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The Inn: Twists and Turns in a Desert Oasis
In a rocky, half-forgotten part of the Negev, an isolated inn shelters people who feel they have let themselves waste away. The battered site doesn’t offer the amenities of a structured therapeutic doctrine or the benefits of the wisdom of the sages. As there are no political or religious allegiances or any public financial support, no inhibiting barriers taint Neve Dror; its callers succeed every morning to create a new human mosaic. Amazingly, in spite of its unsophisticated ways, the inn’s unwritten motto, “You are all you have”, comes true more often than not. Men and women, young and old, world famous as well as social underdogs, agnostic Jews and devout Christians, manual workers and troubadours, self-made local businessman and rich foreign heirs all rub shoulders with each other as equals in their foster home. They are all too wise to the ways of the world to expect the scars on their back to quickly melt away in their strange new haven. And yet, despite the harsh surroundings, dreams breezily transform into reality and resignation becomes a heresy. The Igloo in the desert – the museum they all help conjure up and create – hails from far far away. So far away that in this part of the world, at the desert inn, nothing is illusory; not even an impossible love story between a Vatican priest and an Israeli hairdresser. The inn at Neve Dror however is not another made up legend, just a mere description. At this inn you will be taken by a fascinating tale, the story of people striving to reclaim their lost identity.
266 pages, Paperback
Published May 7, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 16, 2018
A story of people striving to reclaim their lost identity
Israeli author/teacher Arye Dreyfus was born in France and has extended his teaching career as an envoy on various missions to Europe and Africa. He doesn’t condemn or condone, he just eloquently unfolds a story of a decadent society that fifty years later doesn’t seem ready to come to terms with its own inconstancy.
The writing is penetrating and tightly focused but Arye opens his book with a poem that allows entry:
Limelight
At the end of the century past, down south,
On the brink of history
An inn unexpectedly emerged
Connecting people to place.
A chirping orchestra
Wakes the inn with dawn,
Calling to stop glorification of the fortitude of the insignificant
And return to unpretentious fulfillment.
As avarice suppresses Zionism,
Faith and hope are debased;
A pause is in order,
No more, the spirit of the place demands.
In the inn of the century past,
The vision of the founding fathers
Does as it pleases
On a platform of integrity and love.
An example of the complexity of the plot follows from the first chapter – You don’t often hear the name ‘Shmei Darom’1 in the news. Perhaps this is why many Israelis haven’t heard of it and are unaware of the existence of this special brand of southern Israeli urbanity. Special because, on the face of things, what seem to be the currently acceptable characteristics of Israeli society are not acceptable in this town: there aren’t frequent occurrences of crime, no dismaying reports about the foolish behavior of the mayor or of any of his senior assistants, and no sensational divorces. Furthermore, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything about emotionally stirring strikes or run-down businesses since the town has no viable rentable economic space and hardly any financial, industrial or social resources and incentives. If you take into account that sewage problems are very rare, and an education system that runs too smoothly to supply saucy news, it’s no wonder the occasional news-hunters say to each other, “What a boring place, nothing interesting ever happens here.”
Curiosity piqued? The plot summary distills – ‘In a rocky, half-forgotten part of the Negev, an isolated inn shelters people who feel they have let themselves waste away. The battered site doesn’t offer the amenities of a structured therapeutic doctrine or the benefits of the wisdom of the sages. As there are no political or religious allegiances or any public financial support, no inhibiting barriers taint Neve Dror; its callers succeed every morning to create a new human mosaic. Amazingly, in spite of its unsophisticated ways, the inn’s unwritten motto, “You are all you have”, comes true more often than not. Men and women, young and old, world famous as well as social underdogs, agnostic Jews and devout Christians, manual workers and troubadours, self-made local businessman and rich foreign heirs all rub shoulders with each other as equals in their foster home. They are all too wise to the ways of the world to expect the scars on their back to quickly melt away in their strange new haven. And yet, despite the harsh surroundings, dreams breezily transform into reality and resignation becomes a heresy. The Igloo in the desert – the museum they all help conjure up and create – hails from far far away. So far away that in this part of the world, at the desert inn, nothing is illusory; not even an impossible love story between a Vatican priest and an Israeli hairdresser. The inn at Neve Dror however is not another made up legend, just a mere description.
One of the more exciting books on the subject to be released in recent years. Recommended.
Israeli author/teacher Arye Dreyfus was born in France and has extended his teaching career as an envoy on various missions to Europe and Africa. He doesn’t condemn or condone, he just eloquently unfolds a story of a decadent society that fifty years later doesn’t seem ready to come to terms with its own inconstancy.
The writing is penetrating and tightly focused but Arye opens his book with a poem that allows entry:
Limelight
At the end of the century past, down south,
On the brink of history
An inn unexpectedly emerged
Connecting people to place.
A chirping orchestra
Wakes the inn with dawn,
Calling to stop glorification of the fortitude of the insignificant
And return to unpretentious fulfillment.
As avarice suppresses Zionism,
Faith and hope are debased;
A pause is in order,
No more, the spirit of the place demands.
In the inn of the century past,
The vision of the founding fathers
Does as it pleases
On a platform of integrity and love.
An example of the complexity of the plot follows from the first chapter – You don’t often hear the name ‘Shmei Darom’1 in the news. Perhaps this is why many Israelis haven’t heard of it and are unaware of the existence of this special brand of southern Israeli urbanity. Special because, on the face of things, what seem to be the currently acceptable characteristics of Israeli society are not acceptable in this town: there aren’t frequent occurrences of crime, no dismaying reports about the foolish behavior of the mayor or of any of his senior assistants, and no sensational divorces. Furthermore, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything about emotionally stirring strikes or run-down businesses since the town has no viable rentable economic space and hardly any financial, industrial or social resources and incentives. If you take into account that sewage problems are very rare, and an education system that runs too smoothly to supply saucy news, it’s no wonder the occasional news-hunters say to each other, “What a boring place, nothing interesting ever happens here.”
