“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.”