Rula Jebrael Knihy

In 1948, as violence erupts in Jerusalem, a young Arab woman, Hind Husseini, finds fifty-five abandoned children in the streets and faces the biggest challenge of her life. Hind establishes the Dar El-Tifel orphanage, dedicating her life to providing love, support and education to the children, changing their destiny. As the years pass and the conflict rages on, Hind finds that - despite her best efforts - some of her older students are taking part in the violent struggle for Palestinian independence, including one of her brightest students, Miral. Rula Jebreal traces the lives of generations of Palestinians in order to understand the intractable conflict. Based on fact, Hind Husseini, benefactor of thousands of children, is the figurehead in this examination of race, religion and what a homeland means.

In 1948 Jerusalem, amidst violence, a young Arab woman finds 55 orphans and dedicates her life to guiding them, establishing the Dar El-Tifel orphanage. As the Palestinian-Israeli conflict persists, she faces the challenge of saving one of her brightest students, Miral, from joining the violent struggle for independence.

In un intenso racconto, che è documento storico e allo stesso tempo una storia di formazione, l'autrice affida alla protagonista Miral pensieri, ricordi, azioni di un'intera generazione palestinese, divisa tra lotta e aspirazione alla pace. Storie di donne in fuga da una terra dilaniata dai contrasti, da un destino di violenze familiari, da un futuro presago di terrore. Sullo sfondo, Gerusalemme "con le sue pietre bianchissime imbrattate di sangue", e la scuola di Hind Husseini, fondata nel 1948 per dare istruzione alle bambine vittime dell'occupazione. Una biografia collettiva, coraggiosa e poetica come un fiore del deserto.