Isaac Goldemberg

I enjoyed reading this book. In part, given my interest in both the jewish immigrant experience and South America, this was the perfect book.

Goldemberg writes about the Russian Jewish community in Peru in the early 20th century. The stable, conservative community revolves around Lima, while the merchant class who travel to the hinterlands of Peru intermingle with the native population. What the merchants find is widespread anti-semitism mingled with respect for their abilities to make money. Some sell clothes and hardware, others purvey in prostitution, and some father out of wedlock children. To live in the gentile world or return to Lima is a constant theme.

The main character, Jacobo Lerner, lives in both worlds and is seperated from his out of wedlock child while his brother heads up the Jewish Center in Lima. His straddling these 2 seperate worlds eventually lead to his doom.

This book is listed as one of the 100 best Yiddish novels and I see why it is so respected. A little gem.… (more)