Crossing Cairo
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“Sohn has written a provocative and mesmerizing book of extraordinary passion and insight. I could not put it down!” ~ Rabbi David Ellenson, President,
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion “Crossing Cairo is simply FASCINATING. A treasure-trove of candid reflections on society, religion, politics, history and national memory in today’s Egypt.” ~ Prof. Suleiman A. Mourad, Ph.D., Dept. of Religion, Smith College
“Crossing Cairo is a compelling personal story of the author’s sojourn in Egypt; it provides insight into the Arab Spring and the events that led up to it; most importantly, it explores the question of what it means genuinely to listen to the “Other’s” narrative and use it as a lens for examining one’s own. Sohn’s willingness to open herself to Egyptians’ perspectives on Israel and Judaism is most impressive.” ~ Judith Plaskow, Ph.D., Professor of Religious Studies,
Manhattan College “Crossing Cairo is compelling reading for anyone who cares about the Middle East. Thoughtful, balanced, insightful, and delightfully written, Sohn’s work earns a place on the shelf with travel writers as diverse as Bruce Chatwin, De Tocqueville, and ibn Battuta.” ~ Rabbi Burton L. Visotzky, Ph.D., Director Milstein Center for Interreligious Dialogue, Jewish Theological Seminary.
In Crossing Cairo, Rabbi Ruth Sohn has written a compelling account of her and her family’s experiences living in Egypt. Advised not to share the fact that they are Jewish, they discover what it means first to hide and then increasingly to share their Jewish identity. Wondering whether it would be possible to cross the barriers of language, culture, and religion to form real friendships and find a home among Egyptians, Sohn takes us on a remarkable journey as she encounters the many faces of Cairo.
After the fall of Mubarak, Sohn returns to Cairo to find a newly exuberant and infectious patriotism and hope. Throughout this probing contemplation of self and other in a world that is foreign and in many ways inimical to her own as an American Jew, Sohn shows how even the seemingly mundane events of daily life can yield unexpected discoveries. Published by Gaon Books |