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Raquela: a Woman of Israel
Raquela Prywes lived on the front lines of Israel's history. A ninth-generation Jerusalemite, she found her true calling as a hospital and battlefield nurse, delivering babies in the infamous Athlit detention camp, where Holocaust survivors were interned by the British, and literally walking across minefields to tend the wounded during the 1948 War of Independence.
Surrounded by men of uncommon bravery, Raquela fell passionately in love with the handsome young captain of one of the refugee ships and had to choose between him and the brilliant and distinguished doctor who waited for her back in Jerusalem. Upon her return to Israel, she helped to found the first hospital in the desert frontier of Beersheba, where she delivered the babies of Bedouin women and Jewish immigrants, eventually organizing the hospitals credited with saving Israeli soldiers during the Six-Day War.
Alive with the courage of a rare woman and a rugged nation, Raquela tells the powerful and deeply moving story of an Israeli woman who knew passionate love, great danger, and shattering loss and who witnessed the darkest -- and most triumphant -- moments in the history of the Jewish people. This edition of Raquela, which won the National Jewish Book Award in 1978, includes an introduction by best-selling novelist Faye Kellerman.
Surrounded by men of uncommon bravery, Raquela fell passionately in love with the handsome young captain of one of the refugee ships and had to choose between him and the brilliant and distinguished doctor who waited for her back in Jerusalem. Upon her return to Israel, she helped to found the first hospital in the desert frontier of Beersheba, where she delivered the babies of Bedouin women and Jewish immigrants, eventually organizing the hospitals credited with saving Israeli soldiers during the Six-Day War.
Alive with the courage of a rare woman and a rugged nation, Raquela tells the powerful and deeply moving story of an Israeli woman who knew passionate love, great danger, and shattering loss and who witnessed the darkest -- and most triumphant -- moments in the history of the Jewish people. This edition of Raquela, which won the National Jewish Book Award in 1978, includes an introduction by best-selling novelist Faye Kellerman.
379 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
243 people are currently reading
1019 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Gruber
36 books40 followersRuth Gruber was an award-winning Jewish American journalist, photographer, and humanitarian. Born in Brooklyn in 1911, she became the youngest PhD in the world and went on to author nineteen books, including the National Jewish Book Award–winning biography Raquela (1978). She also wrote several memoirs documenting her astonishing experiences, among them Ahead of Time (1991), Inside of Time (2002), and Haven (1983), which documents her role in the rescue of one thousand refugees from Europe and their safe transport to America.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
December 26, 2017
The first time I read this book, I was 15 years old and Goodreads didn't exist. Reading this 20 years later, the true story of Jewish obstetrical nurse, Raquela against the backdrop of Israel's statehood is still captivating. First published in 1978, the story takes us from Raquela's childhood, to her nursing student years, through her time helping refugees of the Holocaust, and her years as a mother and wife. . Aside from the fact, that the author spent a lot of time emphasizing Raquela's beauty and how attracted all men seemed to be by her, the historical record was very captivating. My recent publication included family pictures and an afterword about Raquela's last few years.
December 5, 2025
Sitzfleisch.
Raquela. A beautiful name. Perhaps, the Spanish version of Rachel, another beautiful name.
This is a true story of a young sabra (native) who became a birthing nurse in Palestine before, during, and after Hitler’s World War. It leaves off in the late 1960’s after the Seven-day war.
Perpend: A group of men, women, and children descend upon Palestine as survivors of the concentration camps. They are all infested and skeletal. They have seen and they have been the result of heretofore unknown atrocities for many years. They have lost everyone loved and everything owned. There is nothing left.
They are from Romania, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Germany, France, Tunisia, Italy, Spain, Russia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Yemen, Iraq, Hungary, a veritable tower of Babel. They only speak the language of their prior countries and a couple of the languages they learned while guests in Auschwitz, Bergen Belsen, Dachau, Treblinka, … They do not know Hebrew, the language here.
They paid whatever they could muster in their striped pajamas (no pockets) to sail across the world to this new land with only hope.
Their dignity left them years prior on train rides to hell or thereafter, within the camps.
They reach Palestine and immediately, the minute they disembark, they must fight the Arabs and the British to survive. Each month brings more survivors who cannot communicate with the others in the same predicament. Yet they persevere and attempt to defend themselves, or not. Starving and sickly. Why? I do not know.
They are slaughtered easily shortly after arrival. Thousands die quickly at the swords and guns of the Syrians, Egyptians, Jordanians, and Palestinian Arabs, the British. They have been defeated before they arrived at this promised land. Who knows, Palestine may be just another pit stop. Where to next? Peace is the wont, but fighting is the reality. The place is a desert wasteland. The country is much like it has been for the last two thousand years. Sand, camels, and little potable water. A backward or third world land.
Raquela helps mothers give birth. But she is more than that. She is strong and smart and compassionate. She is independent and intuitive. She is a fighter and not easily frightened. She is the person you want on your team. She is more than a nurse, she is a factotum, as is everyone who attempts to survive in this land. No one can be just one thing; each must be capable and willing to do anything. And they must get along with each other to defeat their enemies, so they also must develop more communication skills. Ein brent (no alternative).
And they must secure tools of engagement, guns, and stuff, that was never part of their personal history. And use them successfully, men-women-children. It is learning a new job and attempting a new life in a new place while fighting or escaping gunfire and grenades and bombs aimed at them. A difficult burden. Multi-tasking in turbo mode.
This is an emotional read, not for Jews necessarily, but for anyone who has felt utterly defeated by life and could as easily die than continue. Sitzfleisch, or not.
I have never read this author before. An American lady who lived over one hundred years on this earth and penned a few books.
It is a course in life. In a story. About humanity. The good and the evil. About all of us. How we survive each day while danger is always around the upcoming corner, awaiting.
I spent most of the time reading this through tears. It was too much for me. I am not as strong as Raquela or Ruth or Golda Meir, the president then. Nor do I have the faith or hope, however small it must have been, that these unskilled and mostly peace seeking homeless people have or had.
From ghetto to ghetto. Hatikvah.
This is a book I would recommend to anyone. Boys and girls. Old and young. From here or there. Any religious affiliation or not.
It is a beautifully told story that gives us insight into who and what we are and are not.
It is literature that informs and assuages. Whenever we think life is just too damn difficult.
