Benjamin Tammuz. The Orchard

The Orchard is one of the earliest Hebrew books dealing with the Jewish-Arab conflict. The history of the two peoples of Israel is told through the story of two brothers, sons of a Jewish father and of two mothers, one Jewish, the other Muslim. The struggle for the country is presented through the archetypal struggle of the two brothers over Luna, the beautiful daughter of a Turkish Effendi. The Jewish brother, Daniel, buys an orchard from the Effendi and marries Luna, but is forced to share her with his brother, Ovadia-Abdullah. This situation symbolizes the unity and integration of the Arab with the land, as opposed to the remoteness of the Jew. No one knows who fathered Luna's son. He denies his Jewish father and kills his Arab father during the 1948 war.



It is difficult to rightly appreciate this beautiful allegory of the Israeli state's origin...without understanding the importance of the orchard in  Jewish tradition and in Zionist ideology.
Le Monde

A little jewel that will stay with you a long time, above all because it asks about the meaning of peace in the Middle East.
La Chronique D'Amnesty

The first two pages of The Orchard reveal that Tammuz...will lead us on a fascinating trip into the mystery of his land and his people.
Il Manifesto

An excellent allegory, well and simply told, that leaves room for interpretation.
Die Neue Buecherei