Sobha Attibele is the name of a fictional character who appears in the novel The Door by Israeli writer Yash Perlman. The book’s heroine is a young woman who moves with her family to the United States in the hope of finding relative freedom after the upheaval of her birth and years of Jewish immigration to the new land. The young woman’s father tries to support her while juggling his own feelings for his aging mother, and this combination of responsibilities leads to disaster. Aided by a group of supportive friends, including her sister and a few Jews, the young woman slowly deals with the dissolution of her marriage to her boyfriend, while struggling with her identity and what she now calls her ‘Israeli identity’.
What Do You Want Sobha Attibele To Become?
Perlman’s novel provides a vivid picture of contemporary Israel, as it is seen through the eyes of a young woman from the Hasidic Jewish community. She has a clear vision of the life she now lives, and how that life affects her family and her future. Through a series of text boxes and reflections, the author presents the reader with her thoughts and feelings throughout her daily life, as well as a description of the various places and people she has visited throughout her life. This vivid account helps the reader to see the world through the eyes of a child so that we can begin to appreciate both the beauty and the challenges of everyday life through the adult perspective of someone who has grown up as a young woman in that very same culture and time.
In this first impressionistic novel, Perlman creates an engaging and unforgettable character. Her writing style flows easily, and she captures the essence of her character’s voice through the use of small vignettes and descriptive phrases. The Boxes will appeal to both Jewish and non-Jewish readers. The language is clear and there is no sense of mysticism. If you enjoy being in a familiar setting, then this book will satisfy your needs.
