Marek Halter Books

A family saga with a difference. "The Book of Abraham opens on the backdrop of a burning Jerusalem in 70 AD as Abraham the Temple scribe flees the destruction of his home. Two thousand years and a hundred generations later, another Abraham perishes, immolated in the fires of the Warsaw Ghetto. But the chain that links these two Abrahams--a chain that stretches from Jerusalem to Warsaw through Rome, Alexandria, France and Greece--is one of family ties, and the unforgettable, powerful and poignant story that is told is that of one family--the author's own. This is a new edition of the timeless best-seller that has already sold over 5,000,000 copies worldwide.

Exploring the ancient world, the narrative offers a unique perspective through the life of Mary of Nazareth, a young Jewish woman. It delves into her experiences, struggles, and the cultural context of her time, providing insights into her character and the societal challenges she faces. The story intertwines themes of faith, identity, and resilience, illuminating the historical backdrop that shapes her journey and the pivotal role she plays in a transformative era.

** The latest provocative book by the international bestselling author, Marek Halter ** Seventy-five years after the Holocaust, which decimated a people several thousand years old, after we swore in an almost unanimous voice, "Never again," the scourge of anti-Jewish sentiment invades our sidewalks again, especially in Western Europe, including France, the homeland of human rights. Marek Halter, a Jew himself, asks, "Why always the Jews?" This hard-hitting essay examines all the false trials of Jews—religious or otherwise—during troubled periods throughout the world's history.

The narrative delves into the life of a remarkable woman who played a significant role alongside Moses, exploring her strength and resilience. It offers a fresh perspective on biblical events, highlighting her contributions and the challenges she faced. The story intertwines themes of faith, leadership, and the struggle for identity, providing readers with a deeper understanding of her character and the historical context surrounding her journey.

Sarah’s story begins in the cradle of civilization: the Sumerian city-state of Ur, a land of desert heat, towering gardens, and immense wealth. The daughter of a powerful lord, Sarah balks at the marriage her father has planned for her. On her wedding day, she impulsively flees to the vast, empty marshes outside the city walls, where she meets a young man named Abram, son of a tribe of outsiders. Drawn to this exotic stranger, Sarah spends one night with him and reluctantly returns to her father’s house. But on her return, she secretly drinks a poisonous potion that will make her barren and thus unfit for marriage.Many years later, Abram returns to Ur and discovers that the lost, rebellious girl from the marsh has been transformed into a splendid woman—the high priestess of the goddess Ishtar. But Sarah gives up her exalted life to join Abram’s tribe and follow the one true God, an invisible deity who speaks only to Abram. It is then that her journey truly begins.From the great ziggurat of Ishtar to the fertile valleys of Canaan to the bedchamber of the mighty Pharaoh himself, Sarah’s story reveals an ancient world full of beauty, intrigue, and miracles.

En juin 1950, à Washington, Maria Apron est interrogée par McCarthy et son équipe, accusée d'être entrée aux États-Unis avec un faux passeport et d'avoir tué un agent secret américain en Union soviétique. Avant elle, de nombreux artistes soupçonnés de sympathies communistes ont vu leur carrière détruite. Pour se défendre, Maria, de son vrai nom Marina Andreïva, utilise ses souvenirs. Elle révèle avoir connu Staline, étant sa maîtresse à l'âge de dix-neuf ans, alors qu'elle est une étoile montante du théâtre moscovite. Lors d'un dîner au Kremlin, Staline annonce la création d'une région autonome juive, le Birobidjan, séduisant Marina tout en provoquant sa répulsion. Après le suicide de Nadejda Allilouïeva, l'épouse de Staline, Marina doit fuir Moscou. Ironiquement, elle se retrouve au Birobidjan, où elle découvre le théâtre yiddish et renoue avec sa passion. Elle tombe amoureuse de Michael Apron, un médecin américain, mais la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale change la donne. Accusé d'espionnage, Michael est envoyé au Goulag. Pour le sauver, Marina brave l'enfer. Au cours de son procès, elle raconte non seulement sa vie, mais l'histoire d'une femme qui défie le destin avec l'amour, le théâtre et la beauté d'une langue.

Marek Halter erzählt mit großer Überzeugungskraft, wie er sein eigenes Judentum innerhalb der unterschiedlichen Glaubensrichtungen sieht, was ihm die Tradition bedeutet. Sein Buch ist aber mehr als ein privates Bekenntnis: Es ist eine sehr persönliche Einführung in alle zentralen Aspekte des Judentums und dazu eine Selbstauskunft darüber, was es bedeutet, im heutigen Europa als Jude zu leben.

1967 : guerre des Six Jours. Marek Halter voit mourir son père qui lui laisse un étrange petit carnet rassemblant des siècles d'histoire et les bribes de la mémoire en lambeaux de la famille Halter. Dès lors sa vie va être tendue vers un double but : la recherche d'une solution au conflit israélo-arabe et la reconquête de sa propre histoire. Deux aventures étrangement voisines et concurrentes. Il échouera dans la première, mais la seconde donnera naissance à cette grande fresque du judaïsme. Une œuvre bouleversante qui relie enfin tous les fils d'Abraham, dispersés aux quatre coins du monde, et nous confronte à l'éternelle question : qu'est-ce au juste qu'être juif ?

Giugno 1950, la commissione McCarthy interroga un'attrice di nome Maria Apron, accusata di essere entrata negli Stati Uniti con un passaporto falso e di aver assassinato un agente segreto americano in Unione Sovietica. Per difendersi, Maria non ha altro che i propri ricordi, e li userà, nei cinque giorni del suo interrogatorio, per cercare di salvarsi la vita. Marina Andreïva, questo è il suo vero nome, inizia la sua confessione con una rivelazione sconvolgente: sì, ha conosciuto Stalin, è stata persino la sua amante, e quella storia ha distrutto tutti i suoi sogni. Perché proprio per sfuggire al dittatore, nel 1932, la donna, che all'epoca era una giovane promessa del teatro moscovita, era stata costretta ad abbandonare per sempre la sua carriera e la sua città. Per ironia della sorte, Marina, giovane attrice antisemita, si era ritrovata a Birobidjan, la regione autonoma ebraica creata in Siberia da Stalin, e lì aveva scoperto la grande vitalità della cultura yiddish e trovato l'amore. Lui si chiamava Micheal Apron, ed era americano. Ma la fine della seconda guerra mondiale modifica gli equilibri: gli americani, che prima erano alleati, ora sono il nemico numero uno. Accusato di spionaggio, Michael viene rinchiuso in un Gulag e, per salvarlo, Marina decide di sfidare l'inferno.