- “The only kingdom that runs on righteousness is the kingdom of heaven. The kingdoms of earth run on oil. The Arabs have oil” (Book 1, p. 31).General Tevor-Browne explains English policy to Brigadier Bruce Sutherland who is sympathetic to the Exodus voyage. The English have to stop the Jews and back the Arabs because it is in Britain’s economic interest.
- “I sometimes think that it is almost as much a curse being born an Englishman as it is being born a Jew” (Book 1, p. 31).Bruce Sutherland feels the burden of having to be the bad guy in the Exodus incident when his heart tells him the Jews are right. He is a soldier and is trained to do his duty.
- “ . . .he does not believe in miracles. That is why he works so hard” (Book 1, p. 41).David Ben Ami, who believes the Jews are helped by divine intervention, explains to Mandria that Ari is not religious, so he works hard to make things happen himself.
- “I like Americans. Americans have consciences” (Book 1, p. 51).Ari tries to get Kitty to work for the Jews, and she initially refuses. He is certain because she is American and a nurse that she will give in when she sees the children, and she does.
- “Why could people worship Jesus and hate His people?” (Book 1, p. 77)Young Karen Clement wonders why Christians hate Jews when Jesus was a Jew and many of his ideas came from his religion, recorded in the Old Testament.
- “never before have a people tried to revive a nation as we are doing” (Book 2, p. 241).Barak Ben Canaan tries to motivate his wife Sarah that they are on a special mission in Palestine to bring back Israel, a nation dead for two thousand years.
- “You are in Palestine now, and never again do you have to lower your head or know fear for being a Jew” (Book 3, p. 336).Jordana Ben Canaan gives a speech to the incoming Holocaust children from the Exodus.
- “ I hope that I never live to see the day that you and I must fight, but you know that passiveness is a thing of the past for all of us” (Book 3. p. 344).The Arab Taha tells Ari that he fears they are going to become enemies in the coming war in Palestine when Jews try to form their own country.
- “We’ll hide the dresses under the rifles if it will make you happy” (Book 3, p. 378).Kitty says this impatiently to Karen, trying to persuade her to shop for new dresses. Karen is influenced by the stoic military life of Jordana and the Palmach and by the socialist ethics of the kibbutzim. She thinks it is not fair to the other girls if she has luxuries, and they don’t.
- “’What will become of them?’ Ari said. ‘They are my friends.’” (Book 4, 537).Ari is in shock when his unit has to destroy Abu Yesha, the Arab village of his lifelong friends. Now the remaining people will be part of the Arab refugee problem with no place to go.
Novel Author(s)
Our Networks