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THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF JERUSALEM

by Sarit Yishai-Levi ; translated by Anthony Berris ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 5, 2016

None of the characters shine enough to inspire or enlighten readers.

A tale of several generations of women cursed to love men who love other women.

As the book opens, Gabriela Siton relates the story of her mother Luna’s death, and in describing her final year, Yishai-Levi, a journalist and nonfiction author, captures the family dynamic and lays out the drama—Luna doesn’t get along with Gabriela; she’s unhappy with her husband, David; she didn’t get along with her mother, Rosa; and all this has left Gabriela at loose ends. Gabriela seeks answers from her Aunt Allegra in Tel Aviv, trying to understand the family “curse,” and then the book shifts mostly to Rosa’s and Luna’s viewpoints. It abruptly shifts back in the end to Gabriela’s, skipping over years, when earlier, the narrative plodded slowly through days. There are so many characters that we only get a brief look at some of them, and so many disappointments and heartbreaks that they begin to lose their impact. Ordinary lives can be made beautiful, but when they belong to characters who are either unsympathetic or rudimentary, they are rendered ineffective. The characters’ faith, which influences so many of the important decisions in their lives, mostly comes across as routine, habit, or even superstition. Some of the characters become involved in the struggle for modern Israel, and their political fervor is similarly underdeveloped.

Pub Date: April 5, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-250-07816-2

Page Count: 384

Publisher: Dunne/St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2016

RELIGIOUS FICTION | HISTORICAL FICTION

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BOOK REVIEW

by Sarit Yishai-Levi ; translated by Gilah Kahn-Hoffmann

WE WERE THE LUCKY ONES

by Georgia Hunter ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 14, 2017

Too beholden to sentimentality and cliché, this novel fails to establish a uniquely realized perspective.

Hunter’s debut novel tracks the experiences of her family members during the Holocaust.

Sol and Nechuma Kurc, wealthy, cultured Jews in Radom, Poland, are successful shop owners; they and their grown children live a comfortable lifestyle. But that lifestyle is no protection against the onslaught of the Holocaust, which eventually scatters the members of the Kurc family among several continents. Genek, the oldest son, is exiled with his wife to a Siberian gulag. Halina, youngest of all the children, works to protect her family alongside her resistance-fighter husband. Addy, middle child, a composer and engineer before the war breaks out, leaves Europe on one of the last passenger ships, ending up thousands of miles away. Then, too, there are Mila and Felicia, Jakob and Bella, each with their own share of struggles—pain endured, horrors witnessed. Hunter conducted extensive research after learning that her grandfather (Addy in the book) survived the Holocaust. The research shows: her novel is thorough and precise in its details. It’s less precise in its language, however, which frequently relies on cliché. “ You’ll get only one shot at this ,” Halina thinks, enacting a plan to save her husband. “ Don’t botch it .” Later, Genek, confronting a routine bit of paperwork, must decide whether or not to hide his Jewishness. “ That form is a deal breaker ,” he tells himself. “ It’s life and death .” And: “They are low, it seems, on good fortune. And something tells him they’ll need it.” Worse than these stale phrases, though, are the moments when Hunter’s writing is entirely inadequate for the subject matter at hand. Genek, describing the gulag, calls the nearest town “a total shitscape.” This is a low point for Hunter’s writing; elsewhere in the novel, it’s stronger. Still, the characters remain flat and unknowable, while the novel itself is predictable. At this point, more than half a century’s worth of fiction and film has been inspired by the Holocaust—a weighty and imposing tradition. Hunter, it seems, hasn’t been able to break free from her dependence on it.

Pub Date: Feb. 14, 2017

ISBN: 978-0-399-56308-9

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: Nov. 21, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2016

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THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ

by Heather Morris ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 4, 2018

The writing is merely serviceable, and one can’t help but wish the author had found a way to present her material as...

An unlikely love story set amid the horrors of a Nazi death camp.

Based on real people and events, this debut novel follows Lale Sokolov, a young Slovakian Jew sent to Auschwitz in 1942. There, he assumes the heinous task of tattooing incoming Jewish prisoners with the dehumanizing numbers their SS captors use to identify them. When the Tätowierer, as he is called, meets fellow prisoner Gita Furman, 17, he is immediately smitten. Eventually, the attraction becomes mutual. Lale proves himself an operator, at once cagey and courageous: As the Tätowi erer, he is granted special privileges and manages to smuggle food to starving prisoners. Through female prisoners who catalog the belongings confiscated from fellow inmates, Lale gains access to jewels, which he trades to a pair of local villagers for chocolate, medicine, and other items. Meanwhile, despite overwhelming odds, Lale and Gita are able to meet privately from time to time and become lovers. In 1944, just ahead of the arrival of Russian troops, Lale and Gita separately leave the concentration camp and experience harrowingly close calls. Suffice it to say they both survive. To her credit, the author doesn’t flinch from describing the depravity of the SS in Auschwitz and the unimaginable suffering of their victims—no gauzy evasions here, as in Boy in the Striped Pajamas . She also manages to raise, if not really explore, some trickier issues—the guilt of those Jews, like the tattooist, who survived by doing the Nazis’ bidding, in a sense betraying their fellow Jews; and the complicity of those non-Jews, like the Slovaks in Lale’s hometown, who failed to come to the aid of their beleaguered countrymen.

Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2018

ISBN: 978-0-06-279715-5

Page Count: 272

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: July 16, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2018

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by Heather Morris

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Book Review: The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem by Sarit Yishai-Levi

Gabriela Siton is the youngest in a line of women belonging to the Ermosa family, a large Sephardic family — Jews of Spanish descent — living in Jerusalem, dealing with family secrets and turbulence during a time of war and upheaval in Israel itself.

The story opens with Gabriela’s mother’s death. Luna dies at a relatively young age from a deadly and fast-moving cancer, and Gabriela’s resulting grief is heavily laden with guilt. She and Luna had a fraught, difficult relationship all of Gabriela’s life, and she doesn’t quite know what to do with all of her emotions and the confusion she’s left with.

Bit by bit, over the course of the story, we hear more about the history of the Ermosa women. There’s the matriarch of the family, Mercada, who marries her beloved son off to a poverty-stricken orphan as punishment for his near-betrayal of his family. Mercada’s daughter-in-law, Rosa, faces life with a husband who doesn’t love her, a beloved brother who gets involved in the deadly underground movement leading up to independence, and three daughters — the oldest of whom is Luna. Luna is gorgeous, the most beautiful girl in Jerusalem, but with a selfish and combative personality. She’s prickly and self-centered, and she and Rosa never find a way to bond.

Later on, Gabriela is told that the curse of the Ermosa women is to marry men who don’t really love them, and that seems to be true in the three preceding generations. Each man is madly in love with a woman who isn’t appropriate or acceptable, and so marries out of obligation, leading to bitterness, lack of passion, and lack of respect.

In some ways, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem reminded me of Isabel Allende’s masterpiece, The House of the Spirits . Like The House of the Spirits , the blessings and curses of each generation seems to be passed along to the next, as each set of relationships is influenced by, or damaged by, the ones that came before. Likewise, The Beauty Queen of Jersusalem , while telling the tale of a particular family, is set against a backdrop of a significant historical era. The history of pre-state Israel and its struggle for independence form a big piece of the picture here, as the Ermosa family is caught up in the violence and upheavals that surround them.

The title of this book is a misnomer, and a pretty unfortunate one at that. Luna is known for her remarkable beauty, and is referred to as the beauty queen of Jerusalem — although not, as you might expect, because she actually competed in pageants or won competitions or anything. She’s just a woman who was known for her beauty and style. What’s more, the book isn’t exclusively, or even mainly about Luna — it’s about all of the women of her family. In fact, Luna is a mostly unlikeable character who’s a terrible mother and is mostly portrayed as being awful to her own mother. Things happen later in the book that make her a slightly more sympathetic character, but the bottom line is that she isn’t solely what the book is about, and it took me a while to get past the preconception that I had from the title in order to see the breadth of the story.

On the plus side, there are many vignettes in this sweeping story that are completely enchanting. Rosa’s story is fabulous, and you can’t help but feel compassion for a woman who’s struggled all her life and gotten little in return. The story of Rosa’s three daughters (including Luna) and how they each met the men they’d end up marrying is varied and textured. The Sephardic heritage of the family is described through their rituals, their use of Ladino phrases, and the little details about food and customs that bring a sense of vitality to their daily lives.

The Jerusalem setting is wonderful, with the city forming a vibrant stage for the family drama. The historical elements are skillfully woven into the story, so that the loves and struggles within the family are set against their worries about English police, bombings in the streets, sieges and rationing, and men serving at the front.

While overall I enjoyed the book, I did hit a few stumbling blocks. The biggest issue for me was the language, which often felt a bit clunky. The book is an English translation from the Hebrew, and I’m afraid that something truly was lost in translation. The writing just doesn’t always flow, and the dialogue and use of Ladino and Spanish phrases seem a bit jammed in, not organic. I have a feeling this issue might not be an issue if the book were read in the original Hebrew.

The other element that might be problematic for American readers is the assumption of familiarity with details of Israeli history. The book was written and published in Israel in 2013, released in English in the United States for the first time this year. It occasionally feels a bit like “inside baseball” — the book is written for an Israeli audience, and there’s an assumption of a common culture and background. For me, having spent time there and understanding the history and culture, it wasn’t an issue, but I can imagine that some readers will have a harder time understanding the context or getting the full picture of the historical elements woven into the story, or even being able to identify some of the names, politicians, and organization that are referred to throughout the book.

The perspective and organization of the book is somewhat puzzling. We begin with Gabriela’s first-person narration, but the storytelling shifts. Sometimes, it’s another family member telling Gabriela about incidents from the past, set out as a dialogue with Gabriela, with the story appearing in quotation marks. But at other times, it’s a third-person narrative, filling in the gaps and telling other pieces of the family story. The narrative jumps from one character’s perspective to anothers, and it can be jarring to sometimes see the world according to a character who hasn’t had a POV before. Time-wise, it’s confusing as well, as we get a description from Gabriela early on about her mother’s death, but as the story jumps back and forth for most of the book, it’s jarring when the last few chapters jump back to an adult Gabriela and how she reconciles her grief and anger.

