Thursday, October 23, 7:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus
Esteemed Israeli American journalist, Yaakov Katz, returns to Tidewater this month to speak about his newly released book, While Israel Slept, the most comprehensive journalistic treatment to date of the tragic circumstances that led to the horrific events perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023 in Israel’s Gaza Envelope.
Katz, the former editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post, co-authored While Israel Slept with fellow journalist, Amir Bohbot. This is the fourth book by Katz, who also authored, Shadow Strike – Inside Israel’s Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power, Weapon Wizards – How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower, and Israel vs. Iran: The Shadow War.
In While Israel Slept, Katz and Bohbot try to explain the inexplicable – the dichotomy between an Israeli intelligence network considered one of the most advanced in the world – capable of the incredible pager bombing of Hezbollah in Lebanon – yet allowed an above-ground incursion in the early morning hours of October 7 by thousands of Palestinian terrorists intent on murdering, raping, and kidnapping Israelis living in the kibbutzim and cities just outside of Gaza.
The authors describe the history of Hamas, including a story about the Israeli doctor who operated on Hamas’ terrorist leader, Yahya Sinwar, while Sinwar was imprisoned in Israel. The authors also delve into the reason behind the false sense of security multiple Israeli governments developed regarding the threat posed by Hamas pre-October 7.
Katz and Bohbot utilize their intimate knowledge of and access to Israeli Defense Force leadership to present a blow-by-blow account of the days and hours leading up to the pre-dawn attack on October 7, an attack that agonizingly included the killing and kidnapping of the IDF female intelligence operatives in the Nahal Oz outpost who first detected unusual activity in Gaza prior to October 7 and whose warnings went unheeded by their superiors.
While Israel Slept goes on to describe the obstacles faced and decisions made by IDF leadership in determining how to prosecute the war intended to, in the words of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “eradicate Hamas.” There are stories of heartache and heroism and, for those who want to know more about the details surrounding October 7 and more about the details of how Israel is fighting this war, Katz and Bohbot have written the most comprehensive book to date, taking advantage of the access these respected journalists have to the right experts and information.
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is fortunate to host Yaakov Katz so soon after the release of his book and the evening should present an opportunity to ask this expert his thoughts on this longest war in Israel’s history and his prediction for Israel’s path forward in Gaza after the war.
For more information or to register to attend the event, visit JewishVA.org/IsraelToday or contact Nofar Trem at NTrem@UJFT.org.
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