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Israela
In my heart, I call to their mothers, 'Take your sons to your houses. Bind them to your chairs; gag them, blindfold them if necessary until they grow calm. Then teach them, for they have forgotten, about peace, about the blessed life, about a futurea presentwithout pain.' Beneath their prayers, in their morning cups of coffee, beneath their love-making and their child-rearing, and in their sorrow, especially in their sorrow when burying their dead, I hear the simmering of heating souls; I smell the charge of armies, of lives exploding uselessly into smithereens. I sit in mourning over a disaster still to come."
In Israel, the lives of three women interweave with the story of their country. Ratiba, an Israeli journalist, turns her back on her heritage to marry an Israeli Arab. Her sister Orit, an actor, lives alone and longs for her lost sister. Elisheva is a nurse who dedicates her life to the wounded and the dying. As their lives unfold, the three women find themselves facing choices they would never have envisioned. This is a story of secrets and alienation, yet also of hope and heroism. It is about Arabs who save Jews from disaster and Jews who heal Arabs. It is the story of everyday people torn and desperately searching for the right path. Here, the ancient pulsates in present time and the biblical holds prominence with the secular. Beneath this modern-day drama unfolds the story of a land and its people, revealing the historical trajectory of two peoples, victims and perpetrators of a biblical curse
In Israel, the lives of three women interweave with the story of their country. Ratiba, an Israeli journalist, turns her back on her heritage to marry an Israeli Arab. Her sister Orit, an actor, lives alone and longs for her lost sister. Elisheva is a nurse who dedicates her life to the wounded and the dying. As their lives unfold, the three women find themselves facing choices they would never have envisioned. This is a story of secrets and alienation, yet also of hope and heroism. It is about Arabs who save Jews from disaster and Jews who heal Arabs. It is the story of everyday people torn and desperately searching for the right path. Here, the ancient pulsates in present time and the biblical holds prominence with the secular. Beneath this modern-day drama unfolds the story of a land and its people, revealing the historical trajectory of two peoples, victims and perpetrators of a biblical curse
380 pages, Perfect Paperback
First published August 16, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 28, 2011
In Israel, the lives of three women interweave with the story of their country. Ratiba, an Israeli journalist, turns her back on her heritage to marry an Israeli Arab. Her sister Orit, an actor, lives alone and longs for her lost sister. Elisheva is a nurse who dedicates her life to the wounded and the dying. As their lives unfold, the three women find themselves facing choices they would never have envisioned.
This is a story of secrets and alienation, yet also of hope and heroism. It is about Arabs who save Jews from disaster and Jews who heal Arabs. It is the story of everyday people torn and desperately searching for the right path.
Here, the ancient pulsates in present time and the biblical holds prominence with the secular. Beneath this modern-day drama unfolds the story of a land and its people, revealing the historical trajectory of two peoples, victims and perpetrators of a biblical curse.
This is a story of secrets and alienation, yet also of hope and heroism. It is about Arabs who save Jews from disaster and Jews who heal Arabs. It is the story of everyday people torn and desperately searching for the right path.
Here, the ancient pulsates in present time and the biblical holds prominence with the secular. Beneath this modern-day drama unfolds the story of a land and its people, revealing the historical trajectory of two peoples, victims and perpetrators of a biblical curse.
May 23, 2012
Enter to win four copies of this book for your book group if entered by June 15, 2012. Details at:
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"Israela" by Batya Casper is a wonderful book that would be perfect for your next book club selection. The story unravels through the eyes of three women, each with their own viewpoint and vision for the future. Centered around the conflicts of the Israeli and Arab people, this book helps us to understand the struggle and cost of peace.
http://thekeytothegate.blogspot.com/2...
"Israela" by Batya Casper is a wonderful book that would be perfect for your next book club selection. The story unravels through the eyes of three women, each with their own viewpoint and vision for the future. Centered around the conflicts of the Israeli and Arab people, this book helps us to understand the struggle and cost of peace.
November 11, 2019
A beautifully written novel which depicts the major events of Israeli history from her birth until recent times while exploring Israeli/Palestinian relations. The author does not shy away from controversy and fills each page with chocking revelations from beginning to end.
February 8, 2012
Israela, I picked up because I am a American and thought it would give me a larger scope than what I know between the Israeli and Palestinian people.
The novel is written with three perspective view points. Two sisters, Orit, and Ratiba, and their cousin, Elisheva.
Ratiba, is Jewish, and marries a Palestianian, Ibrahim. She meets her husband at the University. She turns her back on her heritage, and her religion, and her family.
Ratiba, never tells her husband that she is Jewish. As you probably tells this causes terrible consequences later in their marriage.
Ratiba, finds a bloodied prayer shawl, in their shed. Who's is it? How did it get there? That is a open question that is looming over the entire book.