As Sholom Alechem once said, “You’ve got to stay alive even if it kills you.”
Raquela. A beautiful name. Perhaps, the Spanish version of Rachel, another beautiful name.
This is a true story of a young sabra (native) who became a birthing nurse in Palestine before, during, and after Hitler’s World War. It leaves off in the late 1960’s after the Seven-day war.
Perpend: A group of men, women, and children descend upon Palestine as survivors of the concentration camps. They are all infested and skeletal. They have seen and they have been the result of heretofore unknown atrocities for many years. They have lost everyone loved and everything owned. There is nothing left.
They are from Romania, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Germany, France, Tunisia, Italy, Spain, Russia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Yemen, Iraq, Hungary, a veritable tower of Babel. They only speak the language of their prior countries and a couple of the languages they learned while guests in Auschwitz, Bergen Belsen, Dachau, Treblinka, … They do not know Hebrew, the language here.
They paid whatever they could muster in their striped pajamas (no pockets) to sail across the world to this new land with only hope.
Their dignity left them years prior on train rides to hell or thereafter, within the camps.
They reach Palestine and immediately, the minute they disembark, they must fight the Arabs and the British to survive. Each month brings more survivors who cannot communicate with the others in the same predicament. Yet they persevere and attempt to defend themselves, or not. Starving and sickly. Why? I do not know.
They are slaughtered easily shortly after arrival. Thousands die quickly at the swords and guns of the Syrians, Egyptians, Jordanians, and Palestinian Arabs, the British. They have been defeated before they arrived at this promised land. Who knows, Palestine may be just another pit stop. Where to next? Peace is the wont, but fighting is the reality. The place is a desert wasteland. The country is much like it has been for the last two thousand years. Sand, camels, and little potable water. A backward or third world land.
Raquela helps mothers give birth. But she is more than that. She is strong and smart and compassionate. She is independent and intuitive. She is a fighter and not easily frightened. She is the person you want on your team. She is more than a nurse, she is a factotum, as is everyone who attempts to survive in this land. No one can be just one thing; each must be capable and willing to do anything. And they must get along with each other to defeat their enemies, so they also must develop more communication skills. Ein brent (no alternative).
And they must secure tools of engagement, guns, and stuff, that was never part of their personal history. And use them successfully, men-women-children. It is learning a new job and attempting a new life in a new place while fighting or escaping gunfire and grenades and bombs aimed at them. A difficult burden. Multi-tasking in turbo mode.
This is an emotional read, not for Jews necessarily, but for anyone who has felt utterly defeated by life and could as easily die than continue. Sitzfleisch, or not.
I have never read this author before. An American lady who lived over one hundred years on this earth and penned a few books.
It is a course in life. In a story. About humanity. The good and the evil. About all of us. How we survive each day while danger is always around the upcoming corner, awaiting.
I spent most of the time reading this through tears. It was too much for me. I am not as strong as Raquela or Ruth or Golda Meir, the president then. Nor do I have the faith or hope, however small it must have been, that these unskilled and mostly peace seeking homeless people have or had.
From ghetto to ghetto. Hatikvah.
This is a book I would recommend to anyone. Boys and girls. Old and young. From here or there. Any religious affiliation or not.
It is a beautifully told story that gives us insight into who and what we are and are not.
It is literature that informs and assuages. Whenever we think life is just too damn difficult.
As Sholom Alechem once said, “You’ve got to stay alive even if it kills you.”
August 12, 2022
A riveting absorbing book written like a novel, about a formidable ye sensitive determined and dedicated woman whose story opens a window into the history of Israel from the 1929 Jerusalem and Hebron pogroms carried out against the Jews by Arab gangs until 1976.
Raquela is only five when she hides with her family in the house during the Arab pogroms.
During World War II she decides to become a nurse, and volunteers in 1947 for the Athlit and Cyprus internment camps. Shocking is the involvement of the British Occupation forces. Arming Arabs, interning Jewish holocaust survivors in concentration camps. Though some British soldiers for example in Cyprus show humanity and go against the trend.
Good account of the War of Independence , Six Day War and Yom Kippur Wars, as well as the terrorist raids into Israel froim the 1950s targeting Israel's civilian population..
Interesting to read how the Arab forces in Palestine under the Mufti included Nazi Germans, Poles and British deserters.
Covers the Israeli massive aid to Africa in the 1960s which Raquela and her husband were involved in.
Full of heartbreak (Raquela loses her friends and her son in the wars) and yet survival is the theme and it is both sad and uplifting. Highly recommended
Raquela is only five when she hides with her family in the house during the Arab pogroms.
During World War II she decides to become a nurse, and volunteers in 1947 for the Athlit and Cyprus internment camps. Shocking is the involvement of the British Occupation forces. Arming Arabs, interning Jewish holocaust survivors in concentration camps. Though some British soldiers for example in Cyprus show humanity and go against the trend.
Good account of the War of Independence , Six Day War and Yom Kippur Wars, as well as the terrorist raids into Israel froim the 1950s targeting Israel's civilian population..
Interesting to read how the Arab forces in Palestine under the Mufti included Nazi Germans, Poles and British deserters.
Covers the Israeli massive aid to Africa in the 1960s which Raquela and her husband were involved in.
Full of heartbreak (Raquela loses her friends and her son in the wars) and yet survival is the theme and it is both sad and uplifting. Highly recommended
April 2, 2015
Raquela is the biography of a woman born in Jerusalem close to the year of my mother's birth. My mother was born in Tennessee but comparing the dates is a way to make book time real. The author chose her as a subject because she was attractive and intelligent, a high achiever who became a nurse and midwife, had romances and friendships galore and showed bravery and fortitude not to mention heroism during her war-related adventures. But I think the author primarily chose her as a vehicle for the history of the region that became Israel. The story was written in 1978; it's an old-fashioned patriotic story sans layers of subsequent symbolism. The history itself is consistent with what I'm studying elsewhere. It's a matter of emphasis. At any rate, reading it was a relief at points--and it was a fast read. Three and 1/2 stars, rounded up to four.
One thing--the British didn't come out looking so good, what with turning a blind eye on Arab militancy--although other sources will show Arabs perceiving the unfairness going in the opposite direction--and setting up and keeping the internment camps going until seemingly the last possible minute before their withdrawal.
