THE BOOK FAIR

Review:

Batsheva, a free spirited convert to Judaism, moves into a strict, religious Jewish neighborhood in Memphis Tennessee, the former neighborhood of her husband, Benjamin Jacob.  Widowed at thirty two, and the mother of six year old, Ayala, Batsheva believes returning to her husband’s community, the best thing for her and her young daughter.

Mrs. Levy, the neighborhood busybody visits Bat-Sheva, bringing a welcome platter of food.  The women in the community begin to gossip.  Batsheva’s hair is too blonde, they say, and she moved in on Friday, the day reserved for cooking and cleaning for Sabbath.

Batsheva arrives at the synagogue Saturday morning; the ladies comment on her gauzy dress.  Helen says she’s not Jewish, Bessie says she sings too loud, Edith says she showing off, another wonders if she’s seeing someone special.

Eventually Bat-Sheva begins teaching at the school.  The students, enamored with Batsheva, pay more attention to their work.  However, their mothers are not so pleased.  They learn Batsheva has a tattoo and that she had an affair after Benjamin died.  The ladies are appalled when they learn, Batsheva and Yosef, the Rabbi’s son, study together, alone.  Bat-Sheva invites the mothers for cake and coffee; the ladies discuss their children, pray, sing and to their surprise, begin to dance along with Batsheva.  The women thrill at the freedom they feel, but adjust their clothing before they head home. 

After one of the girls runs away from home, the mothers blame Bat-Sheva and conspire to have her fired.

 

Tova Mirvis’s novel presents a delightful, wonderfully descriptive story of human nature bound in the small, close-knit, community.