Figuring Jerusalem: Politics and Poetics in the Sacred Center

Figuring Jerusalem explores how Hebrew writers have imagined Jerusalem from exile and within its sacred walls, maintaining diasporic conventions throughout the twentieth century. Only after the Six Day War did the temptations and dilemmas of proximity to the sacred become acute in Hebrew politics and culture.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 21 March 2022
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

Figuring Jerusalem delves into the captivating tapestry of how Hebrew writers have envisioned Jerusalem, spanning both the distant horizons of exile and the hallowed confines of its sacred walls. For an astonishing span of two thousand years, these writers have harnessed their exile as a fertile ground for imaginative exploration. At the core of Figuring Jerusalem lies a profound inquiry: how did these writers transport their boundless imagination "home" in the vibrant era of Zionism? Sidra DeKoven Ezrahi's insightful research unveils a remarkable consistency in the diasporic conventions employed by Hebrew writers throughout the first half of the twentieth century. Even after the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, when East Jerusalem and its hallowed sites remained under Arab control, Jerusalem continued to occupy a central place in the Hebrew imagination as a mediated space. However, it was only in the aftermath of the Six Day War that the allure and complexities of proximity to the sacred would emerge as pressing concerns in every realm of Hebrew politics and culture.

Figuring Jerusalem encompasses a diverse spectrum of literary works, traversing from classical texts steeped in biblical and medieval wisdom to the post-1967 writings of renowned authors such as S. Y. Agnon and Yehuda Amichai. Through her meticulous examination, DeKoven Ezrahi demonstrates that the profound insights Jews gleaned over two millennia of exile, intricately woven into their literary imagination, hold the key to fostering harmonious coexistence among the diverse inhabitants of Jerusalem. This captivating exploration invites us to embark on a journey of rediscovery, unearthing the timeless wisdom that has shaped the Jewish people's perception of Jerusalem and its sacred significance.

Weight: 492g
Dimension: 228 x 154 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226787466