The action brings the reader into those camps, and also into the danger for a closer look than I'd had before. Not for nothing was the author a journalist and photographer.
I was struck that early on the land was sparsely settled, with bolders and rocks that had to be cleared and swamplands that had to be drained.
And that the lines of enmity weren't always as clear cut as commonly assumed. Early on there could be ties between the fellaheen (peasants) and Jews that the effendi (upper class) didn't perceive as being in their interest.
By the way, "Raquela" is the Sephardic or Eastern version of "Rachel." I think that's it but I don't have the book handy right now. When I was trying to look it up I came across Raquel Welch--whose father is of Spanish descent.
It is the nature of the book Raquela that the Jews trying to build the infrastructure of a country come across as a united team. In this book you will not see internal political conflict, prejudice against the Jews from Arab lands by the those with European backgrounds, or any complexity of attitudes of the Jews living in (then) Palestine toward the suffering Jews still in Europe. (For that, see My Promised Land.)
One thing--the British didn't come out looking so good, what with turning a blind eye on Arab militancy--although other sources will show Arabs perceiving the unfairness going in the opposite direction--and setting up and keeping the internment camps going until seemingly the last possible minute before their withdrawal.
The action brings the reader into those camps, and also into the danger for a closer look than I'd had before. Not for nothing was the author a journalist and photographer.
I was struck that early on the land was sparsely settled, with bolders and rocks that had to be cleared and swamplands that had to be drained.
And that the lines of enmity weren't always as clear cut as commonly assumed. Early on there could be ties between the fellaheen (peasants) and Jews that the effendi (upper class) didn't perceive as being in their interest.
By the way, "Raquela" is the Sephardic or Eastern version of "Rachel." I think that's it but I don't have the book handy right now. When I was trying to look it up I came across Raquel Welch--whose father is of Spanish descent.
It is the nature of the book Raquela that the Jews trying to build the infrastructure of a country come across as a united team. In this book you will not see internal political conflict, prejudice against the Jews from Arab lands by the those with European backgrounds, or any complexity of attitudes of the Jews living in (then) Palestine toward the suffering Jews still in Europe. (For that, see My Promised Land.)
November 20, 2016
This is the first story I’ve read concerning the struggle of Israel’s quest for independence and I’m glad I read it.
Ruth Gruber does an excellent job chronicling the life of Raquela Levy. As young woman, she tried to determine what her calling in life would be. When she realized her gift was being a midwife, she plunged herself into the work as she would with all her coming adventures.
The parts that intrigued me the most were the battles the Jews were having not with the Arabs or Muslims, but the occupiers-Britain. They were not benevolent rulers as history has attempted to paint them in the 20th Century. They were hard, calloused and unconcerned with the plight of the Jews in Palestine.
Even with the end of WWII and the finding of the concentration camps, you would think the British would be a little more understanding to the plight of the Jews. Not happening. They spent countless time and money ensuring no Jewish male was armed in order to keep order with their Arab neighbors even though they were being attacked. The restrictions on DP’s from Germany was just as appalling. Many of the people were survivors of the concentration camps and instead of breathing the air of freedom, they were placed in camps in Palestine and Cyprus that were replicas of the death camps they had endured. Absolutely appalling!
Through all of this, Raquela would serve in each camp and continue to assist in bringing new life into a country they hoped one day would form- the promised land.
A great story of love, passion and hope.
An excellent companion to, “My Mother’s Ring.”
Five Stars
Ruth Gruber does an excellent job chronicling the life of Raquela Levy. As young woman, she tried to determine what her calling in life would be. When she realized her gift was being a midwife, she plunged herself into the work as she would with all her coming adventures.
The parts that intrigued me the most were the battles the Jews were having not with the Arabs or Muslims, but the occupiers-Britain. They were not benevolent rulers as history has attempted to paint them in the 20th Century. They were hard, calloused and unconcerned with the plight of the Jews in Palestine.
Even with the end of WWII and the finding of the concentration camps, you would think the British would be a little more understanding to the plight of the Jews. Not happening. They spent countless time and money ensuring no Jewish male was armed in order to keep order with their Arab neighbors even though they were being attacked. The restrictions on DP’s from Germany was just as appalling. Many of the people were survivors of the concentration camps and instead of breathing the air of freedom, they were placed in camps in Palestine and Cyprus that were replicas of the death camps they had endured. Absolutely appalling!
Through all of this, Raquela would serve in each camp and continue to assist in bringing new life into a country they hoped one day would form- the promised land.
A great story of love, passion and hope.
An excellent companion to, “My Mother’s Ring.”
Five Stars
February 7, 2017
I think this is one of the best books I have read in a long while! Knowing the history of WWII and of Israel, it brings this story so much more to life. The story of Raquela brings such a new perspective on the stories that most of us know of that time period, being from pre, during, and post WWII, as well as the several wars all the way up to the 70s (where the book ends.) It brings a love and appreciation for the people of Israel. Their stamina, courage, fight, and heart for their own land and people is unlike I have seen anywhere else before.
Going on this journey, reading Raquela's story, endured her to me. Her journey of joy, sorrow, loss, love, and everything in between brought to light the aspects of human nature and vulnerability each of us go through at times. I was able to relate to the internal struggles, questions, and choices she faced. It was another side of humanity that, in such perilous time, brought out the best of the human spirit of these people and their search to live a life full of peace and beat all odds to survive and thrive.
The resiliency and hope she, as well as the rest of the Jewish people, had was absolutely remarkable. It's very informative and engaging, very well written and makes you feel as if you were there. Overall, I couldn't recommend this book enough!
Going on this journey, reading Raquela's story, endured her to me. Her journey of joy, sorrow, loss, love, and everything in between brought to light the aspects of human nature and vulnerability each of us go through at times. I was able to relate to the internal struggles, questions, and choices she faced. It was another side of humanity that, in such perilous time, brought out the best of the human spirit of these people and their search to live a life full of peace and beat all odds to survive and thrive.
The resiliency and hope she, as well as the rest of the Jewish people, had was absolutely remarkable. It's very informative and engaging, very well written and makes you feel as if you were there. Overall, I couldn't recommend this book enough!
February 19, 2017
I enjoyed this book for the history of Israel and the best parts were those set in the internment camps in Atlit and on Cyprus.
