By
– September 1, 2011
As much as we know of Jewish history, there is still more to tell, still more stories to hear or read, still more lessons to be learned.
This wonderful book tells the story of a little known part of Jewish history — the three exclusively all-Jewish legions that were recruited and trained and fought during World War I.
The units were formed by the British Army. The Jewish fighters were recruited from the United States, Canada, and England. The volunteers came from all walks of life, rich and poor, educated and street smart, those with experience and those without. These Jewish men fought together in the Middle East, they fought for Palestine. Some moved on after the War and became founders of the State of Israel. David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, was a member of a Jewish legion. Yitzchak Ben Zvi, Israel’s second president, fought in the Jewish legions.
Almost all the research information and the historical content gathered in We Are Coming Unafraid comes from letters, diaries, and memoirs. Authors Michael Keren and Shlomit Keren very liberally excerpt and quote from these sources. The rich first hand descriptions provide insight and access to long-ago events, enabling readers to travel back in time, get the feel of the trenches and grasp the motivations of these Jewish soldiers and heroes.
This wonderful book tells the story of a little known part of Jewish history — the three exclusively all-Jewish legions that were recruited and trained and fought during World War I.
The units were formed by the British Army. The Jewish fighters were recruited from the United States, Canada, and England. The volunteers came from all walks of life, rich and poor, educated and street smart, those with experience and those without. These Jewish men fought together in the Middle East, they fought for Palestine. Some moved on after the War and became founders of the State of Israel. David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, was a member of a Jewish legion. Yitzchak Ben Zvi, Israel’s second president, fought in the Jewish legions.
Almost all the research information and the historical content gathered in We Are Coming Unafraid comes from letters, diaries, and memoirs. Authors Michael Keren and Shlomit Keren very liberally excerpt and quote from these sources. The rich first hand descriptions provide insight and access to long-ago events, enabling readers to travel back in time, get the feel of the trenches and grasp the motivations of these Jewish soldiers and heroes.
Micah D. Halpern is a columnist and a social and political commentator. He is the author of What You Need To Know About: Terror, and maintains The Micah Report at www.micahhalpern.com.
