Moghrabi's Olives

Rating:
Summary: The other side of the story
Review: "Moghrabi's Olives" is a warm and engaging love story, a deeply moving family saga, a well-researched piece of history, and a sensitive depiction of Palestinian culture, little understood or appreciated by the outside world. A Palestinian "War and Peace," overwhelmingly and most importantly, it is simply the other side of the story, which few in the United States know. It is important for Americans to learn their story because the U.S. was and is complicit in the Palestinian's loss of their homeland, their wheat fields, and their olive trees. More than ever I understand the wisdom in the motto of the organization A Jewish Voice for Peace: "Security for Israel requires justice for Palestinians."

Rating:
Summary: The other side of the story
Review: "Moghrabi's Olives" is a warm and engaging love story, a deeply moving family saga, a well-researched piece of history, and a sensitive depiction of Palestinian culture, little understood or appreciated by the outside world. A Palestinian "War and Peace," overwhelmingly and most importantly, it is simply the other side of the story, which few in the United States know. It is important for Americans to learn their story because the U.S. was and is complicit in the Palestinian's loss of their homeland, their wheat fields, and their olive trees. More than ever I understand the wisdom in the motto of the organization A Jewish Voice for Peace: "Security for Israel requires justice for Palestinians."

Rating:
Summary: A Lesson For ALL!
Review: As an American, I was never taught nor have I ever read in the newspapers the true story of the Palestinian people. After reading Moghrabi's Olives, I learned that they are a people with no voice, yet they have such a rich history! It is a shame to think that for generations people of all faiths lived peacefully in Palestine and now that time and place no longer exist. The beauty of Moghrabi's Olives is that it does not ask you to take sides. It simply offers the side of the story that Americans have never heard. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter are riveting. And the words and emotions of Hamzi Moghrabi as he retells the painful story of his father's life are heartbreaking. I learned about Zionism, Islam, Christianity and Judaism but most of all I learned about humanity. The Palestinian people are survivors and even though they are still forced to live in the most inhumane conditions in the refugees camps all over the Middle East---they continue to dream, hope and fight for life as they once knew it. I applaud Deborah Rohan for taking this opportunity to tell a beautiful story with integrity and conscience.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent history of Palestine from one family's perspective
Review: Deborah Rohan's Moghrabi's Olives is a moving account of one family's ordeal in losing their home, their land and most importantly their hope.
It is an intimate portrait rarely seen in other works about Palestine. For an Irish American who had no knowledge about the area, Rohan did a superb job.
A must read for anyone interested in the Palestinian Israeli conflict.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, Poignant, Truthful
Review: I read this extremely well written true story with a very open mind- I am Jewish, never stepped foot in Israel and always felt that Israel had a right to defend itself against extremely aggressive neighbours who attacked all the time, even on the most wholly day, Yom Kipper. Deborah Rohan's book took an interesting angle for me- that of the front-line Palestinian family which endured (and still endures) isolation and separation from their homeland. I can now sympathize with their situation. I however, note that a completely impartial reader would be guided by the chapter "quotations" which point specifically to the overriding assumption that Israel's main objective was to rid Israel of all Arabs. I wonder how the Palestinians would have reacted if the UN decided to give all of Israel to them- and the Israelis wanted to stay on.... Also, the UN choice of splitting the country in two was immediately not accepted and Israel and settlers were immediately attacked- a peaceful acceptance could have/may have resulted in a peaceful sharing of the country. The Palestinians attacked, and lost, over and over again, and even today, a terrorist walked in to a settlement, held hostage and killed a mother and 11-year old child. The world will not tolerate nor sympathize with this method of getting attention (Rohan points out that Israel attacked the British with bombs and such while under British occuppation). My overall analysis and summary, is that if the result of the UN had been different, or if the Palestinians and Arab nations had won the 1st war in '48, there probably wouldn't be ANY Jewish settlers living in the area now. One side wins, the other loses in war- not fair, but fact.
I am glad I purchased and read this well-written book!

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read
Review: This beautifully written story of the Moghrabi family is so illuminating and mind expanding. How easy it is to think we know the facts, yet how hard it is to truly understand the situation. Read this book and review your history. I think you will find that this author has given new light to the subject. She does not ask you to take sides, but shows the humanity, love and compassion in a family who loved their land, their home and their Rabbi neighbor,only to lose everything when they had to flee the country. Even the olive takes on a new meaning. This book is powerful.