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The Son He Left Behind
Following his family’s sudden collapse, a young boy’s life is about to be torn between two opposite worlds.
Itzhak is a young Jewish boy, born to an ultra-orthodox family from Jerusalem. His life is turned upside down when his father suddenly abandons his religion, his wife, and his son.
Itzhak’s mother raises him alone for years until his father suddenly returns, but she tragically passes away when he is only eleven – leaving her son in the care of his father.
But living with his famous hedonistic secular father, Itzhak finds himself torn between two worlds – on one hand, he yearns to maintain the memory of his beloved mother and her religious ways, but on the other hand he is overcome by pure admiration for his charismatic father.
The Son He Left Behind brings Itzhak’s unique story to life and tells the tale of the inevitable rift between two entirely opposite worlds – the conservatist, orthodox one and the secular, liberal one, all on the backdrop of the Jewish community in Israel in the 20th century and the young state’s first years.
Itzhak is a young Jewish boy, born to an ultra-orthodox family from Jerusalem. His life is turned upside down when his father suddenly abandons his religion, his wife, and his son.
Itzhak’s mother raises him alone for years until his father suddenly returns, but she tragically passes away when he is only eleven – leaving her son in the care of his father.
But living with his famous hedonistic secular father, Itzhak finds himself torn between two worlds – on one hand, he yearns to maintain the memory of his beloved mother and her religious ways, but on the other hand he is overcome by pure admiration for his charismatic father.
The Son He Left Behind brings Itzhak’s unique story to life and tells the tale of the inevitable rift between two entirely opposite worlds – the conservatist, orthodox one and the secular, liberal one, all on the backdrop of the Jewish community in Israel in the 20th century and the young state’s first years.
175 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 9, 2022
106 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 17, 2022
Were I to rate this book solely on the author's talent for description it would be a much higher rating but, sadly, the confusing time shifts and frankly weird structure turned what had the potential to be award winning into something that instead had the potential for readers to give up early in total confusion.
I'll admit that, if I had not needed to read this book for an annual reading challenge (a book with Son in the title) I might have joined them. I actually obtained the kindle version of this book as a free Amazon download and I'll confess I'm not surprised that it was being given away but I am glad I read it.
If you persist you will experience the author's memories of his childhood in post-war Israel and the tale of his parents' doomed relationship. It's almost two love stories wrapped up in one book.
A potential bestseller badly in need of an editor.
I'll admit that, if I had not needed to read this book for an annual reading challenge (a book with Son in the title) I might have joined them. I actually obtained the kindle version of this book as a free Amazon download and I'll confess I'm not surprised that it was being given away but I am glad I read it.
If you persist you will experience the author's memories of his childhood in post-war Israel and the tale of his parents' doomed relationship. It's almost two love stories wrapped up in one book.
A potential bestseller badly in need of an editor.
November 9, 2021
‘I still have complicated dreams about Tzipora, the mother of my child, to this day’
Israeli author Yitzhak Bar-Yossef earned his degrees in Jewish history and theater studies from Hebrew University in Jerusalem and served as a journalist with Israel’s popular Newspaper, Yediot Aharonot. He has published ten books, winning awards, and now offers the English version of THE SON HE LEFT BEHIND, translated from the Hebrew by Suzy Shabeti.
Yitzhak utilizes his in depth background in both Jewish history and theatrical drama to create a fine story about family and the impact of orthodox versus secular disparities on a child’s growth. The pleasure of his prose greets the reader as the story opens – ‘On Friday father puts a bar of soap and two towels in a bag and we go to the bath house in the Old City. I run ahead, and when I reach the end of the alley I stop, look back to see him appear at the corner, and then run ahead again. Father says the Safed bath house dates back to Turkish times; his father and his grandfather and even his father’s grandfather went there. He strolls along leisurely. We don’t go to the shvitzbad, as father calls it, just to wash, because we have a shower at home. We go to sweat and to purify ourselves, and to open our dust-clogged “pores,” I race up the steps leading to the Ari’s Synagogue. I have no patience for father’s long-winded explanations…’ With that moment of father –child interaction some memories are placed that allow entry into this excellent story to progress.
