Between Friends - Winner of the National Jewish Book Award
Between Friends is eight interconnected stories, set in the fictitious Kibbutz Yekhat. We meet idealistic men and women who have chosen to build a life on a Kibbutz. These stories profile their lives of hardship and joy while trying to live with the demands of one of the greatest and most challenging dreams of the twentieth century. Because the difficulties that lie within this particular dream are the amount of compromise and negotiation that are required to make it work. We will meet a devoted father who fails to challenge his daughter’s lover; an elderly gardener who carries on his shoulders the sorrows of the world; a woman writing perversely poignant letters to her husband’s mistress. These stories show us the complexities of ordinary human life bumping up against the idealism of life on a Kibbutz, and how even the best dreams demand human work and compromise to flourish.
Amos Oz draws on his deep connection to Israel, Kibbutz life and his own life on a Kibbutz to fashion stories that help us understand the amount of discipline, work and commitment needed to live in a shared group life. He writes with love as well as discipline - a very powerful way to tell stories that inspire, teach and build the posssibility of communal living - whether in a kibbutz or just in our neighborhoods.
A Tale of Love and Darkness - Winner of the National Jewish Book Award
The seminal classic by Amos Oz
Amos Oz was a rare talent; he wrote about reconciliation between Jews and Arabs, men and women, religious and secular beliefs all through the lens of intense compromise and intention. Protagonists resembling his mother are peppered throughout his writings as well; she is the centre of his story. This book, which has been translated into many languages, originally wasn’t intended for publishing – it was written for family and friends.
A Tale of Love and Darkness" by Amos Oz is a deeply personal and poignant memoir that explores the complex interplay of love, despair, and identity against the backdrop of a developing Israeli state. This autobiographical work lays out the narrative of Amos Oz's Jerusalem childhood in the 1940's, intricately blending the history of Israel with the story of Oz's own family, detailing their struggles, aspirations, and tragedies.
The book captures the emotional and social currents of Jerusalem in the years before Israeli statehood and during the early years of the nation. We learn about Oz's childhood in the war-torn city, his relationship with his parents, and the tragic suicide of his mother when he was just twelve years old. These personal elements are interwoven with broader themes of cultural and political significance, including the impact of the Holocaust on Jewish immigrants, the tensions between socialist ideals and reality, and the conflicts between Jews and Arabs in the region.
Oz's narrative is rich in detail and filled with introspection, making use of both humor, fear and sorrow to tell a story that is as much about a nation as it is about an individual. The memoir is not only a historical document but also a literary exploration of memory and identity, providing insights into the intricacies of life in Israel through the lens of one of its most significant literary figures. A deeply personal memoir of the author's childhood and adolescence moving from Lithuania to Jerusalem. His personal reflections intimately weave all the events that transformed him and his family; as they tell the history of the founding of Israel and the costs endemic in this historical birth. Looking with Amos Oz's eyes at the early history and founding of Israel we can see the heady promise of a Jewish homeland. As someone whose family came from Romania to Israel and onward to the United States, I see the history of my family and many other Jewish families in this powerful story.
14 weeks is barely enough time to spend with one of the great writers of modern times. But these two award winners of Amos Oz will allow us to understand the history of Israel more clearly, and understand how difficult it is to create peace in this land. I think this SDG will be illuminating and hopefully create more understanding on the complex difficulties in the Middle East.
Between Friends: Week 1: King of Norway, 2 Women, Between Friends and Father
Week 2: Little Boy, At Night, Deir Ajloun and Esperanto
A Tale of Love and Darkness: The 560 pages (62 chapters) will be divided over 11 weeks.
Movie: A Tale of Love and Darkness; starring Natalie Portman - Week 14
https://www.roku.com/whats-on/movies/a-tale-of-love-and-darkness?id=59b34794d6e450b48cfbd0e13cdca000 - link to movie
A Tale of Love and Darkness; Amos Oz - Mariner Press
Between Friends; Amos Oz - Amazon Press