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A masterpiece by the great writer and Nobel Prize winner Isaac Bashevis Singer, set in 17th-century Poland, after the pogrom of the Cossacks led by Bogdan Khmelnytsky. This great romance novel has long been a favorite reading and, one might say, a classic
The main character, Jakob, is a devout Jew who survives the massacre of his community. Captured and sold as a slave to a Polish peasant, Jakob faces physical and spiritual trials as he tries to preserve his faith and dignity. He falls in love with Wanda, a Christian peasant girl, leading to an inner conflict between his love and the strict Jewish laws that forbid marriage to non-Jews. Their relationship, filled with tenderness but also danger, becomes the center of the story, as Jakob balances between assimilation and the preservation of his identity.
After escaping, Jakob and Wanda (who converts to Judaism and takes the name Sarah) face new challenges in a Jewish community that views them with suspicion. The novel explores the tension between individual desires and collective rules, while Singer masterfully portrays the complexity of the Jewish experience in an anti-Semitic world. Through rich, poetic language and philosophical reflections, the story emphasizes the universal struggle for love and freedom.
The Slave is appreciated for its emotional depth, historical authenticity, and Singer's skill at blending personal drama with broader cultural issues, making it a powerful work of Jewish literature.
Two copies are available
