"... and there was light!" - Jewish-Arab coexistence in Israel. Reading and discussion with Igal Avidan.

Good news is rarely worth reporting – not even when it comes from Israel. Yet it exists, and it can be found in this book, which is published in time for the 75th anniversary of the founding of the state. Israeli journalist and author Igal Avidan reports, contrary to the usual television images, from a vibrant society where Jews and Arabs have long found a way to coexist that does not align with the notions of eternal hatred (often stoked by politicians on both sides). A peaceful yet fragile coexistence on a volcano – this is what one learns from these reports on everyday life in Israel. While mutual pogroms are indeed a regular occurrence, so too are mutual assistance, solidarity, neighborliness, and friendship. This book demonstrates that Israeli society – despite all setbacks – is in the process of growing together. Igal Avidan, born in 1962 in Tel Aviv, studied English literature and computer science in Israel and then political science in Berlin. Since 1990, the Middle East expert has worked as a freelance reporter from Berlin for Israeli and German newspapers and radio stations.