Unfortunately the writing was not good. The narrative was disjointed, the characters cliches and towards the end the pace was rushed.
Also there were some weird misuses of English that made me wonder if English was the author's mother-tongue.
This novel was worth reading for the historical aspects not for the story.
Unfortunately the writing was not good. The narrative was disjointed, the characters cliches and towards the end the pace was rushed.
Also there were some weird misuses of English that made me wonder if English was the author's mother-tongue.
This novel was worth reading for the historical aspects not for the story.
August 7, 2016
Beginning in1929, when Raquela Levy is five years old and the Arabs are rioting in the Old City, and continuing through the next five decades, the book takes the reader through the joys and tragedies of Raquela’s life. It follows her efforts to help her fellow Jews in their continuous struggle to establish their own safe haven, their own homeland, Israel, from which they would never be expelled by any enemy, near or far, again. Raquela is a sabra and a largely unsung heroine in Israel’s story. Sabra is a slang term describing a Jewish person born in Israel as opposed to a Jew from the Diaspora who emigrated there from another place of origin.
It seemed to me that Raquela lived more or less in the shadow of her more successful husbands, supporting their work, even as she did her own, as women did in those early days of the twentieth century, achieving success and advancement largely through their male counterpart’s good graces. From an early age, she consistently remained dedicated to Jews and the Jewish homeland, putting the needs of the country and its people before her own, from the time before the birth of Israel and then continuing afterwards. That is not to say that she ignored her own feminine desires. She grew up with the same hopes and ideas that all young girls dream of and had many romances of her own. She adored her older first husband, a successful, brilliant doctor and when he died was lucky enough to find another man to love. She married an old friend and associate of theirs, another successful doctor who had recently lost his wife. They, too, had a very happy, compatible and successful marriage.
Raquela was an accomplished nurse and midwife, praised and honored by those with whom she came in contact. She became involved in the development of programs to aid women throughout her career and even continued her first husband’s work after his death, enabled in this effort by another scholar and doctor. As a young nurse, she volunteered to work as a midwife in the DP camps set up by the British for Jewish immigrants. These Jews were caught trying to sneak into what later became Israel. They were just looking for a place to feel safe. It was after WWII and the Holocaust. In Europe, they continued to be persecuted when they tried to return to the homes they had lived in before the time of Adolf Hitler. Other people had moved into their former lives and refused to relinquish what they had stolen.
Raquela described the conditions in the camps. When compared to the camps set up for the Arabs by the United Nations which looked like suburban communities, the set up for the Jews by the British were like slums. Keep in mind, these people had already suffered the indecencies, indignities and horrors of the Holocaust and were now basically back in prison with inadequate medical care or equipment, even for the women who were pregnant. Many died as did their offspring. Their mental health was also ignored and when separated from their husbands and families, their fears of being tortured and slaughtered were once again renewed. Raquela brought her skill and personality to their care and also to others who were ill since doctors were in short supply and often unavailable in these camps.
Although the British had been presented with The Balfour Declaration in a letter written in 1917, expressing support for a Jewish State, they did not honor it. Finally, in 1939, The White Paper was written, calling for the establishment of a Jewish Homeland within the Palestinian Territory. However, it curtailed the ability to establish the homeland with its very strict requirements favoring the Arabs, and it, too, was never formally approved. Arab approval was a requirement for its acceptance and to this day that has never truly come to pass. The Arabs still consistently call for the annihilation of all Jews and refuse to recognize the Jewish homeland.
Repeatedly attacked by Arabs who now refused to accept the 1948 United Nations decision to establish the State of Israel, Arabs who even refused to accept the idea of a partition which would have given them both a safe place to live, the Israelis found themselves ill equipped to fight back. Yet they did, and were successful, in spite of the odds that were hugely against them. Great Britain, America and other countries still harbor anti-Semitism, still covet the oil in the Arab countries, still fear Muslim uprisings, and are still largely unwilling to publicly and loudly acknowledge and provide the Jews with the safe haven they need or the weapons required to help them maintain their security until their backs are against the wall and they have suffered unnecessary casualties. They truly have to answer to a higher standard.
Through the decades, as the Jews have been attacked by Arabs bent on their total destruction, the UN has remained silent or has condemned Israel. When it was believed that the Arabs had the upper hand, the UN did not react or intercede. However, the UN never failed to call for a cease fire and/or a truce when it was proven that the Arabs were losing in their fight against Israel. It seems that little has changed today. If anything, it has gotten worse with the spread of the BDS movement (a movement to boycott Israeli products manufactured in the West Bank), and the abundance of misinformation that is consistently dispersed, even by those in power in the United States, by those in the liberal media and in liberal schools, and often, by some misguided Jews, as well. Israel is still the David to the Goliaths of the world. It is my hope that readers of this book will be inspired to discover the real facts about Jewish history and the establishment of the state of Israel so that they will recognize the negative influence of the Arab countries and Muslim societies toward that effort to find a peaceful solution to the problem.
At this moment, the remarkable author of this book is alive and well at 104 years old. Originally published in 1978, it is a biography that crosses age lines because there is nothing in this book that could be characterized as offensive to either young or older adults. There is no indiscriminate sex or foul language, although there are some descriptions of warfare and the Holocaust that are more explicit. The book is written with an easy to read prose, simply, almost in conversational style. Although billed as an award winning biography, it reads more like historic fiction, especially when the once congenial relationship that existed between the Arabs and the Jews was described briefly through the characters of Aisha, a Muslim woman, and Tova, a Jew, mother of Raquela. According to the book, they actually liked each other and shared their time, conversation and tea together. Wouldn’t it be nice if that situation were to be reconstructed today, everywhere in the Middle East.
It seemed to me that Raquela lived more or less in the shadow of her more successful husbands, supporting their work, even as she did her own, as women did in those early days of the twentieth century, achieving success and advancement largely through their male counterpart’s good graces. From an early age, she consistently remained dedicated to Jews and the Jewish homeland, putting the needs of the country and its people before her own, from the time before the birth of Israel and then continuing afterwards. That is not to say that she ignored her own feminine desires. She grew up with the same hopes and ideas that all young girls dream of and had many romances of her own. She adored her older first husband, a successful, brilliant doctor and when he died was lucky enough to find another man to love. She married an old friend and associate of theirs, another successful doctor who had recently lost his wife. They, too, had a very happy, compatible and successful marriage.
