Sarajevo Rose: A Balkan Jewish Notebook

Tracing the path of the Sephardic Jews to the Balkans - following their expulsion from Spain during the Inquisition - Schwartz draws on place names, historical chronicles, epitaphs, folk ballads, banned books, and the media. He examines both the travails and remarkable cultural achievements of these communities which, hundreds of years after the trauma of forced exile, were almost entirely destroyed in the Holocaust. The richness of the literature, poetry, mythology and craftsmanship that emerged from the Balkan Jewish milieu is explored, as well as the intermingling of Orthodox, Jewish, Catholic, and Muslim communities in the region. Highlights include commentaries on Sabbatai Zvi, who declared himself the Messiah in the seventeenth century and who reputedly chose conversion to Islam, and the 'Renaissance Jewish Traveller' Abraham Kohen Herrera, a convert under duress during the Inquisition, who later discovered his Jewish heritage through mysticism, and who may have been the model for Shylock in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice. This is not only an historical analysis but also a personal journey. The author's poignant descriptions of attempted pilgrimages to Jewish cemeteries and synagogues throughout the Balkans are testament to his yearning for historical pride and validation of identity.

Stephen Schwartz is the author of the bestselling Two Faces of Islam, Kosovo: Background to a War and several books on Spanish, Albanian, and Californian history. He lives in Washington, D.C.

'A story so compelling it turns the pages on its own.' Michael Sells 'Contains extraordinary and fascinating stories of Bosnia's Jews. A fine achievement.' The Economist 'A tribute to a remarkable, courageous, creative community ... a creative gift worthy of its subject.' The New York Post 'A felt and lived narrative ... reveals the complex realities and ironies of living in volatile times ...' Balkan Academic News 'This book should be a part of every library, private or otherwise. Rabbis, priests, imams, professors and students of religion, conflict resolution, and Balkan studies should consider this book as essential reading.' Islamic Studies 'This brilliant and inspirational work ... speaks to our need to know the past ... an eloquent restatement of Ottoman Islamic civilization in all its glory.' Sephardic Heritage Update