Tamara Walks on Water

by Shifra Horn

I guess it was hard for a girl to grow in Jaffa in early 20 century. Especially to grow while being called all sorts of names, like ‘carrot-head’, ‘Tamara another one’, ‘Tamara rooster’, ‘daughter of a hyena’ and ‘your ma is your grandma’. Especially when the said grandma, out of love to Tamara, tries to convince her that she is ugly and does not allow her to wear any pretty clothes, saying that those are “for whores”.

An enchanting book by Shifra Horn, far from being depressing, is very optimistic. At times, it is really funny too.

שפרה הורן When I dissolved into tears enfolded in her arms, she wept tearlessly with me and warned me to beware of men because they are dangerous. They have a stick, she explained to me, a flesh stick, and when this stick enters a girl’s body, it brings forth babies. That night, after she had fallen asleep with a sigh, I conferred with Yosef on a subject. We whispered and inspected the lower apertures of my body in the dim light of the streetlight, and deliberated on the matter. We made assumptions and rejected them, and finally selected the navel. תמרה הולכת על המים

I wish there were more moments like this, instead of rather unconvincing love affair of Tamara and Archimandrite Christodolos. Still, what’s written that’s written, and it’s a great read anyway.