Orit, is a actress, and wants so desperately, to reconcile with her sister. But, her sister, stays away for years. Later, when her sister, has a son, he learns the truth about his mother, and leaves their home to live with Orit, and eventually joins the army.
Their cousin, Elisheva is a nurse, she dedicates her life for the sick and dying. Elisheva finds out the answer to the prayer shawl for her cousin.
The book spans from the 1960's, of Israel, but goes back to the fight of Independence in 1948. Most of the book, felt like I was seeing the news on TV, or watching a documentary about Israel's history. The story spans from the beginnings of forming the Israeli state and spans to the Intifada in 2000's to the present. It mentions all the terrorist attacks, and Israel's response. Most of this I already knew as a Jew.
I like to read something I have not experienced before. I thought I wanted to read this book because I have not read any novels that authors write about the experience of the Israeli-Palestianian perspective.
Most of the book, I was confused who the author was talking about. Even with the different chapters of the cousin, and the sisters. I think the author was trying to do too many things at one time. Writing about the historical, political, social, culture of the Israeli's. Fiction and non-fiction in one book did not work for me in this novel.
There were times, I did enjoy reading this, it was a fast read. But, there were times, I felt that I already knew about it. I did not feel like the author, gave the character's any emotions, they were too dry, and wooden.
This is a novel, I will tell you that I had a love-hate relationship with. It kept you guessing, with the secrets until the author wanted to let loose and let you know.
I did like the part of the story about the relationship of the school children going to school together Jew and Palestianian. They pretty much forgot the politics outside of the home and became friends with each other. Also the insular politics of the treatment of other Jews that immigrated to Israel.
The book was fair, I am not raving about it. But, for a person that is not Jewish, or Jewish that does not know the politics, social, historical, cultural climate, and the events of the state of Israel, and the middle east. Then this is a good starting point to start reading about the middle east.
I can see a good discussion and jumping off point for any book club, mainly Jewish. But, not a great read, to enjoy the characters.
The novel is written with three perspective view points. Two sisters, Orit, and Ratiba, and their cousin, Elisheva.
Ratiba, is Jewish, and marries a Palestianian, Ibrahim. She meets her husband at the University. She turns her back on her heritage, and her religion, and her family.
Ratiba, never tells her husband that she is Jewish. As you probably tells this causes terrible consequences later in their marriage.
Ratiba, finds a bloodied prayer shawl, in their shed. Who's is it? How did it get there? That is a open question that is looming over the entire book.
Orit, is a actress, and wants so desperately, to reconcile with her sister. But, her sister, stays away for years. Later, when her sister, has a son, he learns the truth about his mother, and leaves their home to live with Orit, and eventually joins the army.
Their cousin, Elisheva is a nurse, she dedicates her life for the sick and dying. Elisheva finds out the answer to the prayer shawl for her cousin.
The book spans from the 1960's, of Israel, but goes back to the fight of Independence in 1948. Most of the book, felt like I was seeing the news on TV, or watching a documentary about Israel's history. The story spans from the beginnings of forming the Israeli state and spans to the Intifada in 2000's to the present. It mentions all the terrorist attacks, and Israel's response. Most of this I already knew as a Jew.
I like to read something I have not experienced before. I thought I wanted to read this book because I have not read any novels that authors write about the experience of the Israeli-Palestianian perspective.
Most of the book, I was confused who the author was talking about. Even with the different chapters of the cousin, and the sisters. I think the author was trying to do too many things at one time. Writing about the historical, political, social, culture of the Israeli's. Fiction and non-fiction in one book did not work for me in this novel.
There were times, I did enjoy reading this, it was a fast read. But, there were times, I felt that I already knew about it. I did not feel like the author, gave the character's any emotions, they were too dry, and wooden.
This is a novel, I will tell you that I had a love-hate relationship with. It kept you guessing, with the secrets until the author wanted to let loose and let you know.
I did like the part of the story about the relationship of the school children going to school together Jew and Palestianian. They pretty much forgot the politics outside of the home and became friends with each other. Also the insular politics of the treatment of other Jews that immigrated to Israel.
The book was fair, I am not raving about it. But, for a person that is not Jewish, or Jewish that does not know the politics, social, historical, cultural climate, and the events of the state of Israel, and the middle east. Then this is a good starting point to start reading about the middle east.
I can see a good discussion and jumping off point for any book club, mainly Jewish. But, not a great read, to enjoy the characters.
December 12, 2011
I wanted to read this book because the author is family and I was excited to learn that someone I know actually wrote a book! Overall, I really appreciated this book. It's hard to describe a book as enjoyable when it is as heartbreaking as this one was. I must admit though that I did manage to confuse the characters throughout the first half of the book because of the different names that were used. I found myself needing to flip back to previous chapters to freshen up on who each character was.
