Book of the Week

The Jerusalem Inception by Avraham Azrieli
Recommended by Ben Fobel

On the brink of war, the city of Jerusalem is divided between rabbinical scholars and the rest of the secular population.

When a young scholar falls in love with a Mossad agent, named Tanya Galinksi, he begins to question his religious observance and his family’s ultra-orthodox life. After breaking the bonds of his religious life, Lemmy begins to explore both his sexual desires, and aspects of modern life that had been kept from him by his family.

Through this journey of enlightenment, Lemmy learns that he has a strong sense of justice. With Israel on the verge of war, he volunteers for a dangerous mission that will determine the outcome of the greatest Middle-Eastern conflict the world has ever seen.

Behind the story of Lemmy, a deeper tale of secret agents, the Nazi regime and a complicated love triangle is taking place. These aspects are beautifully set up by Azrieli, and are consequently concluded in the book's sequel, The Jerusalem Assassin. Altogether, I found the book to be completely gripping. The main story that is centred on Lemmy complements and is complemented by the background story; the masterful way Azrieli switches seamlessly between the two, before tying up the stories at the end of The Jerusalem Assassin, is truly amazing.

What is interesting is Lemmy’s transformation from a strict Jew to a more secular Israeli. The book takes the reader through Lemmy’s doubts and desires as he leaves his family and everything he has ever known in order to explore the outside world. I consequently believe that this book is an excellent read, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys spy and infiltration stories, and also anyone who wants to learn about strict Israeli Jews living around the time of the Six Day War or just more about the Jewish religion in general.