Curiosity piqued? The plot summary distills – ‘In a rocky, half-forgotten part of the Negev, an isolated inn shelters people who feel they have let themselves waste away. The battered site doesn’t offer the amenities of a structured therapeutic doctrine or the benefits of the wisdom of the sages. As there are no political or religious allegiances or any public financial support, no inhibiting barriers taint Neve Dror; its callers succeed every morning to create a new human mosaic. Amazingly, in spite of its unsophisticated ways, the inn’s unwritten motto, “You are all you have”, comes true more often than not. Men and women, young and old, world famous as well as social underdogs, agnostic Jews and devout Christians, manual workers and troubadours, self-made local businessman and rich foreign heirs all rub shoulders with each other as equals in their foster home. They are all too wise to the ways of the world to expect the scars on their back to quickly melt away in their strange new haven. And yet, despite the harsh surroundings, dreams breezily transform into reality and resignation becomes a heresy. The Igloo in the desert – the museum they all help conjure up and create – hails from far far away. So far away that in this part of the world, at the desert inn, nothing is illusory; not even an impossible love story between a Vatican priest and an Israeli hairdresser. The inn at Neve Dror however is not another made up legend, just a mere description.
One of the more exciting books on the subject to be released in recent years. Recommended.
November 30, 2018
‘The Inn: Twists and Turns in a Desert Oasis’ is a book written by Israeli author Arye Dreyfus. This is a story about the financial, spiritual, and romantic obstacles faced by Daniel. The protagonist is the owner of the ‘Neve Dror Inn’, which is more popularly known as “The Inn”.
This story is situated in a small town called Shmei Darom, located in the rocky and half-forgotten part of the Negev desert. Like in most small towns, people residing in Shmei Darom are a very close knit group who tend to be on the more cautious side towards “outsiders”. The story starts with Daniel meeting his friend Michael, who is the Mayor of Shmei Darom. Michael is married to Rotem, who is a successful pianist and a wonderful mother. Michael struggles with insecurities when he compares himself to his wife while he is constantly living in her shadow. Although his love for Rotem is undeniable, Michael constantly battles with his need to live a simple life and his need to please Rotem. Daniel deals with his own doubts as to what he envisioned for “the Inn” and how it has turned out. Daniel also faces spiritual and romantic hurdles.
The first chapter of the book - `Limelight’ includes a poem that aptly sets the tone for the rest of the book. With every chapter, the reader witnesses tremendous character development. The problems faced by the characters in this book are extremely relatable. Although the plot moves slowly in the beginning, the author keeps the reader’s interest by revealing characters that are brutally honest.
‘The Inn’ is a great read with a moving plot and characters that can be easily related to. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in stories with philosophical story lines. The author eloquently portrays characters and makes them adapt to change while trying not to compromise on their goals, ideals and beliefs.
This story is situated in a small town called Shmei Darom, located in the rocky and half-forgotten part of the Negev desert. Like in most small towns, people residing in Shmei Darom are a very close knit group who tend to be on the more cautious side towards “outsiders”. The story starts with Daniel meeting his friend Michael, who is the Mayor of Shmei Darom. Michael is married to Rotem, who is a successful pianist and a wonderful mother. Michael struggles with insecurities when he compares himself to his wife while he is constantly living in her shadow. Although his love for Rotem is undeniable, Michael constantly battles with his need to live a simple life and his need to please Rotem. Daniel deals with his own doubts as to what he envisioned for “the Inn” and how it has turned out. Daniel also faces spiritual and romantic hurdles.
The first chapter of the book - `Limelight’ includes a poem that aptly sets the tone for the rest of the book. With every chapter, the reader witnesses tremendous character development. The problems faced by the characters in this book are extremely relatable. Although the plot moves slowly in the beginning, the author keeps the reader’s interest by revealing characters that are brutally honest.
‘The Inn’ is a great read with a moving plot and characters that can be easily related to. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in stories with philosophical story lines. The author eloquently portrays characters and makes them adapt to change while trying not to compromise on their goals, ideals and beliefs.
December 11, 2018
Excellent book!!
June 12, 2018
If you want a philosophical look at the Jewish faith, identity, and just a plain beautiful story, look no further. The opening chapter is gorgeous in its scope and prose, and sets the stage for a reflective look at a city and a people who want to maintain their distinctive but struggle to do so as change sweeps their way.
The only constructive thing I would have to say is that at times the dialogue is hard to follow because often there is no speaker identified through a tag or beat. So you have to pay close attention. But otherwise, this is a 5 Star book for sure.
The only constructive thing I would have to say is that at times the dialogue is hard to follow because often there is no speaker identified through a tag or beat. So you have to pay close attention. But otherwise, this is a 5 Star book for sure.
August 22, 2018
Great book
May 29, 2021
Ecclesiastes 7:8
The above referenced verse is mentioned at the beginning of the last chapter. It is, for me, a perfect summary of reading this book. Sometimes any communication lands inneffectively on a reader. So it was for me in this instance. Personally the format of nearly all the book being dialog was frustrating. I'm going to try it again later and hope for a better landing.
The above referenced verse is mentioned at the beginning of the last chapter. It is, for me, a perfect summary of reading this book. Sometimes any communication lands inneffectively on a reader. So it was for me in this instance. Personally the format of nearly all the book being dialog was frustrating. I'm going to try it again later and hope for a better landing.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews