All Roads Lead to Jerusalem: A Muslim American Woman Looking for Hope and Answers in the West Bank - Softcover

Jones, Jenny Lynn

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0991069951 ISBN 13: 9780991069958

Publisher: Titletown Publishing, LLC, 2014

Synopsis

When Jenny Jones and her three children move from their Washington home to that of Jenny's in-laws in the West Bank, the village of Safa seems like a haven. Sheltered from much of the area's troubles, Jenny considers the village to be the ideal place for her children to explore a part of their identity they deserved to know more about. In spite of its pastoral charm, Safa is far more complex than Jenny had imagined. On top of dealing with inter-tribal battles, military round-ups, and nighttime raids, Jenny has to deal with her in-laws and day-to-day difficulties caused by her less than eloquent Arabic and frequent cultural misunderstandings. But the Holy Land is famous for its miracles after all-and after coming across a National Geographic article one day bemoaning the jealously guarded off-limits archaeological chambers on Jerusalem's famous Temple Mount, Jenny decides to make a sudden, life changing decision to find a way in herself―despite virtually impossible odds―along the way discovering a kind of self-acceptance and belonging that she never imagined possible. All Roads Lead to Jerusalem depicts a woman's struggle to find a sense of inner peace after realizing that neither the restrictive Islamic culture she has chosen, nor the increasingly hostile North American society she was born into, seem to offer the acceptance she yearns for.

About this title

From the Author:

JJennifer Lynn Jones was born and raised in the tiny town of Independence, Oregon. She converted to Islam from Christianity at the age of 14 after reading an English translation of the Qur'an. Today Jenny is active in the North American Islamic community. She lives in Redmond, Washington with her husband and their three children.

From Booklist:

Jones, a Muslim American woman, reflects on the year she spent living in the West Bank with her three young children. This highly personal account of life in one of the most politically fraught regions in the world details a journey of self-reflection and personal growth and will appeal to a wide array of readers—not just religious minorities, but also anyone who has ever felt trapped by the choices they’ve made. Jones’ conversational tone makes it easy to get caught up in her stories, from fending off nosy relatives to bravely protecting her children from overzealous Israeli soldiers. Unfortunately, the too-short chapters and abrupt transitions from personal story to local history make for a choppy and unsettled read. --Rebecca Hayes

About this edition

• Publisher: Titletown Publishing, LLC
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0991069951
• ISBN 13: 9780991069958
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240