Publisher's Synopsis
n 1805, a small Bohemian Jewish community is making plans for the Purim festival. The children are giddy with excitement about the costumes, parades and silly contests that mark the joyous holiday. But Ezekiel Benzion, who leads the community's defenders, cannot share in the holiday's festivities. He must remain vigilant, waiting for signs of the vicious libel that often emerges with the spring and brings with it mob violence against his people. Suddenly his worst fears are realized. A dead infant is discovered. Whose baby is it? How did it die? Who is to blame? Whispers begin, hinting at suspicions that build towards a call for revenge. Ezekiel, Judah Halevi and the other defenders have only hours to learn the truth and avert the violence caused by ancient hatreds. Just a day to save their community and most especially their children. The 200-year-old journals of Doctor Judah Halevi Nieto contain many short tales of events, people and medical phenomena that he took care to record. Often he hid details in puzzles and codes, using pseudonyms to protect people's identities. However, he clearly wanted his descendants to know about the the men he admired and the fight they waged against oppression and injustice. Along with the series of novels that tell longer and more intricate stories, this novella begins a series called the Tales of Doctor Judah Halevi Nieto, briefer episodes in the lives of the people known and admired by the author's forebears. Includes bonus excerpts from two award-winning novels from the series called The Judah Halevi Journals.
