"Rebuilding Step by Step": a Chronicle of Ruin and Red pulsing from the soil upwards
Blood-soaked Headlines: The Devastating Hamas Attack on Israel in October 2023
History took a gruesome turn on October 7, 2023, as the Middle East was stained anew with bloodshed. That fateful day, Hamas orchestrated a catastrophic assault on Israel, breaching the security barrier and rampaging through kibbutzim, border towns, and a music festival. Over 1,200 innocent lives were tragically extinguished, including civilians and military personnel, while nearly 200 were taken hostage. The initial shockwaves continue to set off a destructive domino effect, triggering a massive Israeli military response deep into Gaza, plunging the region into the brutal cycle of violence we have come to know all too well.
Israeli author Dror Mishani, born in 1975 in Holon, a Tel Aviv suburb, has traded his crime novels for a raw, personal account of the events that followed in the aftermath of the massacres in Israel's southern region. In his gripping work, "At Ground Level," Mishani invites us into the intimate lives of his family, as they're forced to take refuge in shelters during the sirens of the rocket attack warning system's piercing wails. The narrative is a heart-wrenching exploration of the tension between daily life's absurdity and the gravitas of the unfolding chaos.
As Israel tumbles into the abyss of chaos and misunderstanding, Mishani provides a disarmingly straightforward narrative. He subtlety reveals the charged, symbolic moments, such as the seemingly trivial decision to end therapy. This simple act serves as a conduit for wider rifts, driving a wedge between him and his teenage son, whom he accuses of disregarding the chaotic unfolding of events, and his daughter, who reproaches him for abandoning patriotism. In the fog of ideological clashes, Mishani's text delves into the question of what it means to write - for oneself, for others - during times of war.
Mishani doesn't just offer a solitary testament; he embeds his words in a broader analysis of his fractured society, torn between memory, fear, and ideology. He eloquently articulates the plight of the Palestinians and the enduring importance of literature in times of war. Juxtaposing the works of Stefan Zweig, Italo Calvino, and Emmanuel Carrère, whose works have shaped his intellectual journey, Mishani ponders the power of narrative to denounce injustice and challenge the raw reality of conflict. With clear-eyed prose, he confronts the disastrous state of his country, currently under the control of a ruthless far-right regime thirsty for vengeance. Despite the stubborn, dichotomous nature of the conflict, his book avoids simplistic Manichaeism, instead embracing complexity in pursuit of the truth.
In the News
Quebec's Changing Family Structure
The Quebec Superior Court has rescinded 44 articles of the Civil Code, paving the way for children to recognize more than two legal parents[1].
CEGEP Student Uprising
Students at a Montreal CEGEP areleading a strike to dispute the expulsion of their association from the premises, and to demand the establishment of a prayer room[2].
Immigration Reunification: A Controversy Unmasked
A recent survey reveals that Quebecers' perceptions of family reunification in immigration are less negative than anticipated[3].
Worth a Stream
Mishani is known for his crime fiction (e.g., The Missing File trilogy) exploring Israeli society’s tensions, but the referenced interview focuses on his analysis of the current war rather than literary works directly addressing the conflict[1]. The absence of book titles here likely reflects the recency of the crisis, as most publications on the 2023–2025 hostilities may still be in progress or unreported in these sources. For exact titles, checking Mishani's recent interviews or publisher announcements post-2023 would be advisable.
A prevalent theme from the interview, echoed in accounts of the war's human toll[4], is Mishani's critique of how trauma has reshaped Israeli public discourse around retaliation and displacement. This could form the basis for future non-fiction or fiction works.
- Dror Mishani's narrative in "At Ground Level" oscillates between the ordinary and the extraordinary, showcasing the impact of war-and-conflicts on culture and daily life in Gaza and Israel.
- Mishani's work delves into the political tensions inherent in the war-and-conflicts, challenging accepted narratives and shedding light on the limits of politics in addressing the crisis.
- The general-news media frequently refer to Mishani's thoughts on the war-and-conflicts, particularly his views on the endless cycle of violence and the devastating impact on society.
- In a recent interview, Mishani criticized the influence of trauma on Israeli public discourse, noting its tendency to drive a wedge between people and fuel the desire for revenge, an observation that resonates with much of the coverage of the Gaza events in October 2023.
