Ehud Ben-Ezer’s first novel, originally published in 1963, is the story of Nissim Levy, an immigrant who achieves power in the quarry, the source of livelihood for an entire town. Back in his country of origin, he had taken away the wife of his best friend Moshe. The two men bring their enmity with them to Israel. Nissim manipulates the local party and becomes the local despot. His excesses provoke Moshe to bring about the gruesome denouement. The Quarry was one of the earliest Israeli novels to feature an unattractive anti-hero, as well as the depressed socio-economic status of Mizrahi Israelis.
