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Jerusalem Imperilled
Levi is a young priest in Roman occupied Jerusalem. A disgruntled guest at his wedding to Nechama informs the Roman procurator that the bride’s wealthy father is plotting a rebellion. Levi and Nechama are taken captive and sent in chains to Rome. Whilst working as slave in the Roman dockyards, Levi hears reports of turmoil in his homeland. The hated procurator is enriching himself at the peoples’ expense, revolutionary bands are attacking the Romans but the local political leaders are too busy fighting amongst themselves to coordinate the resistance. In the dockyards a mysterious visitor tries to recruit Levi to report on the Roman troop movements. He is in a unique position to help the resistance. But all he can think of is how to find his lost bride, the love of his life. Jerusalem Imperilled is Book One in the Yavneh Trilogy
- GenresHistorical Fiction
207 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 12, 2011
2 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Harry Freedman
20 books41 followersMy publishers describe me as Britain's best known writer on Jewish topics. I couldn't possibly comment! You can find out about all my books here on Goodreads. My website is harryfreedmanbooks.com and if you like what I write please subscribe to
my newsletter.
My most recent book is Leonard Cohen: The Mystical Roots of Genius. It explores the religious folklore, spiritual ideas and mystical concepts that run all the way through Leonard Cohen’s music.
Anyone who has listened carefully to Leonard Cohen’s music will know that songs like Hallelujah, Story of Isaac and By the Rivers Dark are based on biblical narratives. But Leonard Cohen’s music contains many more songs based on ancient lore. The Window is packed with kabbalistic insights, Who by Fire is based on both an ancient mystical text and a synagogue prayer, and You Want it Darker is one of the most powerful challenges ever written to the God whose presence Leonard Cohen was always aware of, whose purpose baffled him and whose world he struggled to come to terms with.
Cohen was deeply learned in both Judaism and Christianity; they helped shape his self-identity and the way he made sense of the world. In the book I explore twenty of his songs that are rooted in ancient biblical or kabbalistic sources. I explain the sources he drew upon, discuss their original context and the stories and ideas behind them, and show how Leonard Cohen has harnessed them for his own purposes. The book is not a biography, though it contains biographical information. I hope that it will offer an insight into the soul and imagination of one of the greatest singers and lyricists of our time.
My previous book was Reason to Believe: The Controversial Life of Rabbi Louis Jacobs. Louis Jacobs was Britain’s most gifted Jewish scholar. A Talmudic genius, outstanding teacher and accomplished author, cultured and easy-going, he was widely expected to become Britain’s next Chief Rabbi.
Then controversy struck. The Chief Rabbi refused to appoint him as Principal of Jews’ College, the country’s premier rabbinic college. He further forbade him from returning as rabbi to his former synagogue. All because of a book Jacobs had written some years earlier, challenging from a rational perspective the traditional belief in the origins of the Torah.
The British Jewish community was torn apart. It was a scandal unlike anything they had ever previously endured. The national media loved it. Jacobs became a cause celebre, a beacon of reason, a humble man who wouldn’t be compromised. His congregation resigned en masse and created a new synagogue for him in Abbey Road, the heart of fashionable 1970s London. It became the go-to venue for Jews seeking reasonable answers to questions of faith.
A prolific author of over 50 books and hundreds of articles on every aspect of Judaism, from the basics of religious belief to the complexities of mysticism and law, Louis Jacobs won the heart and affection of the mainstream British Jewish community. When the Jewish Chronicle ran a poll to discover the Greatest British Jew, Jacobs won hands down. He said it made him feel daft.
Reason To Believe tells the dramatic and touching story of Louis Jacobs’s life, and of the human drama lived out by his family, deeply wounded by his rejection.
my newsletter.
My most recent book is Leonard Cohen: The Mystical Roots of Genius. It explores the religious folklore, spiritual ideas and mystical concepts that run all the way through Leonard Cohen’s music.