At its core, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem is a moving story of a complicated and messed-up family. I really enjoyed parts of the story, especially those pieces that delve more deeply into the complicated emotions and wounds of the many family members. Unfortunately, the awkward writing/translation and the narrative inconsistency make this book more difficult than it needs to be, and overall I think the plot could have used a bit more focus. Still, it’s worth reading for the intergenerational conflicts and dynamics, and I enjoyed the nuggets of history that form the backbone of the story.

_________________________________________

The details:

Title: The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem Author: Sarit Yishai-Levi Publisher: Thomas Dunne Publication date: April 5, 2016 Length: 384 pages Genre: Historical fiction Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley

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2 thoughts on “ book review: the beauty queen of jerusalem by sarit yishai-levi ”.

I haven’t seen a lot of fiction like this in America and it sounds interesting because of that. Also the cover is very nice. Great and fair review. Is this the author’s first book?

Thank you! I believe this is the author’s first novel, although it looks like she’s written some non-fiction books in Israel.

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The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem

Written by Anthony Berris (trans.) Sarit Yishai-Levi Review by Holly Faur

Gabriela and her mother, the beautiful Luna, have never connected. Desperate to understand her mother and their family’s troubled history, Gabriela pieces together the fragmented stories of several generations of women, including the curse that prevents them from being loved.

Exquisitely rich in history and detail, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem is set in three eras: the Golden Age of Hollywood, WWII, and the 1970s. Gabriela, our main narrator, just wants to know why her mother doesn’t love her—or anyone, really. Luna is gorgeous but spiteful and rude, and the majority of the story is actually about her. We also learn about Grandmother Rosa and how the curse arose among the women in the family. The pages are layered with both Jewish and family histories that work together seamlessly and, though slow in spots, there’s enough intrigue there to keep pushing you forward. Eventually the story does circle back to Gabriela, who still struggles to understand her family, but eventually makes a life for herself. I liked what we see of Gabriela and wished there were more to her story. I also liked Gabriela’s Aunt Rachelika, Luna’s much more affectionate sister. Rosa was interesting as well, and I found the history surrounding Israel in those decades insightful, but Luna was a difficult character to the end. I could not like her, which is perhaps testament to how well she was written. In all, this was a poignant and intriguing book.

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The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem by Sarit Yishai-Levi – Review and Author Q&A

Author: Sarit Yishai-Levi Anthony Berris (Translator)

Publication Date: April 5th, 2016

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Synopsis: The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem is a dazzling novel of mothers and daughters, stories told and untold, and the binds that tie four generations of women.

Gabriela’s mother Luna is the most beautiful woman in all of Jerusalem, though her famed beauty and charm seem to be reserved for everyone but her daughter. Ever since Gabriela can remember, she and Luna have struggled to connect. But when tragedy strikes, Gabriela senses there’s more to her mother than painted nails and lips.

Desperate to understand their relationship, Gabriela pieces together the stories of her family’s previous generations—from Great-Grandmother Mercada the renowned healer, to Grandma Rosa who cleaned houses for the English, to Luna who had the nicest legs in Jerusalem. But as she uncovers shocking secrets, forbidden romances, and the family curse that links the women together, Gabriela must face a past and present far more complex than she ever imagined.

Set against the Golden Age of Hollywood, the dark days of World War II, and the swingin’ ’70s, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem follows generations of unforgettable women as they forge their own paths through times of dramatic change. With great humor and heart, Sarit Yishai-Levi has given us a powerful story of love and forgiveness—and the unexpected and enchanting places we find each.

I have a huge weakness for historical fiction, so when I got the chance to review this book, I jumped on it.  There’s always something about reading a book featuring a different location, setting, and or/time period than our own, and The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem delivers exactly what you would expect – with a complex, captivating story, deep characters, and a very poetic-like writing style that you can’t help but fall for.

Gabriela has grown up somewhat lonely and craving her mother’s attention.  Her mother always tends to dish out charm and smiles and give them to everyone else, but Gabriela always feels as if she isn’t quite getting the part of her mother that everyone else is – her true self.  Gabriela and her mother just can’t quite seem to get along – no matter how hard they try, or how much Gabriela longs for her mother’s affection.

When Gabriela learns her family’s stories – especially those of her great-grandmother and grandmother, she begins piecing together pieces of what life was like for them, and what life is like for her now.  She discovers why her mother’s personality is the way it is, as well as why she seems to hold Gabriela at arm’s length, rather than give her the closeness she so desires.  The things that Gabriela learns about her family range from sad, happy, to downright shocking, and as the pieces of the puzzle come together, Gabriela learns more about her roots than she thought she ever would.

