about a simple, very devote and pure soul man in Jerusalem maybe in the 1950--60's. He ironed clothes for a living, saw only good in everything and was a story teller. People thought he was simple but everyone respected and loved him for his pure soul. ( )

I truly loved this book. It was so beautiful. Beware, though, because I cannot recommend this book to everyone. It is filled with Jewish liturgy (the author teaches in a Jerusalem yehiva), stories within stories, and the pulse of life in Jerusalem. This was a book that for me, a person who had once lived in that golden city, brought nostalgia for Jerusalem to the point of tears. I found myself sometimes drifting into the story itself by "visiting" the places mentioned or "tasting" the ka'ak, a type of pastry, or sipping the sweet mint tea. I would say I was more taken in by the setting of this story than most other readers would be.

The main character, Ezra, is a simple man who works in a laundry and lives a life of piety. In his own way, he brings charm to those who know him by the stories he recounts to others.

More memorable characters walk the pages of this book. Rahamim is a blind musician with a story of the past. Dr. Yehudah Tawil is Ezra’s erudite brother-in-law who loves to display his educational prowess. Haham Pinto is the sage who shares his knowledge by delivering religious sermons. Madame Sarah is Ezra’s wife and true soul mate.

The liturgy that accompanied this story was fitting and inspirational. Due to the way in which the author brought authentic teaching to the secularism of his novel, this book filled my soul. I simply did not want it to end. ( )

Ezra Siman Tov, a laundy presser, is respected as a storyteller and devout man by members of various Jewish traditions in Jerusalem. But He too, must face the challenges of aging, urban renewal and the loss of friends and family members. A delightful story, reminiscent of Ben Shea's Jacob the Baker. Readers unfamiliar with Judaism may find this difficult, but the story is an enduring one. ( )

This book made me very sleepy. I will confess I have yet to finish it, for which I feel guilty, as it was given to me to review. I tried very hard, even picking it back up a few times in moments of strong will, but it still kept putting me out like a light.

The story is very slow-paced, meandering, one hopes, towards some kind of conclusion, but who knows if it gets there? I did at least get far enough to come across a few interesting moments of revelation, but by the time the story works its way around to them, I couldn't much make myself care.

If you are the type who is really into storytelling or likes what they call "quiet books," then I bet you'd enjoy this one. There's no denying it is well-crafted. It may also work as a Jewish interest book -- come to think of it, it is so thoroughly steeped in old-world Judaism it might only work as a Jewish interest book -- but even that wasn't enough to hold my interest.

I'm going to have to absolve myself of the guilt (much like the story's main character) and come to terms with the fact that this is one story I simply won't be able to finish. ( )

Although the religious aspects of this story are a little too abundant for my personal taste, the overall story and its characters are quite engaging and I enjoyed Sabato's tale very much. It's really interesting to see how all the other characters see Ezra's piety, while he seems blind to it himself. Instead, he focuses on the little thoughtless comments people let slip when they're frustrated within themselves, unaware that Ezra take their comments closely to heart, and the reader suffers with him. For some reason, the book seems to end twice, which bothered me quite a bit (although both endings are rewarding), since at the first ending, I found myself smiling though tears and wishing that it had ended on that note, then wondering why the books still had some forty pages left. All in all, an enjoyable read, which provided some real insight into a world and culture which is foreign to many. ( )