Jerusalem as a Second Language

by Rochelle Distelheim

It is 1998. The old Soviet Union is dead, and the new Russia is awash in corruption and despair. Manya and Yuri Zalinikov, secular Jews -- he, a gifted mathematician recently dismissed from the Academy; she, a talented concert pianist -- sell black market electronics in a market stall, until threatened with a gun by a mafioso in search of protection money. Yuri sinks into a Chekhovian melancholy, emerging to announce that he wants to "live as a Jew" in Israel. Manya and their daughter, Galina, are desolate, asking, "How does one do that, and why?"

And thus begins their odyssey -- part tragedy, part comedy, always surprising. Struggling against loneliness, language, and danger, in a place Manya calls "more cousin's club than country," Yuri finds a Talmudic teacher equally addicted to religion and luxury; Manya finds a job playing the piano at The White Nights supper club, owned by a wealthy, flamboyant Russian with a murky history, who offers lust disguised as love. Galina, enrolled at Hebrew University, finds dance clubs and pizza emporiums and a string of young men, one of whom Manya hopes will save her from the Israeli Army by marrying her.

Against a potpourri of marriage wigs, matchmaking television shows, disastrous investment schemes, and a suicide bombing, the Zalinikovs confront the thin line between religious faith and skepticism, as they try to What does it mean to be fully human, what does it mean to be Jewish? And what role in all of this does the mazel gene play?

327 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 29, 2020

Reviews

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction fans you are going to love this book.

I’ve not read a book set in “new” Russia, just as the Soviet Union is dissolved in 1998. I learned so much about the culture of Russian Jews in this story of family. I loved that Manya is a pianist and Yuri is a mathematician. They have decided to relocate to Israel.

Faith is at the center of this family’s life. There facts are all interesting, and I soaked them up. I cherished the characters and their relationships with each other. There are even touches of humor amid glimpses of tragedy and strife.

The story is character-driven and rich in family dynamics, and as I mentioned earlier, all the culture.

I definitely plan to read Sadie in Love. I wish Ms. Distelheim’s family my sincere condolences. She wrote her first book, Sadie in Love, at age 90, and passed away before Jerusalem as a Second Language was published.

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Russian or Jewish, or a combination of both? That’s the question often raised in works about Russian Jews, whether they live in the former Soviet Union, the United States or Israel. In two recent novels, the emphasis often falls on the Russian aspect of their identities, even after they’ve left Mother Russia. Their Russian ethnicity is an indispensable part of their psyche – many times more important than their Jewish heritage. In the “The Nesting Dolls” (Harper), Alina Adams writes about three generations of Russian women; the characters travel from Odessa to Siberia, and back to Odessa before moving to Brighton Beach. Rochelle Distelheim looks at a Russian family’s adjustment to life in Israel when two of its three members mourn having had to leave their motherland in “Jerusalem As a Second Language” (Aubade Publishing).
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/past...

[Grace J Reviewerlady · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is no doubt that the late Rochelle Distelheim is a massive loss to the writing community; this is a really interesting and informative book, with a good splash of humour!

Manya and Yuri Zalinikov are Russian Jews, both highly skilled in their fields. Manya is a concert pianist and Yuri, a mathematician was recently dismissed from his position and now runs a (black) market stall where the couple, along with their adult daughter, receive a sinister visit from a threatening man with a gun. Deciding to leave their Russian home, Yuri decides to take the family to Israel, where they can freely practice their faith. Manya and Galina aren't quite so convinced that all their problems will be solved by moving to Jerusalem but, nevertheless, they set out. That's only the beginning of their journey, they have so much more to experience and suffer - not without a few laughs along the way!

This is a culture I thought I knew nothing about up until now, but this novel is bursting at the seams with lots of interesting details - some were vaguely familiar, others completely new. This isn't a candy-coated tale; rather it's an honest version of each member of the family struggling to fit in with a different way of practising their faith, in a new country where they should communicate in a different language to the one they are used to. I'm not sure how well I would fare doing the same, although I'd like to think I'd give it a good go! (Certainly my daughter embraced another culture and a second language easily.) Manya is a strong character, beautifully portrayed and I sympathised with her often. Yuri was shown as a bit stubborn, but trying to do the best for everyone and Galina was just being young! Their experiences make for a very entertaining read and I really have learned an awful lot about things new to me. A very worthwhile read which I'm happy to give four stars, and a recommendation to those happy to embrace new cultures through books.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review:
Jerusalem As A Second Language by Rochelle Distelheim is a very informative and entertaining novel. Author, Rochelle Distelheim put so much effort into this novel, it is very impressive.
This has its moments of humor while being poetic and absorbing. I had trouble setting this down, which is interesting because this is a genre I don’t normally reach for.
I learned quite a bit about a culture I didn’t know much about. This is a very necessary story and I think it was worth reading. I would definitely recommend checking it out.
Rating:
4/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Over the River PR in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*

[Arlene Handler · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a Wonderful Book!

It is sad that I have finished my wonderful, beautiful, deceased friend, Rochelle’s book. I have thought of you during the reading of every magnificently written paragraph! I knew everyone in this story intimately because of her outstanding descriptions of every single scene. I love you Rochelle. You will live forever in the minds of the readers and those who knew you.

[Deirdre S · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at an unexplored era of Soviet history, as Jewish citizens were granted permission to emigrate to Israel as part of Gorbachev's effort to "open up" to the rest of the world. Distelheim tells an intriguing story of a family caught up in this culture clash. The plot is a bit breezy and I wish there was a bit more tension, but it was a decent exploration of identity in the decline of an era.