As someone who has visited Israel four times, it was a pleasure to read and review this awe-inspiring book and revisit many different places in this incredible land. I now have many more regions and sites to visit on my next trips.
“My Israel is an amazing way to celebrate Israel with a book,” says Gefen Publishing House owner Ilan Greenfield, who compiled the new volume together with his childhood friend Nechemia (Chemi) J. Peres. “My Israel: Seventy Faces of the Land is a work of love. Here, 70 prominent Israelis put down into moving words what they see in their own special corners of the Land of Israel.” So glad the books include beautiful photographs so the reader can see what the authors are describing and highlighting.
Asked about the title, Greenfield says, “There’s a saying from our sages – ‘Shivim panim la’Torah’ (the Torah has 70 faces) – which expresses the diversity of ways to study it. This book reflects the diversity of the people of Israel – people from a variety of places, backgrounds, and achievements.”

Peres invited Israelis from all walks of life to share their individual perspectives on what they consider to be “my Israel.” They asked each contributor to choose one place that represents for them the essence of being Israeli and share with us why they picked that specific location. The result of their work is put forward in this book, showing the magic of a colorful landscape.

This book will be shared with friends, as they make plans to visit Israel. Thank you all for sharing your country. ( )

I am visiting Israel later in the year and thought this would be interesting to read. Seventy collections of stories with photographs gives great insight into the history of Jewish people. I would prefer a physical copy but it is certainly a valuable resource for those interested in the Nation. ( )

This is a difficult review to write because my mind is spinning off in 70 different directions of how I love "My Israel: Seventy Faces of the Land" by Nechemia (Chemi) J. Peres and Ilan Greenfield. Most apparent, it's an elegant coffeetable book to be displayed for its beautiful photographs that encompass The Land from Golan to Negev, the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. More deeply, though, with their motivating, inspirational, engaging stories, each contributor paints a picture of connection to, pride in, love for the diversity, values, wonder, and contributions of this new/ancient land. Many of the contributors have faced life threatening, life changing experiences that might cause another person to descend to the depths. Instead, they have taken those experiences and turned them around in a way that helps others heal.

This book could be read page by page, cover to cover; or, it could be savored a story at a time. Definitely, it should be read over and over. It is a book for those who have never been to Israel who would like to (or NEED to) know more about the land and its people, its beauty, its diversity, and its contributions to global well-being. It can also serve as a guidebook with suggestions for where to go when you decide to visit Israel. For those exact same reasons, it is a book for those who have been to Israel (once or more), and those who live there--whether new olim (immigrants) or from families whose generations go back 2000 years.

On a personal level, I was excited to relive memories of and recognize places I've been, as well make note of places I want to go on my next trip. As for the panoply of writers, I only "know" one (via email and following his organization). How delighted I was that I was familiar with the first person in the book, Eli Beer, AND the first location, Mt. Herzl. Eli Beer is himself a miracle, having survived three months in a coma during the first onslaught of COVID-19--almost dying several times--yet miraculously coming back to life, welcoming new grandchildren, and regaining his health so he could again lead United Hatzalah--an organization that itself expresses the tone of this book: people of diverse backgrounds coming together to care for each other and save each others' lives.

I did have a vision of this being the first in a series of books titled "My Israel: . . . ." They would include ancient historic/religious sites; agriculture; the arts; technology; and so much more! (A challenge to Messrs. Peres and Greenfield)

Most of all for me, "My Israel: Seventy Faces of the Land" is an antidote to the destructive misinformation disseminated by worldwide media about Israel. Anyone who reads this book would seriously have to question all of the negative coverage of Israel that we read in the news. Yasher ko'ach. ( )

This is a well designed collection of photographs and short articles by seventy prominent Israelis. Each article tempts one to explore further either the author or the events and locations the author describes. On my first reading I searched for videos of Lior Suchard's mentalism performances and David Broza's music based on the articles they wrote for this book. Aliza Bloch's article led me to explore a digital map of Beit Shemesh to see its relationship between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

The seventy perspectives lead the reader into seventy different directions all connected by being an invitation to the reader to get to know Israel better. ( )

Ilan Greenfield et Peres Chemi, dans leur livre « Mon Israël: soixante-dix visages de la terre », m’ont emmené à la conquête de la Terre Sainte d’Israël, en lisant une compilation de soixante-dix auteurs!
Une véritable anthologie du judaïsme, fascinante pour le profane, comme pour ceux qui souhaitent parfaire leurs bases culturelles.
C’est l’histoire des Pères fondateurs d’Israël ! Indispensable pour tous ceux qui rêvent de découvrir le caractère sacré de leur chronologie afin de suivre leur postérité.

Un très beau livre à lire pour s’immerger dans la multiplicité des visages du judaïsme !

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Ilan Greenfield et Peres Chemi, dans leur livre "Mon Israël : soixante-dix visages de la terre", m'a emmené à la conquête de la Terre Sainte d'Israel, lire une compilation de soixante dix auteurs!
Une véritable Anthologie du Judaisme, passionnante pour le profane, comme pour celui qui désire perfectionner ses bases culturelles.
C'est l'histoire des Pères Fondateurs d'Israel! Indispensable pour tout ceux qui rêvent de découvrir la sacralité de leur chronologie afin de suivre leur postérité.

Un très beau livre à lire afin de s'imprégner de la multiplicité que revêt les visages du Judaisme! ( )