli policy all his life and zealously supported Israel s 2006 invasion of Lebanon. In response to what he perceived as growing global anti-Semitism, he became a member of AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Angry that two of his most trusted friends resisted his views, and surprised that a long-time Jewish friend would suggest that his opinions were not as factually based as he assumed, Forer began an intensive study of the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict, determined to discover the facts for himself. With an uncompromising commitment to the truth, he went far beyond his original intention, even challenging his very identity. Reaching into the depths of himself, in a remarkable moment he underwent a spontaneous spiritual transformation in which he awoke to his true identity, beyond the limits of the ego and its enforced loyalties. Feeling how his attachment to Israel had blinded him to the human dimension of the conflict and had led him to reject the other in a heartless way, Forer realized that the true root of conflict is one's presumed identity and the beliefs and images that emanate from and reinforce that identity, and that these presumptions are false and unnecessary. He discovered that in Truth we are all Muslim and Jewish, Palestinian and Israeli. Forer had recognized the heart of Judaism, which embraces the Universal and identifies with all of humanity.
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Review
Definitely Worth the Read! A Book of Startling Depth and Impact. This is without question an important book. It is both a fascinating account of one man s journey from ignorance and fear to knowledge and compassion, as well as a meticulous documentation of the principle facts of the Israel-Palestine conflict. It is very well written and carries the reader along effortlessly (if not frighteningly so as the book proceeds into the darker realms of Israel s policies in the Occupied Territories). I am not sure how this book will affect the reader who is a staunch supporter of Israel. From my experience, such people are usually immune to taking a hard look at what Israel is doing. However, if any book can persuade them, then I think this book has the best chance. Because Forer never writes academically, but always brings the discussion back to himself and what he underwent and the blind spots he had before his transformation, the narrative helps the reader to also begin to look and feel the real dimensions of the conflict both the external historical conflict, and the internal personal conflict. There is one part of this book that deserves further comment because it is totally unique. It appears that when Forer made a commitment to discover the truth of the Israel-Palestine conflict, his actual intention was rather modest. He embarked on a research project into the real documentation of the history of the conflict. He simply got some of the better books on the conflict, sat down and read them and meticulously checked their sources and general veracity. Such research was not a small task, but, nevertheless, not dissimilar to what others have done. Essentially, he was after the truth with a small t. But what happened to him was something quite extraordinary. Because the information he was discovering was so contrary to what he had held true and so challenged his identity, which was locked with Israel, he underwent a crisis in consciousness that undermined completely the limitations of his presumed identity, so that he awoke to what he is in Truth. The transformation that Forer talks about is a spiritual one. He discovered Truth with a capital T. There exist other accounts of somewhat similar crises of identity that ended with a spiritual breakthrough; however, I am not aware of any that have occurred in the context of what began as a political issue, or, more precisely, the search for truth in a political context. Thus, I think this book adds to the history of man s spiritual evolution. Forer treads lightly when he discusses the ultimate implications of what he underwent. Indeed, the chapter where he explores the subject is in an addendum at the end of the book. Perhaps he felt that the average reader would not have much familiarity with or sympathy for the spiritual dimensions of his transformation. That chapter should not be missed, however. It is short but remarkably cogent, and sheds considerable light on the real journey to humanity that awaits every one of us. It is a beautiful vision of life lived in Truth and full of compassion. --Tony Sandford, Legal Consultant and Publisher
Ever wonder what goes on inside the head of a Zionist? Anyone who is concerned about the Palestine-Israel conflict, about the Middle East, who has heard about the influence of the Zionist lobby on US politics, has probably wondered why so many people support Israel unconditionally. And if the way to achieve peace in the Middle East is to convince people who think Israel can do no wrong to take a hard look at the facts, to convince them to learn what happened during the bloody formation of Israel, to make them see what is still happening to the Palestinian people today, you might want to know what makes a Zionist tick. Richard Forer is one of those people who is very reflective, very self analytical. In telling the story of how he himself went from being a die hard supporter of Israel, from someone raised in a Reform Jewish household who saw Israel as that plucky little democracy trying to provide a secure home for the long-beleaguered Jews, to someone who now supports the Palestinians in their struggle for justice, he provides us with an inside look into the mind of a Zionist -- his own -- and how being confronted with the more grim reality changed his mind. Forer may have