Anyone who has listened carefully to Leonard Cohen’s music will know that songs like Hallelujah, Story of Isaac and By the Rivers Dark are based on biblical narratives. But Leonard Cohen’s music contains many more songs based on ancient lore. The Window is packed with kabbalistic insights, Who by Fire is based on both an ancient mystical text and a synagogue prayer, and You Want it Darker is one of the most powerful challenges ever written to the God whose presence Leonard Cohen was always aware of, whose purpose baffled him and whose world he struggled to come to terms with.
Cohen was deeply learned in both Judaism and Christianity; they helped shape his self-identity and the way he made sense of the world. In the book I explore twenty of his songs that are rooted in ancient biblical or kabbalistic sources. I explain the sources he drew upon, discuss their original context and the stories and ideas behind them, and show how Leonard Cohen has harnessed them for his own purposes. The book is not a biography, though it contains biographical information. I hope that it will offer an insight into the soul and imagination of one of the greatest singers and lyricists of our time.
My previous book was Reason to Believe: The Controversial Life of Rabbi Louis Jacobs. Louis Jacobs was Britain’s most gifted Jewish scholar. A Talmudic genius, outstanding teacher and accomplished author, cultured and easy-going, he was widely expected to become Britain’s next Chief Rabbi.
Then controversy struck. The Chief Rabbi refused to appoint him as Principal of Jews’ College, the country’s premier rabbinic college. He further forbade him from returning as rabbi to his former synagogue. All because of a book Jacobs had written some years earlier, challenging from a rational perspective the traditional belief in the origins of the Torah.
The British Jewish community was torn apart. It was a scandal unlike anything they had ever previously endured. The national media loved it. Jacobs became a cause celebre, a beacon of reason, a humble man who wouldn’t be compromised. His congregation resigned en masse and created a new synagogue for him in Abbey Road, the heart of fashionable 1970s London. It became the go-to venue for Jews seeking reasonable answers to questions of faith.
A prolific author of over 50 books and hundreds of articles on every aspect of Judaism, from the basics of religious belief to the complexities of mysticism and law, Louis Jacobs won the heart and affection of the mainstream British Jewish community. When the Jewish Chronicle ran a poll to discover the Greatest British Jew, Jacobs won hands down. He said it made him feel daft.
Reason To Believe tells the dramatic and touching story of Louis Jacobs’s life, and of the human drama lived out by his family, deeply wounded by his rejection.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 12, 2012
For those interested in Judea during the period of the Jewish rebellion and the destruction of the temple (67-70), this book is a must-read. Harry Freedman's grasp on the period's political climate, religious factions, and everyday life for both Romans and Jews is simply amazing. He weaves these facts into a narrative that really puts the reader in the scene. In addition, Freedman helps the reader understand both the diversity of ancient Judea as well as the diversity within Judaism in that era. The squabbling over Sabbath laws, acceptable sacrifices, and whether or not to resist the Romans was fascinating.
Some of my favorite scenes included a Jewish wedding, descriptions of common courtyards in Jerusalem and the legal controversy they generated, descriptions of the sounds and smells of the marketplace and crowded roads in Jerusalem, and the Sanhedrin arguing over points of law in their great court. Also, one of the best written scenes in my opinion is the siege of Masada by Jewish rebels.
I had to take this book slowly - it's pretty dense with historical information. Sometimes I got impatient for the plot to move more quickly, but then I'd find myself charmed with a tidbit of information or a particular scene.
That said, I sometimes had trouble keeping track of all the characters because there was no one person who really stood out as the main character. Levi, a Jewish slave living in Rome, is the narrator, but for the first half of the novel he tells the stories of Hanan the schemer, Meir the giant, ben-Zakkai the pharisee-turned-revolutionary-leader, Eleazar the fighter, and Yitzhak the sicarii leader. Levi's story really picks up about half-way through. His struggle with his master's amorous wife reminded me of the story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife. While each of the characters is interesting in his own way, sometimes Levi allows the reader into these characters' heads, creating a confusing POV switch.
I don't see a very large audience for this book because of its dense historical material. On the other hand, for readers who want to learn something solid about this time period, this book is very much worth reading.
