Destiny

Every Hollywood epic follows the same plot outline: a cosmic struggle of good and evil that pits a little hero against a big bad guy (think Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader, Frodo Baggins vs. Saruman, Harry Potter vs. Voldemort). The odds are totally stacked against the hero, yet as the story unfolds, his strengths are revealed, and in the final showdown he triumphs. All these movies follow this plot because it is deeply ingrained in our subconscious that this is the way the story is supposed to happen. This may be fiction and fantasy in the movies, but in reality it is the story of the Jewish people and the real plot of human history.

This book walks the reader through the central themes in Jewish history: the impact of Jewish values on civilization, Jewish drive and the disproportionate impact of the Jewish people, antisemitism and its message, the Jewish view of history and conception of time and the End of Days. These themes allow the reader to see the striking parallel between the reality of Jewish history and the universal plot of these epic movies that everyone loves. The metaphor is enhanced with striking fold-out movie storyboards depicting Jewish history in movie form. The reader will come away with an understanding of the unique role and mission of the Jewish people in history and its very special destiny.

Ken Spiro is a historian, rabbi, and dynamic speaker who lectures throughout the world on Jewish history and values. A graduate of Vassar College, he studied at the postgraduate level at the Pushkin Institute in Moscow and earned a master's degree in history from Norwich University. He lives in Israel with his family, where he works as a licensed tour guide and teaches at the Aish HaTorah College of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. His previous works include the acclaimed WorldPerfect: The Jewish Impact on Civilization and Crash Course in Jewish History: From Abraham to Modern Israel.