had in mind as one of his main audiences Jews like himself, or rather, like he was, whose uncritical loyalty to Israel has come to be a liability for Israel, since the rest of the world is slowly but surely learning the truth about Israel. But the book goes beyond that. As someone who has followed the Palestinian struggle myself for several years now, I have come across many stories of the different tragedies that happened to the Palestinians, the massacres, the dispossessions, the theft of water resources, the home demolitions, and the different propaganda techniques Israel and its supporters use to cover up Israel's actions, to divert attention, to delay the peace process while more Israeli settlements are built and more land is confiscated. In Forer's book I have found a concise and inclusive account of all it. In describing the succession of injustices done to the Palestinians, he provides a comprehensive history of the formation of Israel, and a vivid description of the Palestinians plight up to the current moment. It's all here in one place. In laying out this story, in explaining the deep, emotionally rooted motivations behind Zionism, in explaining how Israeli propaganda works, Forer actually points the way toward a resolution. But as part of that resolution, Zionism and its myths must be confronted, and here are the all facts you'd need to counter any Zionist's argument. It's the best argument against Zionism I have ever read. --Frank Conway, Bubba Muntzer Blog
It is difficult to overestimate the emotional attachment of American Jews to the State of Israel, Anna Baltzer writes in her Forward. Zionism, in the words of Baby Boomers like Jewish psychologist and author Mark Braverman, has been mother s milk to Jews in the United States and around the world. Unconditional support for Israel is not so much an intellectual choice as a deeply rooted component of Jewish identity. Indeed, in many Jewish circles today it has become more important to believe in Israel than to believe in God. Criticism of Israel feels like a personal attack, a challenge not of a state but of who we are. In my opinion, Breakthrough is a major contribution to the creation of genuine peace between Israel and the Arab population in the Occupied Territories of the West Bank and Gaza because it directly explores the emotional issues that block peace and prevents people from seeing. Where a man cannot look, Forer writes, he cannot feel; and where a man cannot feel, he has not really looked. Without both he will never understand. Without understanding there will never be peace. Forer does a masterful job of deconstructing denial with example after example of naked and incontrovertible facts. . . . Where people . . . do not want to see, Forer deconstructs their arguments so they must look away not to see. Denial is a powerful mechanism of defense. . . . Hope is something we will never give up, says Ali, a young Palestinian college student the author interviewed. My people want the world community to give us more support. They don t have to be pro-Palestinian; they just need to be pro-human rights. We don t want to replace or be replaced, and we don t want to treat the Israelis the way they treat us. We just want peace and equality. There are many books that detail Israel s . . . treatment of the Palestinians, the author wrote to me in a recent email. I think my book s strength in that regard is the logic I bring to it, how I show that the arguments that Israel s defenders make are projections [that] should be applied to Israel far more than to the Palestinians. The primary contribution of [the] book . . . is the deconstructing of the mind that creates a world of internal oppression and then projects it out into the world onto appropriate scapegoats . . . who become objects of blame. Equally primary is [the] suggestion that the root problem is a spiritual one, of identity, more so than land or religion as the root cause. If people can begin to intuit their connection to all beings and to life my book will have been effective. I agree. Once we are able to intuit our connection to all beings and to life itself, there will be no need to engage in persecution and war. And isn t that the real end we seek in this so far endless conflict? --George Polley, Palestine Chronicle
About the Author
Richard Forer was born in Trenton New Jersey in 1948. His father was an attorney and his uncle, Joseph Forer, a noted civil rights litigator and lead attorney with the National Lawyers Guild. His younger brother is an attorney and former President of one of the largest Reform synagogues on the East coast and his identical twin brother is a prominent member of an Ultra-Orthodox sect of Judaism. Forer is a practitioner of the Meir Schneider Self-Healing Method, a unique system of healing developed by an Israeli.
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Breakthrough: Transforming Fear Into Compassion - A New Perspective on the Israel-Palestine ConflictProduct details
Publisher : Insight Press
Publication date : 9 November 2010
Edition : First Edition
Language : English
Print length : 371 pages
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Kathy Felgran
5.0 out of 5 stars "Breakthrough" A Masterpiece
Reviewed in the United States on 5 May 2012
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Rich Forer's "Breakthrough" is a masterpiece of research, combining data from many sources and merging it with a humanistic and spiritual viewpoint. I have had the same experiences he has had and the book resonated with me profoundly. It is a book that I wish my family would read so that they would not only gain a true understanding of the Palestine/Israel situation, but perhaps find compassion for "the other" and realize we are one human family.