Raquela was an accomplished nurse and midwife, praised and honored by those with whom she came in contact. She became involved in the development of programs to aid women throughout her career and even continued her first husband’s work after his death, enabled in this effort by another scholar and doctor. As a young nurse, she volunteered to work as a midwife in the DP camps set up by the British for Jewish immigrants. These Jews were caught trying to sneak into what later became Israel. They were just looking for a place to feel safe. It was after WWII and the Holocaust. In Europe, they continued to be persecuted when they tried to return to the homes they had lived in before the time of Adolf Hitler. Other people had moved into their former lives and refused to relinquish what they had stolen.
Raquela described the conditions in the camps. When compared to the camps set up for the Arabs by the United Nations which looked like suburban communities, the set up for the Jews by the British were like slums. Keep in mind, these people had already suffered the indecencies, indignities and horrors of the Holocaust and were now basically back in prison with inadequate medical care or equipment, even for the women who were pregnant. Many died as did their offspring. Their mental health was also ignored and when separated from their husbands and families, their fears of being tortured and slaughtered were once again renewed. Raquela brought her skill and personality to their care and also to others who were ill since doctors were in short supply and often unavailable in these camps.
Although the British had been presented with The Balfour Declaration in a letter written in 1917, expressing support for a Jewish State, they did not honor it. Finally, in 1939, The White Paper was written, calling for the establishment of a Jewish Homeland within the Palestinian Territory. However, it curtailed the ability to establish the homeland with its very strict requirements favoring the Arabs, and it, too, was never formally approved. Arab approval was a requirement for its acceptance and to this day that has never truly come to pass. The Arabs still consistently call for the annihilation of all Jews and refuse to recognize the Jewish homeland.
Repeatedly attacked by Arabs who now refused to accept the 1948 United Nations decision to establish the State of Israel, Arabs who even refused to accept the idea of a partition which would have given them both a safe place to live, the Israelis found themselves ill equipped to fight back. Yet they did, and were successful, in spite of the odds that were hugely against them. Great Britain, America and other countries still harbor anti-Semitism, still covet the oil in the Arab countries, still fear Muslim uprisings, and are still largely unwilling to publicly and loudly acknowledge and provide the Jews with the safe haven they need or the weapons required to help them maintain their security until their backs are against the wall and they have suffered unnecessary casualties. They truly have to answer to a higher standard.
Through the decades, as the Jews have been attacked by Arabs bent on their total destruction, the UN has remained silent or has condemned Israel. When it was believed that the Arabs had the upper hand, the UN did not react or intercede. However, the UN never failed to call for a cease fire and/or a truce when it was proven that the Arabs were losing in their fight against Israel. It seems that little has changed today. If anything, it has gotten worse with the spread of the BDS movement (a movement to boycott Israeli products manufactured in the West Bank), and the abundance of misinformation that is consistently dispersed, even by those in power in the United States, by those in the liberal media and in liberal schools, and often, by some misguided Jews, as well. Israel is still the David to the Goliaths of the world. It is my hope that readers of this book will be inspired to discover the real facts about Jewish history and the establishment of the state of Israel so that they will recognize the negative influence of the Arab countries and Muslim societies toward that effort to find a peaceful solution to the problem.
At this moment, the remarkable author of this book is alive and well at 104 years old. Originally published in 1978, it is a biography that crosses age lines because there is nothing in this book that could be characterized as offensive to either young or older adults. There is no indiscriminate sex or foul language, although there are some descriptions of warfare and the Holocaust that are more explicit. The book is written with an easy to read prose, simply, almost in conversational style. Although billed as an award winning biography, it reads more like historic fiction, especially when the once congenial relationship that existed between the Arabs and the Jews was described briefly through the characters of Aisha, a Muslim woman, and Tova, a Jew, mother of Raquela. According to the book, they actually liked each other and shared their time, conversation and tea together. Wouldn’t it be nice if that situation were to be reconstructed today, everywhere in the Middle East.
May 22, 2014
Three stars, but overall a big disappointment. This book has a great premise- an interesting woman living at an incredible time in Israel's history. Unbelievably,though this story fails because the author does not manage to delve into her characters. They remain shallow, the conversations between them are cardboard-y and awkward and I was really disappointed.
The author herself is an accomplished journalist and she does manage to make the historical facts that she writes about exciting. (And they are incredibly exciting- the birth of Israel as a state- the rescue of Jews from dp camps in Europe, the exploits of the hagana and Irgun against the occupying British etc.) But this lead to an awkward read- on one hand the history came alive, on the other hand the book is peopled with lifeless characters that fall flat. Which made for a very frustrated reader: I never really got to understand who Raquela was as a person- what did she think about? How did her early experiences affect her thinking and therefore her actions throughout the book? Her character was never fully flushed out. We are only left with simple, boring descriptions like "Raquela was angry." or "Raquela was frustrated." or "Raquela was happy."
Furthermore the author never really penetrates life in Israel. There is always something of the outsider looking in- in this book. I don't think Gruber herself ever got it. But even more than that I don't think she ever *wanted* to get it. I think she wanted to write from this patriarchal point of view; The author on-high overlooking and writing about her "subject". She never got down and dirty into the thick of the story with the characters. That is ultimately why the book in my opinion fails. For example, Gruber, a true New Yorker- describes Ben Yehuda Street as "the Fifth Avenue of Jerusalem". Really- how ego-centric can you get?
Gruber writes in her preface to the book that she was looking to tell the Story Of Israel through One Woman. I think had she had a less grandiose goal - to tell one woman's story in Israel- she would have been more successful.
The author herself is an accomplished journalist and she does manage to make the historical facts that she writes about exciting. (And they are incredibly exciting- the birth of Israel as a state- the rescue of Jews from dp camps in Europe, the exploits of the hagana and Irgun against the occupying British etc.) But this lead to an awkward read- on one hand the history came alive, on the other hand the book is peopled with lifeless characters that fall flat. Which made for a very frustrated reader: I never really got to understand who Raquela was as a person- what did she think about? How did her early experiences affect her thinking and therefore her actions throughout the book? Her character was never fully flushed out. We are only left with simple, boring descriptions like "Raquela was angry." or "Raquela was frustrated." or "Raquela was happy."
