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Why the novel "The Source" gives wrong impressions of Jews and Israel - Printable Version

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Why the novel "The Source" gives wrong impressions of Jews and Israel - Nooone - 04-07-2021

the fictional Novel "The Source" which has some glaring ommisions and poor impressions in regard to Jews and Israel
Chapter #15 was 1880; Chapter # 16 was 1948. No mention is made of World War I in the Middle East; nor is their mention of the Zion Mule Corps; the Jewish Legion; the split of the Zionist movement between Ben-Gurion and Vladimir Jabotinsky; the rise of Arab Nationalism;World War II..(as a matter of historical Fact that the first Jews killed in the Shoah September 1,1939 were "illegeal" Immigrants killed by RAF Planes on a beach in Herliza.. ALso in one chapter that King Josiah was killed by Egyptians  becaise he did an insane act of opposing them [Yet see Ginzbergs Legends of the Jews for the real reason]
Indeed eading this book does leave a poor impression of "The People of the Book" (Torah) via the following fictional characthers:
The Zefat Rabbi...a knowledgeable Scholar who lacks humilty...in the case of a faithful Jewish wife those husband and abandoned her and bigamsy married another woman..after he dies she asks permission to marry again..but her brother refuses her permission backed by the Rabbi who only repsondes The Law is the Law'..without explaining how a widow trying to marry again..will break Jewish Law..{It is hinted that his lack of humilty will bring about his death since his attitude echos a Jewish King [Abijam] who refused to let his enemies be immediately buried until they were unrecoginable..thus leaving their Widows in a uncertain state of weather they could remarry again..thus his life was cut short...likesie the impression of the rabbi is that of Someone who during the 1948-1949 war when the community he is in charge of..his sole thought is to become a holy martyr.....while refusing in any way to defend his community from Arab attacks...likewise also during the 1948-1949 war he quarrels with the Sabra wife of the Jewish main characther...he never address the fact that although she is an atheist...yet who is also spiritually alone..nor does he give any consuling that she feels great anger toward the orthdox as years before when he grandfather had tried to establish a jewish settlement outside ghetto walls..he was badly beaten and humilitated...lastly he does not reapprove her arrogant claim that the new Jewish state will have a generation that does not know Rabbis...since the Jewish People..the Torah and the Land of Israel are all interconnected....
Eliaav the Jew and Jameel the Arab....Eliaav the new Secularized Jew...claims proudly to be a Cohan..yet violates a rule that Cohans should not go near a graveyard..when the Tell he is helping to evcavate is the very place where his Sabra wife was killed in 1948-1949..he also seems to be quite ineffetive in dealing with particular cases...example a pair of Jews from India who cannot marry because they cant prove their 700 year old lineage; a pious Jew from New York who cant open a Kosher restrurant because of nitpicking advice...a gentile woman atheist..those son had a jewish father but the son is refused to become of the Jewish Nation...he gives no indication of trying to solve any of these problums..{Possible solutions: the India jews while they cannot prove their lineage..could be asked before a Bet Din court of what they know about being Jews...and if they are sincere beleivers..to marry; the New York Jew should not have been subject to last minuite nitpicking..but instead should have had a long session step by step on how to make his food kosher; regarding the Gentile woman and her son..the issue should not be weather the woman herself converts to Judiasm but if her son sincerely wishes to do so..now legally he cannot inherit Judiasm as in cases where the mother is Jewish..but again he should brought before a Bet Din court on weather he sincerly wishes to beleive in and convert to Judiasm}. it also hints that Eliaav will pursue a course of "PEace Now" with the Arab nations something he began even when he was fighting them back in 1948-1949[!] In contrast is the anti-hero/hero Jameel who comes out looking better then Eliaav who admits frankly that his family which has existed since caveman times at the sight of the Source has held to one firm belief...never leave this land and that politics and religion matters not...thus they have been Caananites; Jews; Pagan Greeks and Romans, Chrisitan Crusaders...and lastly Arab Moselms [it is not explained how his family line surivied the destructuin of the Crusader ancestors 700 years before.)


RE: Why the novel "The Source" gives wrong impressions of Jews and Israel - RabbiO - 04-09-2021

(04-07-2021, 01:31 PM)Nooone Wrote: the fictional Novel "The Source" which has some glaring ommisions and poor impressions in regard to Jews and Israel.........

It's not that the The Source is above of criticism. In the 56 years since its initial publication it has been criticized for many reasons, some more understandable than others. Your post is the first time I've seen it criticized for being only being 1,200 pages long. Other than the critical response from Orthodox elements at the time the book was first published, your post is probably the angriest reaction and the nastiest overreaction to the novel that I can recall.


RE: Why the novel "The Source" gives wrong impressions of Jews and Israel - Nooone - 04-10-2021

https://agudah.org/the-jewish-observer-vol-4-no-1-january-1967shevat-5727/

The Complex Anti-Nationalistic Zionism Of James Michener | The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com | Saul Jay Singer | 26 Sivan 5780 – June 17, 2020 | JewishPress.com


RE: Why the novel "The Source" gives wrong impressions of Jews and Israel - Nooone - 04-10-2021

I simplying pointing out anyone who doesnt know the interrelationship between the Torah; the Jewish People and the land of Israel...could conclude that "The Source " is indeed a de facto History Book of the History of Israel..with a little bit of fiction added..when in fact the opposite is true a few facts with a lot of fictioanl storytelling mxed togther....


RE: Why the novel "The Source" gives wrong impressions of Jews and Israel - back again - 05-21-2022

Just as equaly bad was his sopa opera/stock characthers "Centennial" of the Great American West,,,,
Centennial | Moviepedia | Fandom

However juding by sales///Both "The Source" and "Centennail" will continute to be on the beast sellers listing forever and ever.... Tongue Sick Sick Sick Sick Sick Sick Tongue just like his other novels "Poland" and the one on "South Africa" {stock characthers and historical framework).....Best sellers all around...The only Country Michner never wrote about was Ireland but Leon Uris did so....his soap oepra Novel "Trinity" has just about the same soap opera strcuture of "The Source" and "Centinneal" best seller of course....


And if "The source" is ever made into a Mini-series..I would be suprized if there is going to be a proArab slant in the storytelling.... Rolleyes JAmeel the heroic Arab those family a has lived in Israel since caveman times....vs the irreligious modern  "ben Gurion" Jew Eliaav..it probably conclude...saying this conflicft cannot be solved......with final fade ins of Pro Arab/PLO channters...waving PLO flags....implying of coursse that Jews must bow down to world pressure for peace...and sail forever in a great Ark.(since no gentile nations wiil accept any New settlement of Jews in its borders)..and that once all the Jews have left the land of israel..Peace will come and reign forever and ever,,,,