All the Rivers

All the Rivers (Initially referred to as Borderlife, (Hebrew: גדר חיה Gader Chaya, literally: "Hedgerow") is a 2014 novel written by Israeli author Dorit Rabinyan,[1] published by Am Oved in May 2014.[2] The book's English-language edition was translated by Jessica Cohen and published by Random House in the United States[3] and by Serpent's Tail in the United Kingdom,[4] both in 2017. It is considered a controversial book in Israel.

Gader Haya
First edition (hebrew)
AuthorDorit Rabinyan
CountryIsrael
LanguageHebrew
Published2014
PublisherAm Oved
Pages344

The novel was a winner of the Bernstein Prize for young writers, an Israeli award for Hebrew literature.[1][5]

Plot

The novel, which is set in New York City, chronicles a love affair between Hilmi, a Palestinian artist, and Liat, a Jewish Israeli translator. The two eventually separate, with the man going to Ramallah and the woman going to Tel Aviv.[2]

Controversy

It became controversial in Israel after being disqualified from Israeli high school curricula for its subject matter of a love story between a Jewish-Israeli female and a Palestinian male prisoner of terrorism who's of Muslim-Arab background.[1] The novel topped bestseller lists[6] once it was rejected by the Israel Education Ministry.[1][7][8] The controversy led to pro-book protests from high school teachers and principals to the Knesset Opposition head, Zionist Union leader Isaac Herzog.[9][10] Shortly afterward the Ministry stated that the novel may be taught only in advanced literature classes.[11]

Besides the objections to the plot's interreligious relationship, the book has been controversial due to representing the Israel Defense Forces troops as sadistic war criminals.[12] It has been criticized for its encouragement of illegal drug use.[13] In addition, it was reported for calling the State of Israel an "Occupier", while its soldiers are compared to Hamas".[14][12]

Film adaptation

In December 2019, a film adaptation of the novel was announced to be in production by Gal Gadot and Keshet International.[15]

References
  1. Times of Israel Staff (December 31, 2015). "Book nixed for schools over 'intermarriage' fears flies off the shelves". The Times of Israel.
  2. Kashti, Or. "Israel Bans Novel on Arab-Jewish Romance From Schools for 'Threatening Jewish Identity' " (Archive). Haaretz. December 31, 2015. Retrieved on January 25, 2016.
  3. "All the Rivers by Dorit Rabinyan | PenguinRandomHouse.com". Penguin Random House. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  4. "All the Rivers". Serpent's Tail. Serpent's Tail. Archived from the original on 18 December 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  5. Lazareva, Inna (December 31, 2015). "Officials ban book depicting love story between Israeli and Palestinian from Israeli classrooms". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  6. "Israeli-Palestinian love story omitted from curriculum tops bestseller lists". The Guardian. 2016-01-08. Archived from the original on 2023-07-29.
  7. The Jewish Week
  8. "Israel Bans Teaching of Novel With Jewish-Arab Love Story". NBC News. Archived from the original on 2023-07-10.
  9. Kershner, Isabel (2015-12-31). "Jewish-Arab Love Story Excluded From Israeli Classrooms". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  10. Izikovich, Gili (January 7, 2016). "Demand for "Borderlife" Surges in Israel After Novel Is Banned From Schools". Haaretz. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  11. Kashti, Or. "Bennett Backs School Ban on Novel About Jewish-Arab Love Affair." Haaretz. December 31, 2015. Retrieved on January 25, 2016.
  12. "N12 - "הספר מציג את חיילי צה"ל כסאדיסטים"". 31 December 2015.
  13. "לא רק התבוללות: מה עוד כתוב בספר "גדר חיה"?". 31 December 2015.
  14. "גל גדות תפיק עם קשת סרט על הספר "גדר חיה"". 24 December 2019.
  15. Spiro, Amy (24 December 2019). "Gal Gadot, Keshet Partner on Film Adaptation of Novel Banned in Israeli Schools". Variety. Retrieved 24 December 2020.


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