Furthermore the author never really penetrates life in Israel. There is always something of the outsider looking in- in this book. I don't think Gruber herself ever got it. But even more than that I don't think she ever *wanted* to get it. I think she wanted to write from this patriarchal point of view; The author on-high overlooking and writing about her "subject". She never got down and dirty into the thick of the story with the characters. That is ultimately why the book in my opinion fails. For example, Gruber, a true New Yorker- describes Ben Yehuda Street as "the Fifth Avenue of Jerusalem". Really- how ego-centric can you get?
Gruber writes in her preface to the book that she was looking to tell the Story Of Israel through One Woman. I think had she had a less grandiose goal - to tell one woman's story in Israel- she would have been more successful.
March 20, 2013
Here is my review on my book blog at http://bagelsbooksandschmooze.blogspo.... If you want to learn about pioneer nurses, and Palestine before it became Israel, and after, and want to learn about the history. You may want to pick up this book.
The writing is from a journalist view point. It is not sugary coated, simple and to the point. It is written by one of my favorite author's Ruth Gruber. She is a well known foreign correspondent. She took picture of Exodus, if you remember Paul Newman. She took picture of the holocaust survivors in the DP Camps.
Our book club read this, and we all loved reading about Raquela.
August 24, 2015
Raquela Prywes was indeed a remarkable woman and one who defines what it means to be a woman of Israel. She was a nurse and a midwife who delivered most of the babies born to Holocaust survivors, the ones who were pulled off 'illegal ships' and imprisoned in the British camps in Athlit and Cyprus. She also nursed wounded soldiers. And, on top of all this, she was extremely beautiful. This was a book I could hardly put down. I am glad to learn about this marvelous woman.
April 5, 2017
This is a must read...Israel thru the eyes of those who lived it!
An amazing inspiring book from the eyes of the nurse who was part of Israel's birth as a nation. Amazing historical facts.
An amazing inspiring book from the eyes of the nurse who was part of Israel's birth as a nation. Amazing historical facts.
June 25, 2013
This was an incredible story, inspiring, and a wonderful way to learn about history.
April 24, 2015
A riveting absorbing book written like a novel, about a formidable ye sensitive determined and dedicated woman whose story opens a window into the history of Israel from the 1929 Jerusalem and Hebron pogroms carried out against the Jews by Arab gangs until 1976.
Raquela is only five when she hides with her family in the house during the Arab pogroms.
During World War II she decides to become a nurse, and volunteers in 1947 for the Athlit and Cyprus internment camps. Shocking is the involvement of the British Occupation forces. Arming Arabs, interning Jewish holocaust survivors in concentration camps. Though some British soldiers for example in Cyprus show humanity and go against the trend.
Good account of the War of Independence , Six Day War and Yom Kippur Wars, as well as the terrorist raids into Israel froim the 1950s targeting Israel's civilian population..
Interesting to read how the Arab forces in Palestine under the Mufti included Nazi Germans, Poles and British deserters.
Covers the Isreaeli massive aid to Africa in the 1960s which Raquela and her husband were involved in.
Full of heartbreak (Raquela loses her friends and her son in the wars)and yet survival and is both sad and uplifting Highly recommendedA riveting absorbing book written like a novel, about a formidable ye sensitive determined and dedicated woman whose story opens a window into the history of Israel from the 1929 Jerusalem and Hebron pogroms carried out against the Jews by Arab gangs until 1976.
Raquela is only five when she hides with her family in the house during the Arab pogroms.
During World War II she decides to become a nurse, and volunteers in 1947 for the Athlit and Cyprus internment camps. Shocking is the involvement of the British Occupation forces. Arming Arabs, interning Jewish holocaust survivors in concentration camps. Though some British soldiers for example in Cyprus show humanity and go against the trend.
Good account of the War of Independence , Six Day War and Yom Kippur Wars, as well as the terrorist raids into Israel froim the 1950s targeting Israel's civilian population..
Interesting to read how the Arab forces in Palestine under the Mufti included Nazi Germans, Poles and British deserters.
Covers the Israeli massive aid to Africa in the 1960s which Raquela and her husband were involved in.
Full of heartbreak (Raquela loses her friends and her son in the wars)and yet survival and is both sad and uplifting Highly recommended
Raquela is only five when she hides with her family in the house during the Arab pogroms.
During World War II she decides to become a nurse, and volunteers in 1947 for the Athlit and Cyprus internment camps. Shocking is the involvement of the British Occupation forces. Arming Arabs, interning Jewish holocaust survivors in concentration camps. Though some British soldiers for example in Cyprus show humanity and go against the trend.
Good account of the War of Independence , Six Day War and Yom Kippur Wars, as well as the terrorist raids into Israel froim the 1950s targeting Israel's civilian population..
Interesting to read how the Arab forces in Palestine under the Mufti included Nazi Germans, Poles and British deserters.
Covers the Isreaeli massive aid to Africa in the 1960s which Raquela and her husband were involved in.
Full of heartbreak (Raquela loses her friends and her son in the wars)and yet survival and is both sad and uplifting Highly recommendedA riveting absorbing book written like a novel, about a formidable ye sensitive determined and dedicated woman whose story opens a window into the history of Israel from the 1929 Jerusalem and Hebron pogroms carried out against the Jews by Arab gangs until 1976.
Raquela is only five when she hides with her family in the house during the Arab pogroms.
During World War II she decides to become a nurse, and volunteers in 1947 for the Athlit and Cyprus internment camps. Shocking is the involvement of the British Occupation forces. Arming Arabs, interning Jewish holocaust survivors in concentration camps. Though some British soldiers for example in Cyprus show humanity and go against the trend.
Good account of the War of Independence , Six Day War and Yom Kippur Wars, as well as the terrorist raids into Israel froim the 1950s targeting Israel's civilian population..
Interesting to read how the Arab forces in Palestine under the Mufti included Nazi Germans, Poles and British deserters.
Covers the Israeli massive aid to Africa in the 1960s which Raquela and her husband were involved in.