Forer also includes interviews with a Palestinian refugee and a Jewish woman living in a large settlement who has created a conversation group between Jewish Israelis and W. Bank Palestinians. This was particularly moving because it shows that before she actually met Palestinians, she thought of them as essentially different from Jews. Establishing communication has changed her perception of the entire situation and allowed her to access her compassion.
He also addresses the issue of any Jewish criticism of Israeli policy being called either anti-Semitic or "self-hating". As someone who has been called both, his analysis was excellent.
I have read many,many books since my visit to the W. Bank in 2008, and "Breakthrough" is comprehensive yet incredibly readable.
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Rebecca Dent
5.0 out of 5 stars BREAKTHROUGH: TRANSFORMING FEAR INTO COMPASSION
Reviewed in the United States on 14 March 2013
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
This is a book that should be read by everyone on the planet, particularly those among us with even the slightest interest in the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. A former Zionist himself, Rich Forer took it upon himself to learn the painful realities of what Palestinians face daily living under Israeli occupation, while at the same time acknowledging and understanding the reasons for Jewish fears and mistrust. Rich Forer "gets it", and he shares his journey openly, honestly, and overflowing with love, kindness, and compassion. It is my sincere hope that "Breakthrough" will encourage anyone who reads it to evolve to a place where hatred is no longer an option and peace is an absolute necessity. I highly recommend this book.
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Christopher M. Whitman Jr.
5.0 out of 5 stars Well researched, and well thought out
Reviewed in the United States on 13 August 2011
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
This book starts off very slow and repetitive, but around 30% of the way through a great book begins. The first chapters are basically reading a person arguing with himself, or trying to argue with or for scholars, which maybe interesting to some, but not to me personally. You can tell the author wrote the book as he was becoming more aware and educated about the situation. His basic arguments at the beginning, are refined and academic but the time the book ends. For a person with no background this may be a dense book, but it flows well enough that a beginner can still enjoy it. The book is more for intermediates, or people who are actively discussing the issue and want a nice handbook on how to discuss the topic from a more academic point of view. His research is well done, cites great books with relative ease, and does a good analysis of these works. At first I was pained to read the book because of its slowness, but after getting 80% through, I am happy I stuck with it until the end. I recommend highly. It is not a generic how to book, nor something so academic that a person without a PHD cannot understand.
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Minnesotan
5.0 out of 5 stars On Israel-Palestine, a "Must Read"
Reviewed in the United States on 10 March 2015
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
An extraordinary narrative of the author's personal journey of discovery and transformation in understanding the conflict in Israel-Palestine. Well documented and clearly written, "Breakthrough" will offer a sobering challenge to all readers.
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K. Thurm
5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the best book ever written on this subject
Reviewed in the United States on 12 May 2023
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Mr. Forer is a great writer and I highly recommend reading this book!
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John T. Berg
5.0 out of 5 stars A Hopeful Alternative Prescription for Middle East Peace
Reviewed in the United States on 1 March 2019
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Rich Forer’s book offers hope for a ‘breakthrough’ in building a future of ‘peace-with-justice’ for ALL who share ‘the holy land’, meaning Jews, Arabs and everyone else who cares for this unique part of earth’s geography.
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Ann Muir
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on 2 May 2016
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
A compelling personal account of a dramatic transformation of self-identity that paves a way to peace.
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세진님, 요청하신 리처드 포러(Richard Forer)의 <돌파구: 두려움을 자비로 변형시키기 - 이스라엘-팔레스타인 갈등에 대한 새로운 관점>에 대한 요약과 평론입니다.
<돌파구: 두려움을 자비로 변형시키기 - 이스라엘-팔레스타인 갈등에 대한 새로운 관점> 요약 및 평론
1. 요약: 고착된 정체성으로부터의 해방
이 책은 단순한 정치적 분석서가 아니라, 저자 리처드 포러 본인이 겪은 거대한 심리적, 영적 전환의 기록이다. 유대인으로서 이스라엘을 무오류의 존재로 믿어왔던 저자가 어떻게 팔레스타인의 고통을 직시하게 되었으며, 그 과정에서 '우리 대 그들'이라는 이분법적 사고를 어떻게 타파했는지 상세히 다룬다.