While this book did have a few places where the pacing was a little slow, I stuck with it, and it did pick up a bit.   The beginning was a little confusing for me, because there seems to be a lot to take in, in terms of characters and places, but eventually you start to remember them.  The writing was nice, and flowed well from one paragraph to the next, so it was easy and quite enjoyable to read.  While I didn’t really like Gabriela’s mother all that much, eventually you get to see why she behaves the way she does, and read about the things she’s gone though to make her the way she is.  Gabriela’s character was well-rounded and easy to connect with.

If you enjoy historical fiction, you should give this one a go.  Once I started reading it, I didn’t want to put it down, and it reminded me why I love this genre so much!

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author:

Q& A with Sarit Yishai-Levi

What is your inspiration behind  The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem ? How did you come up with the novel’s title?

This may sound strange, but the inspiration for The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem came from within me. I did not set out to write an epic novel, but having started, it felt like someone was sitting at my shoulder, whispering in my ear and leading me through the story, through its twists and turns. That experience had been my life for the 6.5 years it took me to write this book.

I don’t remember exactly when I picked the title The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem , but when the character Rosa mockingly calls her daughter Luna “the beauty queen of Jerusalem,” I knew instantly that this should be the book’s title. My Israeli editor wasn’t very happy with the title, but I insisted.

You’re a well-known Israeli journalist. How is writing a novel different from the work you do on a day-to-day basis? 

There is a world of difference between writing a column or other journalistic story and writing a novel. In journalism it is necessary to be matter-of-fact, even lean, and to narrow down the story handed to you by the subject. The person who is interviewed is the center, and the journalist is merely a vessel to channel their message to readers. The words are theirs, as well as the drama and the story. When writing a novel you have all the time in the world to tell your story. It is you who put words in the characters’ mouths and thus create the drama, the highs and the lows. You build a whole world, and it is a very exciting and rewarding experience.

How has the success of the novel changed your life, personally and professionally? What is it like to have your novel published in multiple languages and countries?

The publication of the book changed my life completely. Its phenomenal success in Israel made me instantly famous. I did many interviews, TV spots, and talks. Before the book came out I was Sarit Yishai-Levi, the journalist. Now, I am author and journalist, and for me it is an absolute dream come true.

The moment I held the Italian edition of the book (Italy is where the novel was first published outside of Israel) was very emotional. The fact that people in another country had read my story moved me to tears. When I went to Italy for the book launch, I visited the famous Rizzoli bookstore in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan. Seeing my book featured on the main table there was overwhelming. Since then the book has been translated to other languages, and I am very excited each time I hold a new edition of it. I am especially looking forward to the book’s upcoming release in English. I truly hope it will move American readers as it did Israeli readers.

Who are your favorite novelists? Were there any writers or books that inspired you?

My favorite authors are Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ayn Rand, Paul Auster, Paullina Simons, Victoria Hislop, Maria Duenas, and the Israeli authors Amos Oz, Meir Shalev, David Grossman, and Zeruya Shalev. Books that have inspired me: A Pigeon and A Boy by Meir Shalev, The Island by Maria Hislop, and The Time In Between by Maria Duenas. My all-time favorite novels are Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls and Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby .

What do you hope readers take away from the novel?

One should be able to forgive others before one is able to forgive oneself. In order to love another, one should love oneself. Love conquers all. In addition, I hope readers will embrace the story of the Ladino-speaking community that has resided in Israel for generations as the story of Israel and an important part of its culture and history.

What’s up next for you?

I am now finishing a new book, scheduled for release in early 2017 in Hebrew by Modan Publishing House. Filming for the movie adaptation of The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem is scheduled to begin at the end of 2016 in Israel.

One Response to The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem by Sarit Yishai-Levi – Review and Author Q&A

I just finished your novel and thoroughly enjoyed it. I will be recommending it to many of my friends. I have visited Israel many times as my daughter lived there and my oldest grandaughter was born in Jerusalem. Your story has brought back many of my memories of people places and things. Two of my grandchildren were bar and bat mitzvahed there. Thank you for many enjoyable hours of reading.

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THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF JERUSALEM is a dazzling novel of mothers and daughters, stories told and untold, and the ties that bind four generations of women.

Gabriela's mother Luna is the most beautiful woman in all of Jerusalem, though her famed beauty and charm seem to be reserved for everyone but her daughter. Ever since Gabriela can remember, she and Luna have struggled to connect. But when tragedy strikes, Gabriela senses there's more to her mother than painted nails and lips.

Desperate to understand their relationship, Gabriela pieces together the stories of her family's previous generations --- from Great-Grandmother Mercada the renowned healer, to Grandma Rosa who cleaned houses for the English, to Luna who had the nicest legs in Jerusalem. But as she uncovers shocking secrets, forbidden romances, and the family curse that links the women together, Gabriela must face a past and present far more complex than she ever imagined.

Set against the Golden Age of Hollywood, the dark days of World War II, and the swinging '70s, THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF JERUSALEM follows generations of unforgettable women as they forge their own paths through times of dramatic change. With great humor and heart, Sarit Yishai-Levi has given us a powerful story of love and forgiveness --- and the unexpected and enchanting places we find each.