Full of heartbreak (Raquela loses her friends and her son in the wars)and yet survival and is both sad and uplifting Highly recommended
December 3, 2016
I was overwhelmed at times with the events that transpired for the Jewish people returning to Palestine after WW11. Nothing prepared me for the terrible living conditions and the appalling way they were treated by the British. This was a black mark on humanity at so many levels. Raquela was a heroine to her people in so many ways. she was a very knowledgeable nurse and midwife as well a true humanitarian, not afraid to suffer the same terrible living conditions of the camps that the people did. This book is truly a classic. It was so well researched and dates documented for authenticity. Nothing like this has ever appeared in the history books. she was a real person living an extraordinary life. of service to her people. Both of her husbands also were very dedicated physicians who cared all of the patients who came to the hospitals they served. Even with a war outside the door, they stayed and bravely cared for patients. I will never truly understand why the Jewish people have suffered so many atrocities as they are articulate, well educated , dedicated to their families and careers and live exemplary lives. They only want their part of the Holy land that God gave to them. I think as persons of any culture, that is what we would want also. we all love our country of origin. The book gives many descriptions of the lands that the ancient Hebrews lived on and the historical landmarks around the areas. It is a fascinating read and I am much more knowledgeable about history and a better person for having read this book.
January 8, 2017
This is a favorite book of mine. The author, Ruth Gruber, wrote so well. She drew me in with how she presented the woman, Raquela, and what life was like in Israel during WWII. I like non-fiction and history. To almost feel like I am living at that time is interesting to me. The author lived it and could write it down. After reading this book I ended up reading all the other books that Ruth Gruber wrote. I especially liked the one about Russia after the war. I think Ruth Gruber is still alive and in her 90s living in New York City!
September 11, 2016
Excellent story of one woman whose life intricately intertwines the transition from British Occupied Palestine into the Jewish State of Israel.
June 17, 2007
Not a book I would normally pick up, but Saadia bought this for me so I felt like I should at least give it a try. I'm surprisingly into it at this point, despite some strong flaws. Basically, this is a fictionalized historical biography (if that's a genre) of a woman who was born in Israel in the mid-'20s and served as a nurse and midwife during the Independence War and Israel's emergence as a country. The writing is a little weak -- Gruber tried to have this read like a novel, complete with dialogue and drama, but I found the dialogue stilted and artificial and the characterization flat. Maybe it's because the author's a journalist rather than a novelist, or maybe writing a fictionalized biography is really difficult (i.e., balancing the need to stay true to the story with the need to fill in details and dialogue you don't have in order for it to read like a novel). The people aren't real to me as characters, more like the sum of their deeds. In addition, I normally don't enjoy detailed historical asides interspersed throughout a novel. However, in this case the woman and the history interest me and I'm a lot more forgiving of those things. In a sense, this is a sugar-coated history pill where you can learn a lot about the history of Israel in the guise of a biographical novel so that it's much more accessible than a history book would be, even though the novel part itself is mediocre.
September 13, 2012
A fascinating look at the birth of Israel through the eyes of a woman whose family goes back nine generations as residents of Jerusalem. It begins in 1929, when Palestine was still very much a backwater, and continues throughout its struggle for independence as the state of Israel. What I found most interesting is I'd always assumed that Israel had been allowed to form by most of the Western members of the UN; I had no idea that Britain was so very much opposed to it. It was shocking for me to find out that the Holocaust survivors who had made their way to the Promised Land after enduring such horrors found in concentration camps were then interned in yet more camps, separated by gender and kept behind barbed wire. My heart broke for all of those people when I read that.
The writing itself could have been stronger, though I am sure it was difficult for Gruber to put together a book that isn't quite a straight-up biography but is also based on a real person and therefore isn't a novel. It's rather like the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, in that respect -- a fictionalized biography. I was also a little disappointed with the emphasis on Raquela's "stunning" good looks, as if all her hard work and dedication to pregnant women and newborns were secondary to her beauty.
The writing itself could have been stronger, though I am sure it was difficult for Gruber to put together a book that isn't quite a straight-up biography but is also based on a real person and therefore isn't a novel. It's rather like the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, in that respect -- a fictionalized biography. I was also a little disappointed with the emphasis on Raquela's "stunning" good looks, as if all her hard work and dedication to pregnant women and newborns were secondary to her beauty.
February 18, 2015
Far more historical fiction than biography.
Enlightening and distressing from the historical viewpoint, even horrifying in regards to the detention camps of Athlit and Cypress.
Flat and even irritating in the narrative parts.
I really liked the actual historical parts. I learned things I had never heard. All the while, I was reminding myself that this wasn't an unbiased view of history. (Is there even such a thing?) So I got online and some research. The historical events are written clearly and were engrossing. That must come from the author's journalist background. The narrative was just annoying to me. Especially the 'Romance' parts, which felt like another YA love triangle or a 16 year old's diary. The 'characters' weren't fleshed out. Sure, we learn about them through their actions, but it is more of a recitation of their accomplishments than character development. These were real people and it would have been nice to connect to them as such, rather than feeling like they were cardboard cut-outs.
July 11, 2013
I love reading books about this period in Israel's history, but it's hard to find historical accounts that even pretend to address more than one side of such a contentious era of desperation and nationalism and volatile politics. This biography of Raquela Prywes is no exception, and while a lovely ode to a strong woman who believed in Israel, and although the author clearly has good intentions, Gruber alternates between vilifying and victimizing Arab residents by labeling them terrorists, witless political pawns, or poor souls in need of modernization. I'm not sure how to explain the truly incredible medical advances made in the region thanks to the spirit and determination of medical professionals like Raquela without describing the dire conditions many residents faced and comparing statistics of Arabs and Jews, but I kept hoping to read a passage that figured out a way to do it. Sadly I did not.
December 16, 2012
I almost gave up on this book. At first, I felt this book was disjointed and poorly written. I didn't think it was worth the effort. But I stuck with it because just as I started reading it, the turmoil in this region (Israel) was increasing. I thought I might understand today's bombings and unrest if I knew the history.
The story actually became cohesive and engaging as the writing itself (somehow) improved. By the end of the book I had a much better sense and appreciation of the history behind the turmoil this region continues to struggle with.
I would highly recommend this book (once you get past the first part)if you want to deepen your understanding of how Israel come-to-be and why there is so much contention among the various tribes, states, countries, cultures, and rulers. ( I chose not in include the 'people' in the previous list because I think that most people living in that area just want to live their lives and don't really care who is Jewish or Muslim or whatever.)
