Isaac's Beacon
Having met Virginia author David Robbins and benefited from the writer's group he co-founded in my region, I was eager to read one of his novels. I decided to begin with his most recent book, Isaac's Beacon. Written in the historical fiction genre – one of my favorites – the novel creatively illuminates the birth of the State of Israel after World War II.
Robbins explores this actual time and place in history by following the fictional lives of a concentration camp survivor-turned Irgun fighter (Hugo), a New York journalist (Vince), and a young Jewish woman (Rivkah) displaced from Vienna and living in a kibbutz in Palestine. Intermingled with their overlapping journeys are detailed descriptions of brutal attacks, battles, and skirmishes, along with rich portraits of the landscape and mood of the era.
After the brutal war, one would hope that the worst would be over for the Jewish survivors, but for Rivkah and Hugo, the end of war is simply a birth into a new and more challenging existence. Their choice to make the dangerous and unpredictable journey to Palestine leads to lives spent fighting for home and livelihood. Violence, suffering, hard work, and loss define their days. But as they connect to the land and form new relationships - even unlikely ones as with an American reporter and a Palestinian gun runner - their sense of purpose only grows. Their pursuit moves beyond their personal need to carve out a new life and becomes part of the story of forming a nation.
Having never read about the creation of the State of Israel, I found the book intriguing and relevant because of the Jewish nation's critical role in modern world affairs and the Christian faith. This tale, which was carefully researched and reportedly very accurate, left me feeling better informed about this significant chapter of history and curious to know more. Questions filled my mind as I read.
Robbins is not only a novelist but also a playwright. A few years ago, I saw his play, End of War, which found me thoroughly engaged and impressed with his storytelling. The dialogue in Isaac’s Beacon sometimes reads like a screenplay, leading to more subtle character development. I could even visualize it as a movie. But by the conclusion, Robbins surprised me by how much he had revealed about each protagonist, and I had grown to care about them.
I have always been drawn to tales of Jewish history, perhaps because of the shared origins of the Jewish and Christian faiths. Or maybe because some of my ancestors are Jewish. But I think the remarkable resilience found in the history of this ancient people group is the primary reason for my attraction.
Reading about this period after World War II and learning about the Jewish resettlement in the Holy Land is fascinating and worthwhile. Isaac's Beacon opens up a world that I plan to explore further. By the end of the novel, I found myself hoping Robbins would write a sequel, and I have heard that is his plan.