Author examines origins of Arab-Israeli conflict in talk

Posted

The seeds of the current conflict in the Middle East go back a century, to World War I, when Britain and her allies overthrew the Ottoman Empire. Britain’s clandestine allies in the region were the Jewish underground in Palestine and Arabs associated with Lawrence of Arabia.

 

Ron Florence, author of “Lawrence and Aaronsohn,” a dual biography of the clandestine leaders, will discuss the origins of the conflict on March 26 at the Dwares Jewish Community Center, in Providence.

Florence’s book describes the struggles – and mutual antipathy – of Aaron and Sarah Aaronsohn, the leaders of the Jewish NILI underground, and Lawrence of Arabia. He deals with the political situation that resulted in the Sykes-Picot agreement, which carved up the Ottoman Empire into what we now see as untenable boundaries, and with the Balfour Declaration. The interests of American oil companies and Ottoman policies toward minorities are also covered in Florence’s book.

Now, exactly a century after these events, we can see how they sparked not just the Arab-Israeli conflict, but also the larger conflicts in which the United States has engaged.

The book details how the lives of a well-known Jewish scientist and a lowly British second lieutenant became intertwined, and how they influenced the war effort as well as diplomacy in London and Paris. Sarah Aaronsohn’s leadership, capture and heroic death are also covered. 

Numerous reviews testify that “Lawrence and Aaronsohn”  is not a stodgy book of history – but it surely illuminates history. Booklist notes, “Florence’s well-written and frequently surprising work sheds light on usually neglected aspects of Middle Eastern history.” The New Yorker reviewer remarks, “Florence chronicles the birth of the modern Middle East by narrating the intersecting lives of two remarkable men…[and] skillfully blends geopolitical history and cloak-and-dagger tales....”

The Chicago Jewish Star writes, “there are so many fascinating stories in ‘Lawrence and Aaronsohn,’ and Ronald Florence has done marvelous work....Lawrence and Aaronsohn, their times and places, positively come alive....Masterful...history as drama, and it makes for compelling reading.”

The Jewish Book World proclaims: “Some books are called histories, but they are really spy novels in disguise. That is the case with ‘Lawrence and Aaronsohn,’ a well-documented and readable work...superb work.”

Ron Florence lives in Providence. He was educated at Berkeley and Harvard; taught at Harvard, Sarah Lawrence and SUNY Purchase; ran a foundation; raced sailboats; and raised Cotswold sheep before settling on writing full time. He is the author of twelve books, including novels (“The Gypsy Man,” “Provenance,” “Family Werth,” “Zeppelin,” “The Last Season”) and non-fiction (“The Perfect Machine,” “Emissary of the Doomed,” “Blood Libel,” “Fritz,” “Marx’s Daughters”).

Copies of “Lawrence and Aaronsohn” are available at a discount from the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

Florence’s discussion will interest everyone, regardless of whether they have read his book. His presentation is the culminating event of this year’s Jewish book initiative, sponsored by the Jewish Alliance, the Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island, Kollel: Center for Jewish Studies, PJ Library, and Project Shoresh.

Brunch will be served at 10:30 on Sunday morning, March 26, when participants in the book initiative will be recognized. Ron Florence will speak at 11. Admission is $5, or free for participants in the initiative, who have committed to reading a nonfiction book with Jewish content.

RSVP to Lynne Bell, at LBell@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111.

LARRY KATZ is director of Jewish life and learning at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.