The story actually became cohesive and engaging as the writing itself (somehow) improved. By the end of the book I had a much better sense and appreciation of the history behind the turmoil this region continues to struggle with.
I would highly recommend this book (once you get past the first part)if you want to deepen your understanding of how Israel come-to-be and why there is so much contention among the various tribes, states, countries, cultures, and rulers. ( I chose not in include the 'people' in the previous list because I think that most people living in that area just want to live their lives and don't really care who is Jewish or Muslim or whatever.)
February 4, 2016
Ruth Gruber wanted to tell the story of the nation of Israel. To do so she wanted to find a true 'woman of Israel'. She found Raquela, who was a 9th generation Israeli. Beginning in the 1940s Raquela's story is told - nursing school to become a midwife, dealing with news of Hitler's atrocities against the Jews. Further tragedy when the Jews were rescued from the camps, and then had no 'homeland' to return to. Thousands of them ended up in refugee camps which were not much better than where they had been. Raquela is sent to some of these camps to care for the pregnant women there, to deliver their babies, as well as delivering hope of eventual freedom. The book is an excellent history lesson from the point of view of one who lived it. The Arab-Israeli conflict is nothing new, and the Jews still struggle to claim their 'homeland'.
March 12, 2018
This book has been on my shelf for a while (because it is old and a bit of a thick book), but I was pleasantly surprised by the wonderful story it told of an Israeli nurse and her work with refugees, Bedouins and other underprivileged individuals in Israel. Raquela set high standards for herself as she provided medical care to pregnant women and delivered babies, often with little support. She endured battles and wars in her country, worked in prison camps with filth and few supplies, and always treated her patients with kindness and utmost care. The story tells of Raquela's relationship with a doctor (fourteen years her senior) and her family life, in general. It goes into the history of Israel, its statehood, and what it has endured in its quest and maintenance of statehood. I'm glad I finally read this book!
April 22, 2019
Every story is important to someone, but some stories are meant to be shared. The story of Raquela Prywes, a sabra who lived through the birth of the state of Israel, and who played an important role as a nurse, wife and mother, is more than her personal story. It's the story of the Jewish people's struggles, victories and sorrows during these monumental years.
Ruth Graber searched long and hard to find the right woman's life to chronicle, and in the life of this woman she found what she had been looking for. She interviewed Prywes, examined original documents, met with a score of people who knew Prywes, including Golda Meir whose daughter's life Prywes saved.
Inserting just the right amount of background, Gruber brings to life what it was like for Prywes and her family. No wonder the book won the National Jewish Book Award.
Ruth Graber searched long and hard to find the right woman's life to chronicle, and in the life of this woman she found what she had been looking for. She interviewed Prywes, examined original documents, met with a score of people who knew Prywes, including Golda Meir whose daughter's life Prywes saved.
Inserting just the right amount of background, Gruber brings to life what it was like for Prywes and her family. No wonder the book won the National Jewish Book Award.
August 10, 2013
The title character lived a rich and meaningful life during the days before, during, and after Israel's struggle for nationhood. As a nurse/midwife, she worked in the camps into which the British forced the thousands who hoped to make Israel their home after World War Two. Later, she worked with her husbands to create a strong medical community. Despite the serious historical topics Gruber covers, she brings Raquela to life as a warm, caring, sensitive woman whose desire to marry the right man is a major motif in the biography. This inspiring summary of one one woman's life reminds us of what people can accomplish, and accomplish with dignity, in very difficult circumstances.
December 26, 2016
A biography of an Israeli sabra who saw the birth of the new nation. It follows her life from her childhood in Jerusalem to her death at age 60. It is a biography that reads like a novel.
At first I thought it was largely fictional as it includes many personal accounts that only Raquela would know. However, it became clear at the end of the book that the author wrote it in conjunction with Raquela. It therefore is almost like an autobiography.
It is one of the best books I know of to understand what life was like in Israel, from the refugee camps in Cyprus and the 1948 war to the Yom Kippur war.
At first I thought it was largely fictional as it includes many personal accounts that only Raquela would know. However, it became clear at the end of the book that the author wrote it in conjunction with Raquela. It therefore is almost like an autobiography.
It is one of the best books I know of to understand what life was like in Israel, from the refugee camps in Cyprus and the 1948 war to the Yom Kippur war.
August 5, 2018
This is the second time I've read this book and I loved it just as much. Any Hadassah member would feel such pride and goosebumps when Raquel!a
,student nurse is dark b for Henrietta Szo!!d. The price we feel in what Hadassah has built o Dr the years of taking i b Israel. The pains which taken the lives of young Israelis is sore!y touching. The history of the young nation and the enemies which surround her stand out clearly. The book ends after the Yom Kippur War and sadly RAquel a does not see some of the peace come to her nation . This book is true and heartfelt and written by an a ask b journa!ist, Ruth Gruber.
,student nurse is dark b for Henrietta Szo!!d. The price we feel in what Hadassah has built o Dr the years of taking i b Israel. The pains which taken the lives of young Israelis is sore!y touching. The history of the young nation and the enemies which surround her stand out clearly. The book ends after the Yom Kippur War and sadly RAquel a does not see some of the peace come to her nation . This book is true and heartfelt and written by an a ask b journa!ist, Ruth Gruber.
November 18, 2019
A non-fiction work about a woman “whose life defines what it means to be a woman of Israel.” Ruth Graber is a 9th generation Jerusalemite who was a nurse and midwife, delivering babies in refugee camps after World War II. The book begins in Raquela’s childhood during the Arab riots in 1929 which destroyed much of the Jewish quarter in Jerusalem. Raquela and her family remain, but are always a step away from disaster. The story follows her through her training as a nurse/midwife in the 1940s and her medical practice, often under horrible conditions in British refugee camps. I was not impressed with the writing, but the story was eye-opening.
December 20, 2019
Anyone who has the slightest question about Israel’s right to exist should read this book. What was done to Holocaust survivors by the British was just horrific and reprehensible. I have actually been to Atlit, where Raquela worked as a nurse-midwife, so I could very easily picture it in my mind as she was describing it. I remembering thinking when I was there how utterly atrocious it was to take Holocaust survivors at lock them up in over-crowded barracks behind barbed wire, in what was rightfully their own land no less! This is a riveting read. It was an amazing time and Raquela was an incredible woman.
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