가. 신념의 해체와 진실의 직면 저자는 과거 이스라엘의 정책을 맹목적으로 옹호하던 입장에서 벗어나, 역사적 사실들을 재검토한다. 그는 1948년 이스라엘 건국 과정에서 발생한 '나크바(Nakba, 대재앙)'와 그 이후의 점령 정책들이 팔레스타인 민중에게 가한 구조적 폭력을 추적한다. 저자는 이것이 단순히 영토 분쟁이 아니라, 한쪽의 서사만을 절대화하고 타자의 고통을 지워버린 결과임을 역설한다.
나. 두려움의 매커니즘 책은 이스라엘-팔레스타인 갈등을 지속시키는 근본 원인으로 '두려움'을 지목한다. 홀로코스트의 외상후 스트레스 장애(PTSD)가 집단적 무의식에 각인되어, 이스라엘은 방어라는 명목하에 가해자가 되는 악순환에 빠졌다는 것이다. 저자는 이 '두려움에 기반한 정체성'이 사실을 왜곡하고 타자를 비인간화하는 장벽이 된다고 분석한다.
다. 자비로의 전환: 돌파구 '돌파구'는 지적 이해를 넘어선 감정적, 영적 자각을 의미한다. 저자는 자신이 가졌던 유대인 중심주의적 에고를 내려놓았을 때, 비로소 상대방의 인간성을 발견하게 되었다고 고백한다. 진정한 평화는 외부의 정치적 협상보다 먼저 개인의 내면에서 타자의 고통을 자신의 것으로 느끼는 '자비'가 회복될 때 가능하다고 주장한다.
2. 평론: 집단적 자기기만을 넘어서는 용기
리처드 포러의 <돌파구>는 중동 문제를 다루는 수많은 서적 중에서도 독보적인 위치를 차지한다. 그 이유는 이 책이 '외부의 적'이 아닌 '내면의 우상'과 싸우는 과정을 담고 있기 때문이다.
첫째, 정체성의 감옥에 대한 통찰이 탁월하다. 대부분의 분쟁 당사자들은 자신의 민족적, 종교적 정체성을 진리로 믿는다. 하지만 저자는 이러한 정체성이 어떻게 편향된 정보를 선택적으로 수용하게 만들고, 타자를 악마화하는 '눈가리개' 역할을 하는지 날카롭게 비판한다. 이는 이스라엘-팔레스타인 문제뿐만 아니라, 현대 사회의 극단적인 진영 논리에도 적용될 수 있는 보편적인 통찰이다.
둘째, 지식과 감성의 균형을 이룬다. 저자는 방대한 역사적 사료와 국제법적 근거를 제시하며 논리적 설득력을 확보하는 동시에, 한 인간으로서 겪은 고뇌와 참회를 진솔하게 서술한다. 이러한 '고백적 서사'는 독자로 하여금 방어 기제를 내려놓고 갈등의 본질을 직시하게 만드는 강력한 힘을 발휘한다.
셋째, 실천적 자비의 정치학을 제시한다. 그가 말하는 자비는 단순히 감상적인 동정이 아니다. 그것은 상대방의 역사적 서사를 인정하고, 자신의 집단이 저지른 과오를 정직하게 대면하는 '지적 정직성'에 기반한 행동이다. 그는 희생자 의식에 매몰되어 가해를 정당화하는 집단적 심리를 치유하는 것이야말로 진정한 평화의 시작임을 일깨워준다.
결론적으로, 이 책은 특정 국가나 민족에 대한 애국심보다 '보편적 인류애'와 '진실'을 우위에 두어야 함을 역설한다. 세진님이 지향하는 <세계인>으로서의 관점, 즉 특정한 국가적 충성심에 매몰되지 않고 고통받는 인간 그 자체를 바라보는 시각과 깊게 공명하는 지점이 많은 저작이다. 무지에서 깨어나는 과정은 고통스럽지만, 그 끝에는 타자와 연결되는 진정한 자유가 있음을 포러는 증명해 내고 있다.
이 책의 내용 중에서 저자가 제시한 '두려움을 해체하는 구체적인 명상법이나 심리적 접근'에 대해 더 자세히 알고 싶으신가요? 혹은 이와 유사한 관점을 가진 다른 유대인 지식인의 저서가 궁금하시다면 말씀해 주세요.
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