The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem by Sarit Yishai-Levi

• Publication Date: April 5, 2016
• Genres: Family , Fiction
• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
• ISBN-10: 1250078164
• ISBN-13: 9781250078162

• Literature & Fiction
• Genre Fiction

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The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem: A Novel Hardcover – April 5 2016

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Finalist for the Book Club category of the 2016 National Jewish Book Awards. The #1 International Best Seller, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem is a dazzling novel of mothers and daughters, stories told and untold, and the ties that bind four generations of women. Gabriela's mother Luna is the most beautiful woman in all of Jerusalem, though her famed beauty and charm seem to be reserved for everyone but her daughter. Ever since Gabriela can remember, she and Luna have struggled to connect. But when tragedy strikes, Gabriela senses there's more to her mother than painted nails and lips. Desperate to understand their relationship, Gabriela pieces together the stories of her family's previous generations―from Great-Grandmother Mercada the renowned healer, to Grandma Rosa who cleaned houses for the English, to Luna who had the nicest legs in Jerusalem. But as she uncovers shocking secrets, forbidden romances, and the family curse that links the women together, Gabriela must face a past and present far more complex than she ever imagined. Set against the Golden Age of Hollywood, the dark days of World War II, and the swinging '70s, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem follows generations of unforgettable women as they forge their own paths through times of dramatic change. With great humor and heart, Sarit Yishai-Levi has given us a powerful story of love and forgiveness―and the unexpected and enchanting places we find each.

• Print length 384 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Thomas Dunne Books
• Publication date April 5 2016
• Dimensions 16.28 x 3.18 x 24.41 cm
• ISBN-10 9781250078162
• ISBN-13 978-1250078162
• See all details

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"Highly recommended for those who are fascinated by the history of Jerusalem and the Jews that lived and stayed there, as well as for those looking to learn more about the Spaniol community." ― Booklist (starred review) "Fans of Gabriel Garcia Marquez will find much to love in The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem . The narrative is lush and rife with scandalous secrets of a passionately opinionated family..." ― Jewish Journal "Moving back and forth through time and points of view, Yishai-Levi paints a sympathetic and compelling portrait of the complex relationship between mother and daughter. Add to this the fascinating backdrop of Jerusalem during the first half of the 20th century and readers are gifted with a meticulously researched history of the city’s Sephardic community." ― Romantic Times "Exquisitely rich in history and detail.... [A] poignant and intriguing book." ― Historical Novel Society "Yishai-Levi’s novel stands out, and fortunately her writing stands up to scrutiny, too: She’s a journalist whose nose for character makes Beauty Queen a winner." ―LitHub "I’m not aware of another work of fiction that paints such a vivid picture of the traditions, folklore and language of Jerusalem’s very significant Sephardic community... The novel also offers a compelling history of Jerusalem in the 20th century as experienced by the people most affected by its twists and turns." ― Jewish Weekly "Yishai-Levi provides a compelling and meticulously researched historical backdrop to her story.... This romantic and engaging novel has been an Israeli bestseller for more than two years. This English translation will make new readers enamored with these women and men of Jerusalem." ―Jewish Book Council "Reads to an American like a Sephardi version of Fiddler on the Roof .... If Yishai-Levi intended her novel to depict how personal hurts can intertwine with history to divide distinctive groups, then she’s done a fine job. But her bigger triumph perhaps lies in showing Israel’s unique challenge: to assemble its balkanized communities into a coherent whole." ― Haaretz “The language, flavours, superstitions and prejudices of the Ermosa family are as compelling as the spiced, nuanced aromas of their cooking…. [A] fascinating exploration of ... the human spirit.” ― Jewish Renaissance (UK) "The experiences of Jews in the Holy Land―first under the Turkish Empire, then under the British Mandate, and finally living in their own country―are well-integrated into the plot. Readers will learn Ladino expressions and gain insight into Ladino culture. All in all, this excellent novel has many lessons to teach." ― San Diego Jewish World " The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem is a wonderful read―full of fascinating characters and spanning four generations of Israeli women. As their country struggles through its birth pangs, they struggle through wars, economic and social upheavals, and many losses―both physical and emotional. Compelling and satisfying." ―B.A. Shapiro, New York Times bestselling author of The Muralist and The Art Forger “Passion and the grand sweep of history permeate this dazzling, you-cannot-put-it-down novel about four generations of astonishing women--and the men in their family who just might be cursed by love. So rich and vibrant that every page seems to virtually breathe.” ―Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Is This Tomorrow and Pictures of You "A breathtaking saga, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem will haunt and uplift you all at once, staying in your heart long after you've turned the last page." ―Nicole Dweck, bestselling author of The Debt of Tamar "Yishai-Levi has captured both the unbroken thread running through generations of a Sephardi family and the intricacies of everyday life unspooling against the backdrop of Jerusalem. As sensuously infused with sights, sounds and smells as a Jerusalem market, and as finely detailed and colorful as a Levantine tapestry, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem is a thrilling exploration of a daughter coming to terms with a mother." ―Talia Carner, author of Hotel Moscow and Jerusalem Maiden "Engrossing and original... The Sephardi version of Amos Oz's A Tale of Love and Darkness ." ― Nana 10 (Israel) "The events are permeated with powerful emotion… Only someone with abundant and generous heart could write such a book." ― Marmelada (Israel)

About the Author

Product details.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1250078164
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas Dunne Books (April 5 2016)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781250078162
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250078162
• Item weight ‏ : ‎ 513 g
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 16.28 x 3.18 x 24.41 cm
• #200 in Middle Eastern Literature (Books)
• #1,084 in Jewish Literature (Books)
• #8,276 in Domestic Life in Women's Fiction

About the author

Sarit yishai-levi.

