A Review of Richard Forer’s Book: WAKE UP!
By John Kleinheksel
I have known Richard Forer for a number of years. We finally met in person at a conference in Estes Park, CO, a number of years ago, where conferees were discussing the Israeli/Palestinian stand-off.
His first book, Breakthrough: Transforming Fear into Compassion, details his life-changing encounter with a new humanity-affirming Conscious Reality.
In this new book, he invites his reader also to “Wake Up and Reclaim YOUR Humanity”. It is stark and jarring to Jews (and Christians) who are sold out to the prevailing Israeli narrative. It will be stunning and revealing to persons with open minds to learn of key characters in the drama, notable events in the unfolding history, with alarming trends to be seen in the present.
I was really impressed with Rich’s meticulous research, citing impeccable sources in hundreds of footnotes. He gives names, dates, events in their context that relentlessly drive his narrative forward.
Fellow Jews might declare him a “Self-hating Jew” but that charge simply won’t stick. The love for his fellow Jews is unmistakable.
I have been a student of the Middle East for over 50 years. This book of 29 essays is one of the most thorough, compelling, and convincing exposé I have ever read. He exposes Israel’s blindness to their prejudicial, destructive treatment of the native inhabitants. As he states in the Preface:
At the mercy of blind loyalty, I rejected any consideration my beliefs might be erroneous. Loyalty is an admirable quality, but when it masks fear confusion or prejudice, it makes a rational understanding of Israel/Palestine impossible.
With my journey as a guide, this book asserts that blind loyalty, false beliefs and enemy images do not have to dictate our destiny. Through hard work and commitment to the truth, we can undo their influence and achieve a just resolution to this tragedy. Because Israel/Palestine is an archetype, a just resolution could give birth to a global transformation in consciousness and a new destiny for humankind wherein Israel can be a ‘light to the nations’”.
When I wrote back to him, suggesting his book “is a bit off-putting to the true believers in the justness of the Israeli cause”, he replied:
John,
The reason I told my personal story at the beginning of the book was to make it more likely that readers would be open to the historical information or that if their resistance to what I had to say came up, they would at least consider my story, that I had been that way too but was willing to look at the facts and that by looking at the facts I was then no longer bound by prejudice and irrational thinking, not to mention encountering a relief that restored my humanity. Yours, Rich
I dare anyone with an “open mind” to read this book. You might transcend any and all tribal boundaries and embrace the common humanity of us all.