In the Trenches by David A. Harris Tells Extraordinary Personal Story of Jewish Activism

American Jewish Committee
Tuesday, 22 August 2000

American Jewish Committee Executive Director David A. Harris is receiving high praise for his new book, In the Trenches, which chronicles 20 years of American Jewish political activism and his own role in these efforts.

"This book is far more than the sum of its parts," says Professor Deborah Lipstadt of Emory University. "These speeches, articles, reviews and reports tell an amazing story. It is the story of virtually every important event which has confronted the Jewish community."

In the Trenches, published by KTAV, is a rich collection of Mr. Harris' writings on a broad range of domestic and international Jewish communal concerns in which he and the American Jewish Committee have been central.

"With his talent and passion for what is noble in Judaism, David Harris ranks high among Jewish civil servants in America," says Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel. "His commitments and activities are reflected in this stimulating and enriching volume."

Mr. Harris shares his personal story of how he became an activist on behalf of Jews worldwide, from his deep involvement with Soviet Jews to his extensive work on behalf of Israel, to working with European countries and Jewish communities, to confronting key issues facing American Jewry. This rich collection of articles, speeches, testimony before Congress and other written materials provide a unique view – from inside the trenches of Jewish activism – of an extraordinary 20 year period, 1979-1999.

Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey calls David Harris "a brilliant thinker," who has been "among the most influential Jewish leaders. These are eloquent writings to stir both heart and mind."

Israeli officials also are praising In the Trenches. "David Harris is one of the most thoughtful, original, and articulate individuals in Jewish public life," says Professor Itamar Rabinovich, president of Tel Aviv University and former Israeli ambassador to the U.S.

Yossi Beilin, Israel's Minister of Justice, calls Mr. Harris "an outstanding professional. Harris is an institution in his own right."

Among other world leaders praising In the Trenches are Dr. Klaus Kinkel, Foreign Minister of Germany, 1992-1998, who calls Mr. Harris a "leading architect of German-Jewish relations," and Hideo Sato, of Japan's Foreign Ministry, who says Mr. Harris is "the initiator of dialogue between American Jewry and Japan."

AJC President Bruce M. Ramer, who is a prominent Los Angeles attorney, says reading In the Trenches "is at once fascinating and instructive. It is as though we have been invited to view a unique and beautiful painting on a broad canvas, which comes alive and captivates in Technicolor fashion. The overall impact is compelling and engrossing, leaving us with a clear sense of past, present, and future."

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org