Sarit Yishai-Levi was born in Jerusalem in 1947 to a Sephardic family that has lived in the city for seven generations.. Before turning to journalism, Yishai-Levi acted in theater and film for several years. Yishai-Levi has published four non-fiction books. Her first novel, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem, a bestseller in Israel. It is now being made into a feature film.

http://www.ithl.org.il/page_15446

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"The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem": A tale of love and war in pre-state Israel

International best-selling novelist of 'Scent of Butterflies' and 'The Last Romanov'

Every now and then, a multi-generational novel such as "The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem" by Sarit Yishai-Levi (Thomas Dunn Books/St. Martin's Press) comes along, so rich with potent curses, outlandish customs, eccentric characters, and forbidden loves, readers might find the story somewhat incredible and hard to connect to. But to this reader, who happens to be part of a community with similar mores, every detail rings true and immensely pleasurable to relive on the page.

Luna Ermosa, the "beauty queen" of the title, is the most sought-after woman in Jerusalem. But she is unlucky in love. As are the Ermoza men, who are doomed to marry women they do not love and never forget the ones they do. But this is Jerusalem before the independence of Israel, when marriage between the Sephardic Ermozas, immigrants from Toledo, to Ashkenazim is unacceptable and shameful--forget about dating a despised Turk or "Engelish ... tfu on them." It is a time when the word of a parent is sacrosanct and children are expected to marry whomever their parents choose for them. As is the case with Gabriel, Luna's beloved father, and grandfather of the rebellious Gabriela, who is unable to open her heart to her mother, Luna, even when she is on her deathbed.

Decades rush by unmarked and it is often left to the reader to connect dates with historical details woven into the story of the Ermoza family. In this, her first novel, Yishai-Levi, an award winning journalist, expertly depicts the harrowing hardships of life during the British Mandate--the bombings, shootings, curfews, fights between Arabs and Jews. And the endless struggles of different underground factions, the Haganah, Lehi and Etzel, to drive the British out of Palestine and create a Jewish state.

In the process, Gabriela, aided by her grandmother and aunts, Rachelika and Becky, tries to snap pieces of her family's puzzle together in an attempt to discover why her handsome grandfather was forced to marry an unattractive orphan he does not love. Why her obstinate great grandmother, Mercada, cursed her son before moving to Tel Aviv and refusing to visit him in Jerusalem. Unless it is to drive away his demons, which she successfully does, despite her failure to forgive him.

Most significantly, perhaps, is Gabriela's need to uncover her mother's secret. What sin has Luna committed in her lifetime that even Rachelika, the saint of the family, refuses to share with her beloved niece, Gabriela? And will the discovery free Gabriela from the abusive relationship she is embroiled in and allow her to open her heart to love?

Fans of Gabriel Garcia Marquez will find much to love in "The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem." The narrative is lush and rife with scandalous secrets of a passionately opinionated family that might find it easier to free themselves from the clutches of war, than from the Ermoza curse inflicted upon them.

Dora Levy Mossanen is a frequent contributor to the Jewish Journal. Her latest novel is "Scent of Butterflies."

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BOOK REVIEW: “The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem” by Sarit Yishai-Levi

Title: The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem Author: Sarit Yishai-Levi Publication: April 5, 2016 Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books Genre: Historical Fiction Pages: 384

  SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)

The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem is a dazzling novel of mothers and daughters, stories told and untold, and the binds that tie four generations of women.

Gabriela’s mother Luna is the most beautiful woman in all of Jerusalem, though her famed beauty and charm seem to be reserved for everyone but her daughter. Ever since Gabriela can remember, she and Luna have struggled to connect. But when tragedy strikes, Gabriela senses there’s more to her mother than painted nails and lips.

Desperate to understand their relationship, Gabriela pieces together the stories of her family’s previous generations—from Great-Grandmother Mercada the renowned healer, to Grandma Rosa who cleaned houses for the English, to Luna who had the nicest legs in Jerusalem. But as she uncovers shocking secrets, forbidden romances, and the family curse that links the women together, Gabriela must face a past and present far more complex than she ever imagined.

Set against the Golden Age of Hollywood, the dark days of World War II, and the swingin’ ’70s, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem follows generations of unforgettable women as they forge their own paths through times of dramatic change. With great humor and heart, Sarit Yishai-Levi has given us a powerful story of love and forgiveness—and the unexpected and enchanting places we find each.

  REVIEW:

**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

“The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem” by Sarit Yishai-Levi is completely outside of my normal wheelhouse of book choices. I don’t usually get into historical fiction and I lean towards things with higher suspense and a little bit more action. However, Yishai-Levi has a magical story-telling sense about her that made this novel appealing and pure artistry. It was like watching her paint a picture in words.

While the story is mainly about Gabriela and her perspective of her family, the story took on aspects of so many members of her family. We got to see generations of her family tree unfold before our very eyes. While I was not necessarily a super fan of the genre of the story, I have to openly admit that the writing style and talent Yishai-Levi demonstrates makes me a believer in her work. Gabriela’s struggle with acceptance from her mother as she feels like a constant outcast is one many people of all nationalities and cultures can relate to. This is a topic specific to this story, but could be taken and put into a story involving a family in the U.S., France, China, etc and you wouldn’t know any difference. Making a story so universal shows the talent by the author and the ability to connect with readers, which is not something I find all authors can do. I did love Gabriela’s character and the description of her surroundings and family members. The visuals allotted to myself as a reader really help with a story so detailed. I loved that.

So while I wouldn’t normally have picked this book for myself, I have to say I’m glad I got the chance to check it out. Sarin Yishai-Levi is a great author with an incredible amount of talent. I wish I could scrape some off and borrow it! Highly recommend for anyone who loves historical fiction or just a really well written book!

  Please pick up a copy of the book to check out for yourself! You can get a copy at one of the below links:

Amazon Barnes and Noble

Also add it to your To Reads list on Goodreads and make sure to leave feedback for the author when you are done reading.

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• TV & Movies

Updated Sep 11 2023 12:01AM EDT

The true story behind ‘Beauty Queen of Jerusalem’

The hit series might be fictional, but it's based on very real events in israeli history..

• By Shaked Karabelnicoff

“The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem” returned to Netflix for its second season on July 14. The show follows four generations of Spanish Sephardic Jews, as their stories unfold against the backdrop of turbulent times in Jerusalem’s history. 

The Netflix series takes viewers through the years of 1917 to 1949 — which comprised the end of the Ottoman Empire, the British Mandate and Israel’s War of Independence. 

Here’s a guide to all the context and history behind the show.

Read more: “Beauty Queen of Jerusalem” actress Swell Ariel Or shares about Sephardic representation and playing Luna Ermoza

Who are Sephardic Jews?

“Beauty Queen of Jerusalem” chronicles the lives of the Sephardic Ermoza family. Sephardim are Jews that come from the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal).

Until the late 15th century, Jews in Spain had established themselves within secular society. Many Jews were renowned poets, scholars and physicians.

In 1492, the Spanish government enacted the “Alhambra Decree,” which forced Jews to either convert to Catholicism or leave the country for good. Jews had only two options: Get baptized or escape.

Many of Spain’s Jews decided to stay and publicly become Christian. Some were determined to practice their Judaism in secret – they were called “ marranos .” (Today, that’s generally considered a derogatory term .) The phrase “crypto-Jews” has become more acceptable.

In Hebrew, both groups are called anusim , which means “people who are forced to abandon their Judaism.” And in English they are known as conversos — literally, “people who converted.”

Nobody knows exactly how many Jews fled. Some historians think it was tens of thousands , though others think it could have been as many as one million.  

Those that did flee went to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. This was likely where the Ermoza family would fall.

Sephardic Jews have a unique culture, traditions and customs. Jews in the Iberian Peninsula spoke Ladino , a Judeo-Spanish language that blends medieval Spanish with Hebrew, Arabic, Portuguese and other influences.

Ladino is only spoken by a few hundred thousand people today, and the language is especially rare in TV and movies. You can hear smatterings of the centuries-old language throughout “Beauty Queen of Jerusalem.” ( Read 13 essential Ladino words and phrases )

In the series, we also see tensions that exist between Ashkenazi (Eastern European) and Sephardic Jews. We won’t get into the roots of that cultural conflict, which exists to a much smaller extent in the present-day Jewish community.

What was life like for Jews under the Ottoman Empire?

“Beauty Queen of Jerusalem” first takes place against the backdrop of Jerusalem at the end of the Ottoman Empire.

Fleeing the massacres and forced conversions of Christian Europe in the Middle Ages, tens of thousands of Jews found a new safe haven in the Ottoman Empire joining other Jewish people who have been living there for centuries. 

For the next few hundred years, the Muslim-run empire became home for Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews alike. Though relegated to second-class citizens called “dhimmis,” Jews brought with them useful skills in medicine, finance and trade, and flourished.

Over time, the Ottoman Empire began to crumble. Again, the Jews faced antisemitism and suffered from poverty and violence. By the end of the 19th century, when “Beauty Queen of Jerusalem” takes place, it was clear that the safe haven of the Ottoman Empire was no longer safe.

Life during the British Mandate

Modern-day Israel was colonized by the British, in what was called the British Mandate of Palestine, from 1923 to 1948.

