The Jewish Bride - A Zsidó Menyasszony
God created humanity because he loves stories. Prayer brings you closer to the Creator, but Rabbi Nachman says that prayer is not the most intense spiritual experience. The deepest of the deep is when somebody tells their story to G-d. Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach based on Rabbi Nachman of Breslov
“The Jewish Bride, is a meaningful inspiration to spiritual seekers
from all walks of life.” ELLE
from all walks of life.” ELLE
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The Jewish Bride was published by Konkret Konyvek in June 2009 in Budapest in Hungarian, and sold out within three months. It’s currently going through its second printing. It was well received at the Hungarian National Book Fair and got significant attention in the Hungarian media: Nepszabadsag (the largest Hungarian daily) wrote: “I have to write about this book, because it is truly unique. I’ve never read anything like this before. It’s a page-turner, anyone could easily absorb it: its language and setting is cool, yet it addresses fundamental issues, such as the meaning of life, discovering ourselves and faith.”
The book was praised by the Hungarian National Radio’s literary and cultural magazines, Litera (the largest literary website in Hungary) and Uj Konyvek (publication of Hungarian libraries). It was widely recommended in the Jewish community, but new age publications such as Elixir (the largest spiritual magazine of Hungary) also felt that it spoke to its readers. From feminist mediums such as Tilos Radio alternative radio station’s lesbian show to mainstream women’s magazines such as ELLE, Marie Claire or Joy journalists agreed the book had an important message.
Most of the author’s fans are women in their twenties and thirties and of all faiths. The Jewish Bride addresses Jewish identity-related issues from a cutting-edge perspective that is important to today’s youth regardless of their religious or ethnic background, such as moving abroad, divorce, alcoholism, drugs, feminism, terrorism, depression, new-age philosophy – as well as more generic questions relating to the meaning of life.
"This novel is truly a pioneer work, since it explores a topic that is taboo in most circles with great psychological and sociological depth. Every page of the Jewish Bride proves to be an exciting read to Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike." Rabbi Slomo Koves, Chabad - United Israelite Federation
The book was praised by the Hungarian National Radio’s literary and cultural magazines, Litera (the largest literary website in Hungary) and Uj Konyvek (publication of Hungarian libraries). It was widely recommended in the Jewish community, but new age publications such as Elixir (the largest spiritual magazine of Hungary) also felt that it spoke to its readers. From feminist mediums such as Tilos Radio alternative radio station’s lesbian show to mainstream women’s magazines such as ELLE, Marie Claire or Joy journalists agreed the book had an important message.
Most of the author’s fans are women in their twenties and thirties and of all faiths. The Jewish Bride addresses Jewish identity-related issues from a cutting-edge perspective that is important to today’s youth regardless of their religious or ethnic background, such as moving abroad, divorce, alcoholism, drugs, feminism, terrorism, depression, new-age philosophy – as well as more generic questions relating to the meaning of life.
"This novel is truly a pioneer work, since it explores a topic that is taboo in most circles with great psychological and sociological depth. Every page of the Jewish Bride proves to be an exciting read to Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike." Rabbi Slomo Koves, Chabad - United Israelite Federation
Synopsis
My novel portrays the spiritual development of Sara Dallos, a university student from a Jewish intellectual family in Budapest. In my book I am examining positive Jewish identities by introducing the beauty, hardships and dilemmas of spirituality and life in Hungary and Israel from many different perspectives. I am trying to illustrate in my novel how the spiritual path could be a valid alternative in the 21st century for young people.
The novel addresses issues from a cutting edge Jewish perspective that are important to today’s youth regardless of their religious or ethnic background, such as moving abroad, divorce, alcoholism, drugs, feminism, terrorism, homosexuality, depression, new age philosophy – as well as more generic questions related to the meaning of life.
In my book I’m portraying different lifestyles and political views in order to show readers varieties of Jewish identity and ways to build their personality and enrich their lives. The novel depicts students and musicians; self-hating post-Socialist assimilates and self-assured Kibbutzniks; yuppies and hippies; rational scientists and mystical Hassids; a surfing Rabbi and a jid in an Iron Maiden T-shirt; Israelis and Palestinians; peace activists and soldiers; to inspire readers in finding their own path within Judaism.
I’m using my insights as a sociologist when describing different social groups, and due to my experience in journalism, I have applied reporting elements in my literary work. This book is a women’s literary fiction story, since it describes the story of Sara in three parts based on her three love affairs. Her relationships are with the Belgian, a non-observant mathematician interested in numerology; Baruch Simcha, a Californian, hippie musician living in Jerusalem; Avraham, a religious natural healer, Hungarian ex-Hassid living in Safed. The main character goes through two disastrous, co-dependent relationships until she realizes that she needs to rescue herself in order to attract the right relationship into her life. She tries many different ways to find herself: yoga, meditation, traveling, psychotherapy, until she finds her path in religion. The book shows how the Jewish mystical path can be a way to find harmony in our daily lives.
The plot follows a linear narrative from the post-Socialist 1990s until the end of the Second Intifada. Sara is an average, shy Hungarian Jewish university student (sings in a band, does not want to grow up, parties with her friends) who gets depressed upon the divorce of her parents. The Belgian with his existential philosophy shakes up her universe, but as a nihilist, he is not able to provide her with answers regarding the meaning of life. They go together to a synagogue, where Sara sees her long-forgotten grandfather’s portrait, whom she learns is well respected in the community as a miraculous rebbe. After the disappearance of her alcoholic father and an unsuccessful suicide attempt the Belgian takes Sara to Israel, where she has spiritual revelations at the Western Wall and feels like she found her spiritual home in Safed. Upon their return to Hungary the Belgian breaks up with Sara, who later meets Baruch Simcha traveling through Hungary. She follows him to Israel, where she studies in a yeshiva (Jewish religious school) during the period of September 11, 2001. Baruch dies in a terrorist attack, that Sara survives, and surprisingly enough, becomes a leading figure in the Israeli peace movement. As her semester comes to an end in Israel she returns to Safed, where she falls in love with Abraham, whom she is deeply connected to on a mystical level: their grandfathers were best friends during the Holocaust’s deepest misery.
During the three parts of the novel the narrator’s voice and tone as well as her insights deepen; her style changes from slang to more traditional literary vocabulary symbolizing changes in her character. The three parts of the novel have similar structures with returning elements according to the cyclical nature of the Jewish tradition. I have constructed the three parts of the book after the Kabalistic sephirot (also called the Tree of Life) and the three relationships portray different aspects including Gvurah (judgement), Chesed (kindness) and Tiferet (harmony). As according to Judaism situations and issues keep re-occurring until one could solve them, throughout the novel Sara faces ongoing challenges with her friendships, sexuality, the holocaust, terrorism, supernatural events and death. While Sara tries to find herself, she solves the family mystery by discovering her grandfather’s heroism.
In Israel she finds not only her roots, but also her faith, spiritual community, love and home. Sara becomes a bride not only to possibly to Abraham, but also to hear heritage, like the Shabbat Bride who is welcomed by the congregation of Israel on Friday evenings.
English edition
The Jewish Bride has been translated to English, we are currently seeking an agent or publisher.