The overall story line was very eye opening. It's hard to imagine living a life like this and it's strange that it is something that people are dealing with in this day. Living so far away and being almost sheltered to this battle it is easy to block out what is going on in the Middle East. It's easy to not feel that it's real, but reading the accounts especially through Elisheva's eyes makes it so hard to ignore. I cannot imagine having to see so many people come in day after day to your place of work that you know will not survive, that you have to just do your very best to make comfortable and that are there because of the actions of such injustice.
I found it interesting to see this argument that has gone on for generations from both sides and I appreciated that the author did not put a whole lot of personal bias in her story.
I would have liked to see more of what happened with Ruti/Ratiba and her family. I felt so sad for her husband and their marriage that was ruined by this lie that they both knew was causing problems between them, yet neither would admit it. I guess I just wanted more of a resolve to some of the story lines especially within her immediate family.
Thank you Batya for sharing your Israel with others and giving it a unique voice and beautiful portrayal.
The overall story line was very eye opening. It's hard to imagine living a life like this and it's strange that it is something that people are dealing with in this day. Living so far away and being almost sheltered to this battle it is easy to block out what is going on in the Middle East. It's easy to not feel that it's real, but reading the accounts especially through Elisheva's eyes makes it so hard to ignore. I cannot imagine having to see so many people come in day after day to your place of work that you know will not survive, that you have to just do your very best to make comfortable and that are there because of the actions of such injustice.
I found it interesting to see this argument that has gone on for generations from both sides and I appreciated that the author did not put a whole lot of personal bias in her story.
I would have liked to see more of what happened with Ruti/Ratiba and her family. I felt so sad for her husband and their marriage that was ruined by this lie that they both knew was causing problems between them, yet neither would admit it. I guess I just wanted more of a resolve to some of the story lines especially within her immediate family.
Thank you Batya for sharing your Israel with others and giving it a unique voice and beautiful portrayal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2012
Lovely but confusing.
This book is structured so that the three main characters (Ratiba, Orit and Elisheva) take turns narrating. I've read books where this works, but here the chapters are so short that as soon as you're really comfortable in a character's skin, you've got to change bodies. You're also jumping forward and back in time. And also - Ratiba has two distinct identities: She's Ratiba when she's pretending to be a Palestinian Muslim and she's Ruti when she's a Jew. And there are many minor characters to keep track of.
The first time I read this, I was frustrated. But then I decided to read it again, and this time I read only the chapters narrated by Ratiba. Then, only the chapters by Orit. Etc. And then I was able to appreciate the beauty of the poetic prose.
The main storyline is about the estrangement between sisters Ratiba and Orit and how the sorrow of being apart shapes them over the years. Ratiba represents the Palestinians and Orit represents the Israeli Jews.
A difficult but satisfying read.
This book is structured so that the three main characters (Ratiba, Orit and Elisheva) take turns narrating. I've read books where this works, but here the chapters are so short that as soon as you're really comfortable in a character's skin, you've got to change bodies. You're also jumping forward and back in time. And also - Ratiba has two distinct identities: She's Ratiba when she's pretending to be a Palestinian Muslim and she's Ruti when she's a Jew. And there are many minor characters to keep track of.
The first time I read this, I was frustrated. But then I decided to read it again, and this time I read only the chapters narrated by Ratiba. Then, only the chapters by Orit. Etc. And then I was able to appreciate the beauty of the poetic prose.
The main storyline is about the estrangement between sisters Ratiba and Orit and how the sorrow of being apart shapes them over the years. Ratiba represents the Palestinians and Orit represents the Israeli Jews.
A difficult but satisfying read.
October 2, 2015
When Arabs and Jews share schools, markets, work, and hospitals, how can they stay separate? They can and they can't. From Dr. Casper's personal knowledge comes this story of love, hope, fear, hatred, secrets, betrayal, and forgiveness as experienced by three women living in war-torn Isreal. The bright hope and strength of love and humanity shine through even the darkest hours. The language is beautiful, the story riveting. Casper is neither judgemental nor political, but real and compassionate as she tells of story of everyday people living, loving, and winning personal victories in an impossible war.
December 28, 2011
I'm not sure why Rachel was telling people not to read it? I really liked it. Yes it was hard to get through and I was confused half the time but I really enjoyed learning something new and reading out of my comfort zone. Inspired by Shanay my favorite quote of the book was from Ratiba watching the nurse care for her sick Father, "If there is such a thing as God's work, I told myself, recognizing the modesty with which he did what he did, it's this."
March 2, 2012
I appreciated the realistic look at Israel from the viewpoint of Jewish and Arab Israelis (as they were called in the 80s). However, none of the characters really held my interest. I felt like the author constructed a novel in order to present a social history. That said, the book is certainly worth reading.
February 29, 2012
Interesting novel, which covers politics and the lives of two Israeli sisters, living vastly different lives in Israel.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews