David Grossman with Joshua Cohen: The Thinking Heart

Join International Booker Prize-winning Israeli author David Grossman with Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Joshua Cohen for an urgent reading and conversation on the crosscurrents of nationalism, morality, Judaism, and literature — and Grossman’s searing new essay collection, The Thinking Heart: Essays on Israel and Palestine. What is the meaning of a Jewish state after October 7 and the ensuing war in Gaza? For decades, Grossman has written powerfully about the urgency of the two-state solution and the price paid by both occupier and occupied, criticizing his country's government and pushing for paths to lasting peace. After October 7, he looked inward to ask himself how his nation had changed — and in The Thinking Heart, Grossman holds his government to account and documents the struggle of those who want to live in peace and equality with their neighbors. In a special virtual conversation, hear Grossman and Cohen — speaking from Israel and the US, respectively — on life in contemporary Israel. How does the country reconcile Jewish reverence for the dignity of human life with the war in Gaza? Will there ever be lasting peace in the region? Is a two-state solution still possible? What is the moral duty of the writer who approaches these questions? Don’t miss two celebrated Jewish writers and thinkers on the forces that have torn us apart — and the ones that can still bind us together. Recorded Apr 24, 2025 at 92nd Street Y. Your support helps us continue creating online content for our community. Donate now: http://www.92NY.org/Donate Facebook:   / 92ndstreety   Instagram:   / 92ndstreety   TikTok:   / 92ndstreety   Archives: https://www.92ny.org/archives