Love, betrayal and the birth of a nation.

This is essentially an exploration of love and betrayal, both at the personal and societal level. Shmuel Ash is a young Jewish man living in Jerusalem in the early years of the independent Israeli state. He finds himself at a crossroads in his life; his father's bankruptcy has forced him to abandon his university studies on the role of Judas in the formation of the Christian religion and he is drifting, trying to find a new role for himself.

He takes up employment as a part-time carer to an elderly, brilliant man who lives in an old house with his daughter-in-law. As the people and the house begin to give up their secrets, Shmuel is forced to examine his own life through the prism of the lives of others. In particular he speculates on the life of Jesus, weighing up whether he was simply a pious Jew who was only tying to return Judaism to a purer form. Additionally, was it in fact Judas, the disciple who truly and passionately believed in Christ's mission and divinity, who became the first Christian through his betrayal of Jesus and the subsequent crucifixion and resurrection.

Shmuel discovers that he is living with the widow and father-in-law of a Zionist who was branded a traitor by the first Israeli government. That man was believed to have betrayed the Jews in their struggle against the British and the Arabs for nationhood because of his belief that Jews and Arabs could live together in Palestine, in peace and harmony. All of Shmuel's belief in Zionism is brought into question by this discovery and his growing friendship and love for his employer and housemate. What is the nature of betrayal and the meaning of love, between friends, families, comrades and races? And how has religion muddied the waters?

This is an engrossing and thought-provoking novel. Beautifully written and full of interesting ideas.

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A very thoughtful rendering of a story of a nation

The Story of Israel recounted through lives of individuals, their loves, strivings and doubts. d

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Tender love and betrayal

Beautifully written exploration of love and betrayal...

Oz juxtaposes the insights derived by a young man employed and accommodated in a household of unconventional Zionists in the 1940s and '50s with the role of Judas in Jesus' crucifixion.

Oz writes tenderly about love, coming of age, and alternative views of an imagined future. He explores the freezing out of Zionists who conceptualised a state that would accommodate both Jews and Palestinians in a widely democratic and diverse state and society. Alongside this he portrays Judas as a spy turned disciple, encouraging Jesus to travel to Jerusalem where he will not only be crucified as a threat to Roman power, but will demonstrate his divine status. An act of treachery led to recognition of godliness.

More generally, can acting to protect a hard-fought ideal be both treacherous and a demonstration of love?

Terrifically read, thought provoking, stirring and contemporary...

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2 people found this helpful

Interesting story

Not able to find a strong relationship with the NT Judas but penetrating on human nature.

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workmanlike and invaluable rendition

...of the heady days in Jerusalem at the time of the Israeli war of Independence.
Oz has managed to interweave within this a romance for a young man coming of age.
There is also within these pages a gut renching reminder of living in the gut wrenching horror wartime and the sickening burden of living, and dying as a man stigmatised traitor.
beautifully narrated lesser known work to be treasured.

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an ok book

this is a book that is a platform for for the authors ideas. in other words he is on a soap box

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