by Morton I. Teicher
Time travel is a standard element in science fiction, a literary genre that has won critical acclaim. Writers in the field include Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Jules Verne, and Ray Bradbury among others.
Whether they would recognize Sir Bernard Zissman, former Lord Mayor of Birmingham, England, as one of them is an open question. Also, the history of Zionism is hardly the kind of topic that would engage established science fiction authors.
However, Zissman has made ingenious use of time travel to recount Zionist history, using the science fiction approach and staking out a claim for his inclusion in the ranks of accomplished science fiction writers. This book is a lucid and uncomplicated account of Theodor Herzl’s life and his far-reaching contribution to the establishment of Israel. It is an imaginative presentation that is easy to read and that serves as a useful introduction to Herzl and Zionism.
Dr. Morton I. Teicher is the Founding Dean of the Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University and Dean Emeritus, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
