In the Courtyard of the Kabbalist
- Author Ruchama King Feuerman
- Narrator Sam Guncler
- Publisher Blackstone Publishing
- Publish Date 8 December 2015
- Run Time 9 hours and 36 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Fiction: general and literary.
Flexible Pricing & Rewards For Listening
At xigxag, the more you read, the less you pay* on select audiobook and x-book® titles, as in the table below. Pricing updates automatically in the app and resets one year after your first purchase. And you can always find a selection of brilliant titles available for only £3.99.
Titles Purchased
- 1-5
- 6-10
- 11-15
- 16-20
- Over 20
Price per title
- £8.99
- £7.99
- £6.99
- £5.99
- £4.99
*Only the full price titles you buy count toward your personal pricing tier. Full price titles don’t include Listen for Less or other books bought with a voucher or discount code.
Listen to a sample
What to expect
Isaac Markowitz, an eczema-riddled Lower East Side haberdasher, moves to Israel to repair his broken heart and becomes, much to his own surprise, the assistant to a famous old rabbi who dispenses wisdom (and soup) to the troubled souls who wash up in his courtyard. It is there that he meets the flame-haired Tamar, a newly religious young American hipster on a mission to live a spiritual life with a spiritual man. Into both of their lives comes Mustafa, a devout Muslim who, deformed at birth, makes his living as a janitor on the Temple Mount, holy to both Muslims and Jews. When Mustafa finds an ancient shard of pottery that may date back to the first temple, he brings it to Isaac as a token of friendship. That gesture sets in motion a series of events that lands Isaac in the company of Israel’s worst criminal riffraff, puts Mustafa in mortal danger, and leaves Tamar struggling to save them both.
As these characters—immigrants and natives, Muslim and Jewish, prophets and lost souls—move through their world, they are never sure if they will fall prey to the cruel tricks of luck or be sheltered by a higher power.
Critics Review
“In the Courtyard of the Kabbalist is a beautifully written, emotionally evocative novel enriched by fascinating characters and an unparalleled portrait of the magical city that is Jerusalem.”
“A sophisticated and engaging book. It treats an endlessly tangled topic…with intelligence and originality.”
“Feuerman’s novel has the most vivid, alive characters.”
“A beguiling novel…Feuerman writes with grace and wit.”
“A testament to the power of the imagination…a rare talent.”
“The unlikely friendship of an intellectual New York Jew and a working-class Jerusalem Arab drives Feuerman’s evocative second novel…[Jerusalem] itself emerges as a character…depicted with a lyricism that contrasts with the area’s political tension…[The] story unfolds as a belated coming-of-age tale…[written in a] quiet, lovely mood.”
“With its colorful and believable cast of characters, this book is a hearty and flavorful chicken soup to warm the spirits of anyone interested in a close-up, folksy read about Middle Eastern society with all its blemishes and hopes.”
“In her irresistible novel In the Courtyard of the Kabbalist, Ruchama King Feuerman writes with such contagious affection for her characters that they’re likely to supplant your own family until you finish the book. Her Jerusalem, riven though it is by tensions between the sacred and profane, remains an intoxicating place, where diffident lovers inhabit an atmosphere as romantically charged as the Song of Songs.”
| Author | Ruchama King Feuerman |
|---|---|
| Narrator | Sam Guncler |
| Duration | 9 hours and 36 minutes |
| Release Date | |
| ISBN | 9781504670913 |
| Format | Audiobook |
| Publisher | Blackstone Publishing |
| Genre | Fiction: general and literary |
| Availability | AU, GB, IE, US |
More from the same
Author
Narrator
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK’s only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at £8.99. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from £3.99. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.