From Sinatra’s pro-Zionist rallying to Spielberg’s present-day peace-making, Hollywood has long enjoyed a “special relationship” with Israel. Historians Giora Goodman & Tony Shaw offer an innovative account of this relationship, both on and off the screen, investigating the ways Hollywood’s moguls, directors, and actors have supported or challenged Israel for over 70 years. Detailing the political involvement with Israel – and Palestine – of household names such as Kirk Douglas, Barbara Streisand, Vanessa Redgrave, Robert De Niro and Natalie Portman, they explore the complex story of Israel’s relationship with American Jewry, illuminating how media and soft power have shaped the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Dr Giora Goodman is Senior Lecturer at Kinneret College, chairs the department of Multidisciplinary Studies, and specializes in the history of government media control, propaganda and censorship in Mandatory Palestine and in Israel.

Tony Shaw is Professor of Contemporary History at the University of Hertfordshire. He specialises in the history of film and international relations.

Jenni Frazer has had an award-winning career in journalism for over 30 years, where she has performed nearly every kind of role, from news reporter to bureau chief, from editing and commissioning, to running a team of reporters. She has interviewed many major celebrities and been a media commentator on UK radio and TV, including News 24 and The World Tonight for the BBC.