Mishpacha Serial Light Years Away

Odelyah

Sun, May 29 2022, 5:44 pm

I hear you--maybe it sounded better in Hebrew? I just liked how she brought out his humanity, how he stretched himself emotionally out of the comfort zone of his personality, like when he stroked Tovi's face and soothed her to sleep when she was having an anxiety attack. And how she highlighted his relationship with Shifra when she asked him to speak about bitachon over the phone before the surgery. It was really touching and beautiful. The author has such a delicate, sensitive touch. (I agree the statement about his bending his principles was a bit uncharacteristically heavy-handed and pedantic sounding to me--that wasn't the part I loved about her portrayal of Gedalya at the end.)

ruchelbuckle

Tue, May 31 2022, 12:25 am

heidi wrote:

Also, I have a sneaking suspicion that Neve Tznobarim is Rechasim.. This author has a great sense of humor.

Can you explain? Is.it supposed to be a joke?

amother

Iris

Tue, May 31 2022, 12:40 am

Java wrote:

Leah Gebber is really good too!
I think the problem is lots of authors don't really understand how character development should work. Those 2 definitely do

You got it. Lea Gebber is one of the four. Her character development is incredible. Her plots are unique and well researched. She makes you think, and doesn’t insult our intelligence.
Etka Gittel is also way up there. I respect her devotion to her research and accuracy. Her words are also written like a symphony. Really beautiful writing as well. Some of her stories take us places we haven’t gone before, which is a plus as well.

PinkFridge

Tue, May 31 2022, 8:15 am

amother [ Iris ] wrote:

I missed this. Did you say who the fourth is?

amother

Stonewash

Tue, May 31 2022, 11:58 am

PinkFridge wrote:

I missed this. Did you say who the fourth is?

If it's not Rachel Pomerantz there's at least 5!

PinkFridge

Tue, May 31 2022, 5:57 pm

amother [ Stonewash ] wrote:

If it's not Rachel Pomerantz there's at least 5!

Rachel? Riva? Both?

amother

Stonewash

Tue, May 31 2022, 6:03 pm

PinkFridge wrote:

Rachel? Riva? Both?

I haven't read enough of Riva Pomerantz to have an opinion, but Rachel Pomerantz has excellent character development.

PinkFridge

Tue, May 31 2022, 6:19 pm

amother [ Stonewash ] wrote:

I haven't read enough of Riva Pomerantz to have an opinion, but Rachel Pomerantz has excellent character development.

They both create gripping plot lines with very interesting people.

momallhours

Wed, Jun 01 2022, 9:19 am

I have the same 4 I read they are incredibly talented writers. I am looking forward to Leah Gebber's new story. Though hers usually doesn't heat up until further in

birdie1

Wed, Jun 01 2022, 9:32 am

momallhours wrote:

I have the same 4 I read they are incredibly talented writers. I am looking forward to Leah Gebber's new story. Though hers usually doesn't heat up until further in

The new one in Mishpacha; I'm curious how she's gonna tie all three stories together.

cheeseaddict

Mon, Jun 06 2022, 3:59 pm

Am I the only one who read this serial and understood that this is a beautiful story about people within a society who have their flaws and are growing and maturing into relationships? Like every normal person in the world?

Yes, the characters grapple with issues that will only be found in chareidi society, but why are we making it out to be that every beis yaakov girl will take kollel life to extremes like Nechami. Like every boy who deviates slightly from the hashkafa of his parents will be constantly criticized and ridiculed. Like every kollel avreich is clueless and cares only for learning.

I see a mother who is disappointed in a child and also has anger and acceptance issues. This is not indicative of all mothers in chareidi society, but as part of the story, these are the human flaws of this particular mother.

Nechami has a particular personality which tends towards perfection and feelings of guilt and shame when she is not perfect (in her own eyes, and as she thinks others would set the ideal). She has also grown from an immature young married woman to a woman more accepting of her faults and less ashamed of her shortcomings. Is this not true for all of us?

Likewise, Shua is not self-centered and unaware and putting learning before his family, he is simply doing what he loves and what his own wife keeps pushing him to do. Slightly oblivious, maybe. But what is he supposed to do? Argue with Nechami that she can't handle things on her own? Keeping in mind how young they probably were when they got married, he is also on a journey to understanding and maturity.

His parents raised their children that the girls help out and the boys are kings in the house. Is this true only in charedi society? Really? Is it even rampant in chareidi society? Nechami has issues with it, and it certainly doesn't seem to be how her own brothers were raised, or how she is raising her own sons.

Gedalia is also not rigid because he is chareidi and that is how chreidim are. He happens to be a chareidi with that personality trait, which means he is very well-suited to his job. And most chareidim are not as rigid as he is even in the storyline, as he clearly gets on everyone's nerves with his pedantic editing.

Same for every other character in the story.

This is not a commentary on chareidi society and its flaws.
This is a beautifully written story about people, set in charedi society and how their personalities and inherent traits play out within their upbringing and community and familial expectations.

And it is probably the best written serial I have ever read.

heidi

Mon, Jun 06 2022, 4:27 pm

ruchelbuckle wrote:

Can you explain? Is.it supposed to be a joke?

Oops, I meant Tifrach. It's a charedi town down South that is known to pride itself on its poverty and being far from civilization.

Java

Mon, Jun 06 2022, 10:51 pm

Ruti Kepler's article in mishpacha was on point!!

Java

Mon, Jun 06 2022, 10:52 pm

Did anybody else not realize that they're chassidish? Not that it matters so much lol I just found that interesting

seeker

Mon, Jun 06 2022, 11:04 pm

Did I miss something or did we really get no clarity or closure on the Yaffa thread? She went to a place where she was tempted to do something inappropriate and then... Dudi is upset and...? There was a lot going on with them earlier in the story and this whole part I feel like maybe I missed a chapter, was there any interaction between them about this or just the vague sense that Dudi is upset? I didn't even see any clarity on what type of upset he was. Is this a worry about their child's future? Upset at himself for taking his life in this direction? Upset at her for going in the first place? What of that conversation with Nechami implying that she didn't know what she was getting into - did she share that with Dudi? I just feel like I'm missing something and I really liked that girl and feel cheated.

Java

Mon, Jun 06 2022, 11:07 pm

seeker wrote:

I think the closure is that Dudi realizes that they need to make active decisions on where their life is taking them, as opposed to just going with the flow (which got them to where they are now)

Crookshanks

Tue, Jun 07 2022, 1:16 am

I read Ruti Kepler's response in the Mishpacha over Shavuos and I agree that it ended very well, besides for Dudi and Yaffa'le. I feel like they could have used another chapter or two for us to see them as a couple, not just Dudi. Like Yaffa'le kind of disappears at a certain point.

amother

DarkMagenta

Tue, Jun 07 2022, 5:02 am

I adored this story, but I didn't love the follow up. I felt like she tried to explain herself too much. I think the gripe, for me at least, wasn't the lack of ending, but lack of drama. In other words, the denouement was missing. The buildup to the end was very ho-hum, which made for a less than satisfying end experience, in my opinion.

amother

Catmint

Tue, Jun 07 2022, 6:12 am

Java wrote:

Did anybody else not realize that they're chassidish? Not that it matters so much lol I just found that interesting

It was a cultural nuance.

amother

Almond

Tue, Jun 07 2022, 3:11 pm

Can someone tell me how it ended? I didn't read the last 2 chapters.
Thanks!