The novel reads comfortably, allowing the various atmospheres to pass through the mind, enhancing the pleasure of the story. The synopsis follows; ‘Itzhak is a young Jewish boy, born to an ultra-orthodox family from Jerusalem. His life is turned upside down when his father suddenly abandons his religion, his wife, and his son. Itzhak’s mother raises him alone for years until his father suddenly returns, but she tragically passes away when he is only eleven – leaving her son in the care of his father. But living with his famous hedonistic secular father, Itzhak finds himself torn between two worlds – on one hand, he yearns to maintain the memory of his beloved mother and her religious ways, but on the other hand he is overcome by pure admiration for his charismatic father. A tale of the inevitable rift between two entirely opposite worlds – the conservatist, orthodox one and the secular, liberal one, all on the backdrop of the Jewish community in Israel in the 20th century and the young state’s first years.’
Fine reading both as a novel and as an exposure to the disparities between orthodox and secular life in Jerusalem, THE SON HE LEFT BEHIND introduces a polished Israeli novelist to the English reading public! Hopefully there will be more books from this author.
Israeli author Yitzhak Bar-Yossef earned his degrees in Jewish history and theater studies from Hebrew University in Jerusalem and served as a journalist with Israel’s popular Newspaper, Yediot Aharonot. He has published ten books, winning awards, and now offers the English version of THE SON HE LEFT BEHIND, translated from the Hebrew by Suzy Shabeti.
Yitzhak utilizes his in depth background in both Jewish history and theatrical drama to create a fine story about family and the impact of orthodox versus secular disparities on a child’s growth. The pleasure of his prose greets the reader as the story opens – ‘On Friday father puts a bar of soap and two towels in a bag and we go to the bath house in the Old City. I run ahead, and when I reach the end of the alley I stop, look back to see him appear at the corner, and then run ahead again. Father says the Safed bath house dates back to Turkish times; his father and his grandfather and even his father’s grandfather went there. He strolls along leisurely. We don’t go to the shvitzbad, as father calls it, just to wash, because we have a shower at home. We go to sweat and to purify ourselves, and to open our dust-clogged “pores,” I race up the steps leading to the Ari’s Synagogue. I have no patience for father’s long-winded explanations…’ With that moment of father –child interaction some memories are placed that allow entry into this excellent story to progress.
The novel reads comfortably, allowing the various atmospheres to pass through the mind, enhancing the pleasure of the story. The synopsis follows; ‘Itzhak is a young Jewish boy, born to an ultra-orthodox family from Jerusalem. His life is turned upside down when his father suddenly abandons his religion, his wife, and his son. Itzhak’s mother raises him alone for years until his father suddenly returns, but she tragically passes away when he is only eleven – leaving her son in the care of his father. But living with his famous hedonistic secular father, Itzhak finds himself torn between two worlds – on one hand, he yearns to maintain the memory of his beloved mother and her religious ways, but on the other hand he is overcome by pure admiration for his charismatic father. A tale of the inevitable rift between two entirely opposite worlds – the conservatist, orthodox one and the secular, liberal one, all on the backdrop of the Jewish community in Israel in the 20th century and the young state’s first years.’
Fine reading both as a novel and as an exposure to the disparities between orthodox and secular life in Jerusalem, THE SON HE LEFT BEHIND introduces a polished Israeli novelist to the English reading public! Hopefully there will be more books from this author.
February 24, 2022
This book was very confusing. Sometimes he a little boy, sometimes he's an adult with a family of his own, sometimes he's dreaming, and it jumps around between them all without explanation. This is not a linear story at all, and it probably would have been better if it was. And there wasn't a point or plot to the story, just the back and forth between memories and current events, with occasional dreams thrown into the mix.
April 4, 2022
Okay
I had a hard time finishing this book. It is very confusing the way it goes back and forth between his childhood and being an adult. The author seems to have an obsession with nakedness and sex. The are a few good stories.
I had a hard time finishing this book. It is very confusing the way it goes back and forth between his childhood and being an adult. The author seems to have an obsession with nakedness and sex. The are a few good stories.
February 3, 2022
Good story of Jewish life and also of a self centered man
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews