Story of Jewish politics and family relationships read at new book store
Written by Wendy Sullivan   
Tuesday, 06 October 2009

TORONTO – The shining new, independently operated McNally Robinson megastore at Don Mills and Lawrence played host to Winnipeg-born author Michael Tregebov last Friday evening.

Tregebov’s book, The Briss, is a story of Jewish politics and family relationships. Through tight and humourous dialogue, Tregebov tells the story of Teddy, a medical student full of promise who drops out of university and is sent on a Birthright tour of Israel to clear his head. His mother’s plan, of course, is to have him meet a “nice Jewish girl” and settle down. While in Israel he befriends Gush Shalom pacifists and becomes a human shield.

He calls his parents, Sammy and Anna, from Israel via satellite phone to break the news of his newfound calling to them. The fact that he’s a human shield is hard enough to digest, but then he drops the really big bomb: He has fallen in love with a Palestinian girl named Aida.

“Is she an Arab?” Sammy asks, the closest he can get to saying “Palestinian.”

Teddy’s father, who fought for Israel’s existence in 1948, must struggle to come to grips with the announcement that a Muslim is carrying his grandchild.

Tregebov, who previously authored a book of poetry called Changehouse, said he was inspired to write this novel by the events surrounding the Second Intifada. He felt there was a need for people to have their hearts softened to the plight and the humanity of Palestinians.

Invoking US President Barack  Obama’s speech in Cairo calling the Palestinians an “oppressed people,” Tregebov said he hoped his book would show the prejudices and possibilities for reconciliation on both sides.

Born in Winnipeg, where The Briss is partially set, Tregebov has made his home in Barcelona, Spain, since 1982. When asked why, he quipped that he’d “always wanted to live in Europe,” but that he found the French too intimidating. Hence, Spain. And of course, the climate is much better than Winnipeg’s.

His parents, who flew in for the reading at McNally Robinson from Winnipeg, concurred.
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 14 October 2009 )