Some of my favorite scenes included a Jewish wedding, descriptions of common courtyards in Jerusalem and the legal controversy they generated, descriptions of the sounds and smells of the marketplace and crowded roads in Jerusalem, and the Sanhedrin arguing over points of law in their great court. Also, one of the best written scenes in my opinion is the siege of Masada by Jewish rebels.
I had to take this book slowly - it's pretty dense with historical information. Sometimes I got impatient for the plot to move more quickly, but then I'd find myself charmed with a tidbit of information or a particular scene.
That said, I sometimes had trouble keeping track of all the characters because there was no one person who really stood out as the main character. Levi, a Jewish slave living in Rome, is the narrator, but for the first half of the novel he tells the stories of Hanan the schemer, Meir the giant, ben-Zakkai the pharisee-turned-revolutionary-leader, Eleazar the fighter, and Yitzhak the sicarii leader. Levi's story really picks up about half-way through. His struggle with his master's amorous wife reminded me of the story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife. While each of the characters is interesting in his own way, sometimes Levi allows the reader into these characters' heads, creating a confusing POV switch.
I don't see a very large audience for this book because of its dense historical material. On the other hand, for readers who want to learn something solid about this time period, this book is very much worth reading.
December 19, 2011
“Jerusalem Imperilled” takes you back to Jerusalem circa 67 A.D., in Roman-occupied Judea. As stated in the book’s description, the story is told by Levi, a young man sold into slavery shortly after his wedding day. He ends up in Rome, penning his story as he hears it from slaves and others who come ashore at the dock he oversees.
I’ve not been a big fan of historical fiction but I decided recently I need to broaden my interests. I’m glad I did; Jerusalem Imperilled is a fascinating and engaging read. And it’s cleverly written. As a writer, I’m impressed with Freedman’s work.
I tend to favor books with a lot of action and Jerusalem Imperilled is loaded with action: a successful assault on the impenetrable Masada; hand-to-hand combat on the streets of Jerusalem; a daring broad daylight rescue of a boy cruelly condemned to lose his only good eye; a siege; and middle-of-the-night conspiratorial meetings.
I don’t like holes in a plot big enough to drive a truck through; things have to make sense. I would suppose with historical fiction an author must be given some creative license, especially when the book is set in a time with little reliable historical records. The plot of Jerusalem Imperilled is solid. Having studied the Old and New Testaments, a knew a little about Jewish life from that time and everything jived with my study.
Whether or not a book is good depends on its ability to hold the reader’s interest and attention. I stopped reading at least ten books in 2011 because they were either poorly written, horribly edited, or just plain boring. I looked forward to picking up my iPad when reading Jerusalem Imperilled. As a writer, there is no higher compliment. It’s a nice long satisfying read.
I highly recommend Jerusalem Imperilled.
I’ve not been a big fan of historical fiction but I decided recently I need to broaden my interests. I’m glad I did; Jerusalem Imperilled is a fascinating and engaging read. And it’s cleverly written. As a writer, I’m impressed with Freedman’s work.
I tend to favor books with a lot of action and Jerusalem Imperilled is loaded with action: a successful assault on the impenetrable Masada; hand-to-hand combat on the streets of Jerusalem; a daring broad daylight rescue of a boy cruelly condemned to lose his only good eye; a siege; and middle-of-the-night conspiratorial meetings.
I don’t like holes in a plot big enough to drive a truck through; things have to make sense. I would suppose with historical fiction an author must be given some creative license, especially when the book is set in a time with little reliable historical records. The plot of Jerusalem Imperilled is solid. Having studied the Old and New Testaments, a knew a little about Jewish life from that time and everything jived with my study.
Whether or not a book is good depends on its ability to hold the reader’s interest and attention. I stopped reading at least ten books in 2011 because they were either poorly written, horribly edited, or just plain boring. I looked forward to picking up my iPad when reading Jerusalem Imperilled. As a writer, there is no higher compliment. It’s a nice long satisfying read.
I highly recommend Jerusalem Imperilled.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews