Yosef Gotlieb

In the novel Rise, we are given an up close look at the situation in Israel. I was already familiar with it, but from a distant viewpoint, I would see or hear news bits, but I am so far removed physically that I don't feel very affected by it all. This book forced me to feel more about Israel than I expected, I can't become friends with the main character and not cry when she cries, or worry when things get too violent.

Although I have always been interested in stories about other nations, the main thing that interested me when I heard about this book was that Lilah is a photographer, which was the main reason I read it as soon as I did after receiving it. Once I started reading, though, the photography was just an added bonus to the rest of the story. I loved the characters in this novel. Gotlieb created an amazing woman in Lilah; I felt an immediate connection with her-even though I have never been in a situation like hers, she still felt relatable. I can't imagine suffering through what she did-being an injured victim of a bombing and of an attempted assault, losing people she was close to, and then still fighting for what she believed was right. Very powerful.

I only had two minor complaints about the book. The first would be the overuse of information that didn't directly concern the main characters. I understand the need for a lot of it-so the reader would have an idea of the larger impact of the events that affected the characters in the book, but there were passages in the book that felt almost like filler. The second complaint would just be the ending: just when Lilah is started to be happy, again, tragedy strikes, again, and the book ends on that note--with no resolution. It will be terribly disappointing if there is no sequel to tie up the lose ends.



*received a free digital copy from netgalley

… (més)

A plea for peace.

Rise was an interesting blend of novel and fact, woven around the recent history of the State of Israel. It represents an insider's view of the country and helps put the complicated politics into perspective for those of us who try to understand the problems from outside.

Lilah Kedem is an internationally recognised photographer; recording the happiness and pain of the world through its people. Following the death of her beloved brother in Israel, she had left her country and made her home in US. Her husband, Naftali, a member of the parliamentary opposition in Israel, could not live in the States and so the couple had spent many years living apart. Eventually Lilah decides to join Naftali and her son, Ido, who has, by now, also moved to Israel and a career in the Israeli army.
Once in Israel, she reunites with Michah, an old school friend, and together with Michah's husband, Issam, (a Jewish/Arab husband and wife) she becomes immersed in a call for peace within the country. As events appear to be spiralling out of control, they start up a grass-roots organisation, known as Na'aleh, or Rise,

The narrative was gripping and informative, but at the same time I did get rather bogged down in the politics around the middle of the story. Although peace between Israel and her neighbours is what we all wish for, I felt a bit like I was receiving a political manifesto at times.

In my opinion, books like this play a vital role in helping concerned citizens, world wide, to appreciate the complexities of the Israeli situation. Having read a number of books set both in Israel and Palestine, I hope I am beginning to develop a sense of balance. The whole situation is mind-bogglingly complex, but perhaps all it needs is some real determination and a collective will for peace.
Recommended.… (més)

In Rise, A Novel of Contemporary Israel, writer, scholar, and activist Dr. Yosef Gotlieb describes the emergence of a grassroots Israeli movement Rise to counter the violence and social ills and uphold the prophetic tradition of justice, equality, and tolerance for all citizens. Gotlieb uses the various forms of nationalist and religious extremism in both Israel and the Territories, international pressure on Israel, recent wars and developments in his storyline.
An internationally acclaimed photo-essayist, Lilah Kedem traveled the world as an advocate for outcasts –boat people off the coasts of Indochina and Haiti, Sudanese orphans of genocide, dispossessed peasants in the Yucatan. She leaves her comfort zone to make aliyah and return to Israel, the land of her birth. Shortly after her arrival Lilah witnesses an attack on an Arab woman in Yaffa and nearly escapes a bomb attack on the coastal road from Tel Aviv to Haifa. What can be done to stop the violence? Can Jews and Arabs live together peacefully?
While establishing a modern Peace movement, attacks continue, killing lots of innocent people. A group called The Sons of Gideon claim responsibility. Lilah wants to hunt them down, but Eli Zedek, security agent has the same goal. A powerful combination of whodunnit, thriller, suspects, complot theory, love story, visits to hotspots of both Israel’s nature and history, and spiritual restoration makes Rise a beautifully composed novel.
Both hunters search and finally find personal and societal redemption. Rise also offers a message of hope for peaceful coexistence among Jews and Arabs.… (més)