Life under the British Mandate wasn’t simple for Jews. In fact, Israeli historian Hillel Cohen makes a strong argument that this time (the year 1929, specifically) was the genesis of the Arab-Israeli conflict. This was the year that long-bubbling Arab resentment and fear of displacement burst into open, bloody revolt. It was the moment where both Jews and Arabs began to violently distrust the other, each building a narrative in which they and they alone are the victim. ( More on the question of when the Arab-Israeli conflict started .)

During this time, in the early 1920s, Jewish Socialist Zionists established the Haganah, an underground militia to protect Jewish neighborhoods from spreading violence. Fighters were instructed to only defend Jewish communities and to not incite violence against the Arabs or the British.

But some commanders protested this policy of restraint. These disagreements caused other militia groups to form, and eventually resulted in intimidation, violence and even assassinations and bombings. ( More on Pre-IDF Brigades: Haganah, Irgun and Lechi .)

In “Beauty Queen of Jerusalem” we see these tensions take shape as the characters live through this difficult and complex part of history.

Have you watched ‘Beauty Queen of Jerusalem’ yet? Let us know what you think on Instagram ,  Twitter , and  TikTok !

Originally Published Jun 1, 2022 12:05AM EDT

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Is there a difference between Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews?

5 surprising differences between ashkenazi and sephardic jews, 7 surprising jewish wedding customs, 13 essential ladino words and phrases, 5 jewish languages you didn’t know existed.

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Book Review: Emily Henry is still the modern-day rom-com queen with ‘Funny Story’

This cover image released by Berkley shows “Funny Story” by Emily Henry. (Berkley via AP)

• Copy Link copied

“Funny Story” isn’t a funny story at all. But it is a good one.

Emily Henry’s new romance novel starts with dueling breakups that have rocked the two main characters’ worlds — and forced them to bond over their shared broken hearts.

Daphne is a planner who is always on time. She’s a buttoned-up librarian who hosts a lively children’s reading hour and keeps her personal life closed off from her colleagues.

Miles is more subdued. He’s nice, thoughtful and able to win over anyone he’s talking to, especially the regulars he sees on his weekend trips to the farmers market. He doesn’t have much of a relationship with his parents, for myriad reasons, but he’s very close to his younger sister.

Daphne and Miles’ story starts as they navigate their newly single lives now that their exes are dating ... each other.

They go through the throes of grieving together, with a soundtrack of love songs accompanying each phase. It’s practically begging for a movie version, to go along with the several other Henry books already in various stages of production.

Early on, they decide to pretend they’re dating to make their exes jealous. But as time goes on, they discover that they see each other as more than friends, that they really are falling for each other.

“Funny Story” is Henry’s latest romance — and her steamiest one so far. It’s a mixture of will-they-won’t-they in a way that makes you really want them to. They’re the protagonists in separate love stories who are brought together by heartbreak. Daphne and Miles are characters you can empathize with and root for.

And “Funny Story” is classic Henry. It’s a meet-cute in a non-patronizing way. It’s a modern love story, and one that you won’t be mad is slightly predictable — because it makes you feel good and makes you believe in a thing called love.

“So many of the most beautiful things in life are unexpected,” Henry writes.

It’s funny how life and love are both that way.

AP book reviews: https://apnews.com/hub/book-reviews

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Book Review: Emily Henry is still the modern-day rom-com queen with ‘Funny Story’

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

“Funny Story” isn’t a funny story at all. But it is a good one.

Emily Henry’s new romance novel starts with dueling breakups that have rocked the two main characters’ worlds — and forced them to bond over their shared broken hearts.

Daphne is a planner who is always on time. She’s a buttoned-up librarian who hosts a lively children’s reading hour and keeps her personal life closed off from her colleagues.

Miles is more subdued. He’s nice, thoughtful and able to win over anyone he’s talking to, especially the regulars he sees on his weekend trips to the farmers market. He doesn’t have much of a relationship with his parents, for myriad reasons, but he’s very close to his younger sister.

Daphne and Miles’ story starts as they navigate their newly single lives now that their exes are dating ... each other.

They go through the throes of grieving together, with a soundtrack of love songs accompanying each phase. It’s practically begging for a movie version, to go along with the several other Henry books already in various stages of production.

Early on, they decide to pretend they’re dating to make their exes jealous. But as time goes on, they discover that they see each other as more than friends, that they really are falling for each other.

“Funny Story” is Henry’s latest romance — and her steamiest one so far. It’s a mixture of will-they-won’t-they in a way that makes you really want them to. They’re the protagonists in separate love stories who are brought together by heartbreak. Daphne and Miles are characters you can empathize with and root for.

And “Funny Story” is classic Henry. It’s a meet-cute in a non-patronizing way. It’s a modern love story, and one that you won’t be mad is slightly predictable — because it makes you feel good and makes you believe in a thing called love.

“So many of the most beautiful things in life are unexpected,” Henry writes.

It’s funny how life and love are both that way.

AP book reviews: https://apnews.com/hub/book-reviews

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