The Holocaust, 1944; creation of the State of Israel, 1948… a paradoxical and overwhelming connection! On one side, the brutal defeat of a two thousand year old civilization, whose complete moral structures collapsed. On the other side, the resurrection of a people, set apart for more than 3,000 years in order to introduce to humanity the eternal message of the prophets. But between the anxiety of a damaged civilization and the hope of a young nation returning to the supernatural heritage of its roots, the choice can seem uncertain still. Abraham Livni draws from the traditional sources of Jewish thought and analyzes the reasons for the failure of a civilization who had attempted to strip the ancient people of Israel of their Land, of their Bible and of their identity. He allows us to discover in the history of the Jewish people the backbone of the complete human adventure, witnessing History, prototype, carrier of the only hope of salvation for the modern world. Abraham Livni was 20 years old when he discovered the horror of the Holocaust. He then searched to solve the mystery of anti-Semitic hate. A long intellectual and spiritual quest drove him to Judaism and to settle in Jerusalem in the 1960s.Published in 1984 and re-edited several times since, the Return of Israel and The Hope of the World has overwhelmed thousands of readers, Jews and non-Jews alike in the Francophone world. At a time where the State of Israel arouses powerful controversies, it remains a burning issue. The book was translated into Hebrew and is creating a real stir in Israel; it has also been translated into Spanish and Russian. I was deeply struck by the quality of this work, and I can only express this int he following way: This is the book that we have been waiting for and not just for the Jew in exile, but also for the Israeli. --Rav Shlomo Aviner Abraham Livni's book is a masterpiece of historical insight which encompasses the entire history of mankind, from the time of creation until today, based on the philosophy of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook. The thesis of this book is that the redemption of the Jews as it is manifested in the creation of the modern State of Israel is the culmination of meta-historical processes which will lead to the healing of the moral state of the world. The completion of this process is the ultimate goal of creation. This is a thought-provoking work which has the power to bring into sharp focus all of the events of past history and mold them into a uniform framework that can serve as a guide for future action. It is an exciting book, recommended reading for all serious participants in the historical process, Jew and non-Jew alike. As Livni writes, Zionism has a specific role to play in the metahistorical framework of the great Return, whose universal dimension was clearly shown, long ago, by all the prophets. Time is running out. The Return does not concern the Jewish people alone. It concerns all peoples. The Return of Israel is, in truth, the hope of the world, the only path to its salvation. --Dr. Moshe Goldberg, Jewishpress.com This book has a definite importance and is worthy of translation into English. --Elie Wiesel, author, Nobel Laureat Abraham Livni's book is a masterpiece of historical insight which encompasses the entire history of mankind, from the time of creation until today, based on the philosophy of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook. The thesis of this book is that the redemption of the Jews as it is manifested in the creation of the modern State of Israel is the culmination of meta-historical processes which will lead to the healing of the moral state of the world. The completion of this process is the ultimate goal of creation. This is a thought-provoking work which has the power to bring into sharp focus all of the events of past history and mold them into a uniform framework that can serve as a guide for future action. It is an exciting book, recommended reading for all serious participants in the historical process, Jew and non-Jew alike. As Livni writes, "Zionism has a specific role to play in the metahistorical framework of the great Return, whose universal dimension was clearly shown, long ago, by all the prophets. Time is running out. The Return does not concern the Jewish people alone. It concerns all peoples. The Return of Israel is, in truth, the hope of the world, the only path to its salvation." --Dr. Moshe Goldberg, Jewishpress.com This book has a definite importance and is worthy of translation into English. --Elie Wiesel, author, Nobel Laureat Abraham Livni was born in Marseille in 1925. During World War II he resided in Chambon-Sur-Lignon, a French village whose residents hid and saved more than five thousand Jews. He was profoundly devastated by the atrocity of the Holocaust; the failure of Western culture. His personal and spiritual path made him leave his country of birth and led him to Morocco, where he taught philosophy in French high schools. His contact with a l