Thursday, October 23, 7:30 pm Sandler Family Campus
Acclaimed author and journalist Yaakov Katz returns to Tidewater next month for a timely conversation about Israel, Hamas, and the lessons of October 7.
The former editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post and a leading voice on Israeli defense and politics, Katz will discuss the findings outlined in his new book, While Israel Slept: How the Most Powerful Country in the Middle East Was Surprised by Hamas on October 7. In this deeply reported account, Katz exposes the intelligence failures, policy missteps, and complacency that left Israel vulnerable to the deadliest attack in its history. Once considered Israel’s weakest adversary, Hamas transformed itself into a lethal enemy hiding in plain sight.
The book has drawn significant attention in Israel and abroad. Author and former Israel Today speaker, Matti Friedman (Spies of No Country, Pumpkinflowers) praised the book as “a shocking, detailed, and gripping investigation of the Israeli catastrophe of Oct. 7, 2023… a necessary book for anyone hoping to begin figuring out what happened and how to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
In addition to the rigor of an investigative journalist, Katz brings years of experience covering Israel’s security establishment. With insights beyond headlines, Katz will offer Tidewater a rare opportunity to hear first-hand from one of Israel’s most respected observers as the nation and the Jewish world continue to grapple with the aftermath of October 7 and its implications for Israel’s future.
This event is presented as part of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, and Community Partners’ 15th Annual Israel Today Series and the Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival. It is supported in part by the citizens of Virginia Beach through a grant from the City of Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission and held in coordination with the Jewish Book Council, the longest-running organization devoted exclusively to the support and celebration of Jewish literature.
For more information or to register, visit JewishVA.org/IsraelToday or contact Nofar Trem at NTrem@UJFT.org.