Middle East Media and Book Reviews Online Volume 1, Issue 1 | Page 42

2/2/2016

Middle East Media and Book Reviews Online

meetings. Egyptians spoke out against the “cultural invasion” of Israelis going to Egypt (p. 160).
Somekh’s book presents a fascinating life story of a man who attempted to bridge the gaps between Hebrew and Arabic, between Arab and Israeli
intellectuals, and between Arabs and Jews within Israel. However, what is most interesting is the degree to which it seems he was able to navigate
and familiarize himself with the world of Arab intellectuals and writers in 1950s Israel, in a way that today seems impossible. Another contribution
of this book is to present a glimpse into the history of Jewish immigrants to Israel who came from Muslim countries. These immigrants were often
shabbily treated in the 1950s, sent by order to far flung development towns where they ended up at low paying jobs and lived out lives of poverty.
These social distinctions and the discrimination inherent in the process of immigration in the 1950s still reflect in Israeli society today. While
Somekh found some success in Israel, he was more readily accepted abroad in places such as Oxford. Even today Jewish academics who are
descended from Jews that came from Muslim countries are massively under-represented in Israeli higher education. Somekh’s story therefore
represented a double struggle, against discrimination at home and against discrimination against Arab-Jewish ties in the region. This important book
will be a resource to scholars who are interested in the author’s work and the relationship between himself and major literary figures such as
Mahfouz.

Middle East Media and Book Reviews Online

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