Perhaps the most significant and telling part of my review copy of Grains of
Sand came even before opening the bubble-wrapped package. The author's
return address, a Caravilla, explained just where she was coming from – and
where she was going.
For those who have just arrived from another planet, their Caravilla was
offered by the government as a replacement for their original home that had
been destroyed in Gush Katif...
Do not expect to read a step-by-step newspaper account of events leading up
to the subtitle of the book, “The Fall of Neve Dekalim”. Unless you have
been burying your head like an ostrich in Grains of Sand, you know that
story already. Instead, Shifra presents vibrant anecdotes, conversations,
pictures, and scenes from the day-to-day life of her family that had been
living in Gush Katif.
The author may have been driven to write this book in order to help herself
deal with the impossible. She wrote calmly, simply, forcefully, and without
platitudes. She expressed sadness, rather than pain or rancor. As a result,
she has helped us re-live one of the most divisive epochs in the history of
the Jewish nation.
Yes, the book presents a clear and highly subjective point of view, as would
be expected. Perhaps that is an additional reason why politicians, social
scientists, and other good Jews from across the Israeli political spectrum
would do well to read this book. It will help all of us understand the
frustrated thoughts and feelings, the tragedy of a lost and crushed future,
and the dashed hopes of victims of circumstances beyond their control.
David Grossman,
Owner of The Jewish Internet,
with 40 websites and 136 popular forums
home page Book Reviews
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